By KAREL JANICEK (Related Press)
PRAGUE (AP) — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening situation after being wounded in a capturing after a political occasion Wednesday afternoon, in keeping with his Fb profile.
The populist, pro-Russian chief, 59, was hit within the abdomen after 4 photographs had been fired exterior the Home of Tradition within the city of Handlova, some 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the capital the place the chief was assembly with supporters, in keeping with stories on TA3, a Slovak TV station. A suspect has been detained, the nation’s president stated in a televised assertion.
A message posted to Fico’s Fb account stated that the chief “has been shot a number of instances and is at present in life-threatening situation.”
It stated he was being transported by helicopter to the Banská Bystrica, 29 kilometers (63 miles) away from Handlova as a result of it will take too lengthy to get to Bratislava as a result of necessity of an acute process.
“The subsequent few hours will determine,” it stated.
Outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, a political rival of Fico, stated in a televised assertion: “A bodily assault on the Prime Minister is, to begin with, an assault on an individual, however additionally it is an assault on democracy. Any violence is unacceptable. The hateful rhetoric we’ve been witnessing in society results in hateful actions. Please, let’s cease it.”
President-elect Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, known as the assassination “an unprecedented risk to Slovak democracy. If we categorical different political beliefs with pistols in squares, and never in polling stations, we’re jeopardizing all the things that we have now constructed collectively over 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”
There have been reactions of shock from throughout Europe, and a few had been calling it an tried assassination of the chief within the NATO state, though no motive for the capturing was instantly obvious.
NATO Secretary-Normal Jens Stoltenberg posted on the social media platform X that he was “shocked and appalled by the capturing.”
The capturing in Slovakia comes three weeks forward of essential European Parliament elections, by which populist and hard-right events within the 27-nation bloc seem poised to make good points.
Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident throughout a session of Slovakia’s Parliament and adjourned it till additional discover, the Slovak TASR information company stated.
Slovakia’s main opposition events, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a deliberate protest towards a controversial authorities plan to overtake public broadcasting that they are saying would give the federal government full management of public radio and tv.
“We completely and strongly condemn violence and immediately’s capturing of Premier Robert Fico,” stated Progressive Slovakia chief Michal Simecka. “On the identical time we name on all politicians to chorus from any expressions and steps which may contribute to additional growing the strain.”
President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless” assault on the premier.
“I’m shocked,” Caputova stated. “I want Robert Fico quite a lot of energy on this crucial second and a fast restoration from this assault.”
Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Path, get together, gained Slovakia’s Sept. 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Critics apprehensive Slovakia underneath Fico would abandon the nation’s pro-Western course and observe the route of Hungary underneath populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
1000’s have repeatedly rallied within the capital and throughout Slovakia to protest Fico’s insurance policies.
Condemnations of political violence shortly got here from leaders throughout Europe.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile assault.”
“Such acts of violence don’t have any place in our society and undermine democracy, our most treasured widespread good,” von der Leyen stated in a put up on X.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala known as the incident “surprising,” including “I want the premier to get effectively quickly. We can’t tolerate violence, there’s no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia fashioned Czechoslovakia until 1992.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social media community X: “Surprising information from Slovakia. Robert, my ideas are with you on this very tough second.”