It is essential to dwell on the recent events in Slovakia, which have deeply shocked and shaken the country. The assassination attempt against Prime Minister Robert Fico plunged the nation into stupor. According to Slovak media, the alleged attacker is a 71-year-old man, but the motive for his action remains unclear.
The situation is all the more worrying in a country such as Slovakia, which has hardly been confronted with episodes of political violence in the past. Slovakia’s partners in the European Union and NATO unanimously condemned this attack.
The announcement of the incident created shock waves across the country. Robert Fico, 59, was immediately transferred to hospital in the Slovak town of Handlova where he was chairing a government meeting at the time of the attack. His critical state of health required his transfer by helicopter to the regional capital of Banska Bystrica for urgent treatment, preventing him from reaching Bratislava.
Witnesses reported hearing three or four gunshots as Robert Fico came out to greet a crowd of people who had come to welcome him. The police intervened quickly to subdue the assailant.
The attack was described as an “assassination” by the Slovak government office, which confirmed that the incident took place during an official meeting in Handlova. Media reports identified the suspected shooter as a 71-year-old man with a legal gun permit, without revealing the names of those involved.
The reaction of the shooter’s son was cited in the media, expressing incomprehension of his father’s intentions. These tragic events have left the Slovak population in shock, as evidenced by the moving testimony of a 66-year-old resident who declared: “I don’t think I’ll wake up from this. This kind of thing simply should not happen in Slovakia.”
Robert Fico, who recently began his fourth term as prime minister, is a controversial figure in Slovak politics. Its positioning close to Russia in the Ukrainian conflict and its institutional reforms have sparked criticism and demonstrations in the country.
Following the attack, the main opposition party, Progress Slovakia, canceled a planned protest against the government’s public media reforms. Political leaders are called upon to exercise restraint, in order to avoid any escalation of tensions.
The attack was strongly condemned by European institutions, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who stressed that such acts of violence have no place in a democratic society..
In conclusion, this dramatic episode reveals the divisions currently crossing Slovak society and underlines the need to preserve democratic values and political dialogue to guarantee the unity of the country.