![Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico seriously injured by gunshot Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico seriously injured by gunshot](https://media.lesechos.com/api/v1/images/view/6644d4754700571396343f27/1280x720/01101092706125-web-tete.jpg)
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is “between life and death” after being shot several times on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting, the central European country’s government said.
Robert Fico, a populist named prime minister last year and whose ally was recently elected president, is “between life and death,” according to the government.
According to his official Facebook page, he was shot “several times.” “It is currently being transported by helicopter to Banska Bystrica”, a town in central Slovakia, the government further clarified in a press release.
Shooter arrested
The attack came after a cabinet meeting in Handlova, central Slovakia, according to the Dennik N newspaper, whose reporter saw the head of government taken away in a car by bodyguards. According to the newspaper, the suspected shooter was apprehended by the police.
“Today, after a government meeting in Handlova, there was an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister,” the government confirmed. “We confirm the attack on the Prime Minister,” police spokesperson Matej Neumann also said.
A “brutal and incomprehensible” attack
Robert Fico was first transported to Handlova hospital, in the “vascular surgery unit”, indicated the director of the establishment, Marta Eckhardtova, who did not give details on the nature of the his injuries.
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova condemned the “brutal and irresponsible” attack. ” I am shocked. I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment to recover from this “brutal and irresponsible” attack, said the outgoing president in a press release.
Strong emotion in Europe
The leaders of the European Union institutions reacted strongly to the news. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen deplored the “despicable attack” on the Slovak Prime Minister. “Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family,” the Commission President wrote on X.
“Nothing can ever justify violence or such attacks”, also underlined the President of the European Council Charles Michel. The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola also said she was “shocked by the horrible attack” against the Slovak leader. “On behalf of the European Parliament, I condemn this act of violence,” added the Maltese official.
Several national officials, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian head of government Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said they were “shocked” by this attack, which they described as an “attack”. .
With AFP