UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed that he was “shocked” upon learning about Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was injured in a shooting incident on Wednesday.
In a post on social media platform X, Sunak wrote, “Shocked to hear this awful news. All our thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family.”
Shocked to hear this awful news. All our thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family. https://t.co/x6gb47kSBF
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 15, 2024
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also used social media to denounce the act of violence targeting Slovakia’s head of state.
“The attack on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is appalling. We strongly condemn this act of violence against our neighbouring partner state’s head of government,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
The attack on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is appalling.
We strongly condemn this act of violence against our neighboring partner state’s head of government. Every effort should be made to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form, or sphere.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 15, 2024
“Every effort should be made to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form, or sphere. We sincerely hope Robert Fico recovers soon and express our solidarity with the people of Slovakia,” he said.
Similarly, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis also denounced the assault on the Slovak Prime Minister and extended wishes for his “full and speedy recovery.”
“Appalled to learn about the shooting of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. I wish him a full and speedy recovery. I strongly condemn such extremist acts, which threaten our core European values,” Lohannis said in a post on X.
Robert Fico, who has served as Prime Minister of Slovakia four times, was injured in a shooting incident on Wednesday in Handlova, as reported by The Slovak Spectator. The incident occurred after a government meeting in Handlova. Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia confirmed the violent attack on Robert Fico.
The Ministry took to X, and wrote, “Minister of Foreign & European Affairs of Juraj Blanar confirms that today (15/5/24) a violent attempt on life of the Slovak PM Robert Fico took place. While grateful for all the solidarity & support expressed, his thoughts are with the PM.”
Handlova, situated in the Trencin Region of Slovakia, is notably a mining town where the shooter targeted PM Fico outside the cultural house, where a government meeting was convened.
The Slovak Spectator reported that multiple gunshots were heard while Fico was interacting with his supporters outside the building, and later, he was shot and fell to the ground.
Following the shooting, pro-Russian Smer MP Lubos Blaha in Bratislava suspended today’s parliament session, accusing the opposition of being responsible for the incident.
The latest reports indicate that the Slovak premier is in a ‘life-threatening state’ after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds in an assassination attempt.
CNN reported that the suspected gunman was among a small crowd of people waiting to greet the prime minister on the street outside the cultural center where the meeting was held.
The incident was described as “an assassination attempt” in a statement posted on Fico’s official Facebook page and his party’s website.
“He was shot multiple times and is currently in a life-threatening condition. The next few hours will be decisive,” the statement said.
The accused gunman has been apprehended by the police, according to Slovak President Zuzana Caputova.