Full timeline of Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico’s taking pictures
The Slovakian prime minister is no longer in a life-threatening condition and ‘will survive’ after he was shot five times in a ‘politically motivated’ assassination attempt, his deputy has said.
Robert Fico, 59, was targeted by a gunman as he greeted supporters in Handlova, north-east of the capital Bratislava, following a Slovak government meeting.
The shooter, 71-year-old Juraj Cintula from Levice, could be seen waiting at a barrier for the PM to approach before drawing his weapon in footage published by Slovak outlet RTV Prievidza.
But when exactly did the incident happen and what has been revealed since it occurred?
Read on below for a full timeline of the Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s shooting.
Graphic depicting the events following the shooting of Slovakian PM Robert Fico
Full timeline of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s shooting
Wednesday May 15
Fico, 59, is shot in Handlova, north-east of Bratislava, following a Slovak government meeting while he greeted adoring crowds.
71-year-old Juraj Cintula, from Levice, could be seen waiting at a barrier for the PM to approach before drawing his weapon in footage published by Slovak outlet RTV Prievidza.
In a message posted on Fico’s Facebook page, his staff said he was shot a number of times and was ‘currently in a life-threatening condition’.
They said he was being transported to Banksa Bystrica as he needed urgent surgery.
The country’s interior minister Matus Sutaj Estok suggested during a press conference outside the hospital treating Fico that preliminary information ‘clearly’ points to a ‘political motivation’.
Robert Fico was said to be in a ‘life threatening condition’ according to a message posted to his Facebook following the attack yesterday
Speaking prior to Fico’s surgery, defence minister Robert Kalinak said there was ‘no good news at the moment’ and that he had placed trust ‘in the hands of the medical specialists’ as he appealed to the public to ‘pray’ for Fico’s recovery.
Mr Kalinak continued that ‘no one wants a Slovakia like this’ and he can’t ‘find the words’ for the ‘madness’ that is being witnessed.
World leaders send messages of support to Fico
Czech PM, Petr Fiala, responded to the attack on X, formerly Twitter, by posting: ‘The news about the shooting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is shocking.
‘I wish the prime minister to get well as soon as possible. We must not tolerate violence, it must have no place in society.’
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also shared a message to X, relaying his shock following the gun attack.
‘Shocked to hear this awful news. All our thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family,’ he wrote.
Ukraine’s PM, Volodymyr Zelensky, said: ‘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.
‘We sincerely hope Robert Fico recovers soon and express our solidarity with the people of Slovakia’.
Thursday May 16
Robert Fico pictured speaking with people before the cabinet’s away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia
Slovakia’s deputy prime minister Tomas Taraba reveals that Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition and ‘will survive’ after he was shot five times.
He told the BBC that Mr Fico is ‘not in [a] life-threatening situation at this moment’.
‘As far as I know, the operation went well and I guess that at the end he will survive’.
Mr Taraba added that Mr Fico was shot ‘from very close’ and that ‘one bullet went through the stomach and the second one hit the joint’.
Fico has been serving as the PM of Slovakia since September 2023, having returned to power after serving previously from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018.
