questions and answers
Assassination attempt on Fico: “Multiple gunshot wounds”
Robert Fico shortly before the attack in Handlova. The deputy head of government says his condition has “stabilized but remains serious.” photo
© Radovan Stoklasa/TASR/dpa
The Slovakian Prime Minister Fico is gunned down by a pensioner in the small town of Handlova. After a long operation, his condition is stable but still serious. What was the perpetrator’s motive?
The attack on the Slovakian head of government Robert Fico shocked Slovakia and caused international outrage. Three important questions and answers:
What happened?
The attack occurred on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Fico was in the small town of Handlova, where a cabinet meeting had taken place. Supporters had gathered outside the meeting venue. As Fico approached the people to greet them, shots were fired. A video from local television RTV Prievidza shows a man pushing himself against the fence and shooting at the Prime Minister from close range. According to eyewitness reports, the perpetrator called the politician loudly and then fired five shots at him.
“Just before I wanted to shake his hand, I heard four shots. Robert fell to the ground,” an eyewitness said on the public broadcaster RTVS on Wednesday in the square in front of the House of Culture in Handlova. He is in shock. “This is something terrible, these were shots from behind,” he added. A woman told the station about the shooter: “The man stood there from the start. (…) He just waited.”
The portal of the newspaper “Dennik N” published video footage showing bodyguards picking up Fico, who had fallen to the ground after the shots, and carrying him in a crumpled position to his limousine. There they put him in the back seat. As the car speeds away at full speed, the attacker is arrested by police officers.
How is Fico?
After the attack, 59-year-old Fico was flown to the regional capital Banska Bystrica, where he underwent a five-hour emergency operation at Roosevelt Hospital. A CT scan had previously been carried out, reported hospital director Miriam Lapunikova. Two teams of doctors were involved in the operation.
Interior Minister Sutaj Estok and Defense Minister Robert Kalinak, who is also deputy head of government, announced directly in the clinic on Wednesday evening that Fico’s condition was life-threatening and “extremely serious.” The hospital imposed an information blackout.
That night, media reported that Fico had regained consciousness after surgery. One of the deputy heads of government, Environment Minister Tomas Taraba, told the BBC that, as far as he knew, the operation had gone well and Fico was “not in a life-threatening condition at the moment.” On Thursday morning, Defense Minister Kalinak told the TASR news agency that Fico’s condition had “stabilized but remained serious.” Hospital director Lapunikova said: “The patient had multiple gunshot wounds.” The consequences of these injuries could make recovery difficult. There is no further information yet.
What motives did the perpetrator have?
According to Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok, the perpetrator is a 71-year-old from the small town of Levice. An initial interrogation revealed that he had a “clearly political motive,” namely rejection of government policy. According to media reports, Juraj C. is said to have worked for a private security service in the past and therefore had a firearms license. He legally owned the murder weapon. According to media reports, he also tried his hand at writing in his home region. Levice is an hour’s drive south of Handlova, where Fico was staying.
A reporter from public television RTVS, who was able to see the perpetrator up close after the arrest, said that the attacker appeared disoriented and had blood on his forehead. But that could probably be explained by the fact that the police officers overpowered him after the crime and pushed him to the ground.
The TV news channel TA3 and other media were leaked a video recording from the police station. In it, the dazed-looking suspected assassin says: “I don’t agree with government policy.” As an example, he mentioned in an indistinct voice the government’s planned media reform, against which thousands of people have been demonstrating for weeks. According to media reports, the wife of the alleged perpetrator was also questioned by the police.