Slovak PM ‘not in life-threatening situation’ after being shot: Minister | World News

The gunman shot Fico, 59, 5 occasions, initially leaving the prime minister in vital situation and present process surgical procedure hours in a while Wednesday night.

“I used to be very shocked … thankfully so far as I do know the operation went nicely – and I assume ultimately he’ll survive … he isn’t in a life-threatening state of affairs at this second,” Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Setting Minister Tomas Taraba informed the BBC’s Newshour.

News outlet Aktuality.sk cited an unnamed supply saying Fico was out of surgical procedure and in secure situation.

Defence Minister Robert Kalinak informed a information briefing hours earlier that Fico had suffered “critical polytrauma” after a number of shot wounds.

Inside Minister Matus Sutaj Estok had stated earlier that Fico was in a life-threatening situation whereas he remained within the working room.

“This assassination (try) was politically motivated and the perpetrator’s choice was born carefully after the presidential election,” Sutaj Estok stated, referring to an April election received by a Fico ally, Peter Pellegrini.

The capturing within the central Slovak city of Handlova, which Slovak media stated was carried out by a 71-year-old man, surprised the small central European nation and drew worldwide condemnation.

Slovakia, a member of NATO and the European Union, has little historical past of political violence. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden joined Slovakia’s EU companions in expressing shock and condemnation of the capturing.

The nation of 5.4 million has seen polarised political debate in recent times, together with the hard-fought presidential election final month that helped tighten Fico’s grip on energy.

His authorities has scaled again help for Ukraine whereas opening dialogue with Russia, sought to weaken punishments for corruption and dismantled a particular prosecutor’s workplace, and is revamping the RTVS public broadcaster regardless of calls to guard media freedom.

Fico has lengthy been vital of Slovakia’s mainstream media, refusing to talk to some retailers. Members of his celebration blasted media and opposition actions in latest months.

“I ask all to cease piling assaults, expressions of hate, on social networks, within the media, that are geared toward that or one other political camp, regardless if it considerations the (authorities) coalition or the opposition,” Sutaj Estok stated.

After the assault, Fico was rushed to hospital in Handlova the place he had been chairing a authorities assembly. He was then transported by helicopter to regional capital Banska Bystrica for pressing remedy, it stated, including that his situation was too critical for him to be taken to Bratislava.

A Reuters witness heard photographs as Fico exited a constructing to shake arms with a crowd of people that had been ready to greet him. Police then wrestled a person to the bottom.

Slovak information media reported the shooter was a former safety guard at a shopping center, an writer of three collections of poetry and a member of the Slovak Society of Writers. News outlet Aktuality.sk cited his son as saying his father was the authorized holder of a gun licence.

“I’ve completely no concept what my father supposed, what he deliberate, what occurred,” it quoted the son as saying.

Broadcaster TA3 reported the leftist prime minister had been hit within the stomach within the assault.

“I do not suppose I’ll get up from this,” 66-year-old Lubica Valkova informed reporters on the scene. “This type of factor simply cannot occur in Slovakia.”

Fico, a dominant pressure in Slovakia for twenty years, has drawn criticism for taking a extra pro-Russian stance within the Ukraine battle.

Describing the capturing as a “monstrous” crime, Putin stated in a telegram despatched to Slovakia’s President Zuzana Caputova: “I do know Robert Fico as a brave and strong-minded man. I very a lot hope that these qualities will assist him to outlive this troublesome state of affairs.”

Biden provided U.S. assist to Slovakia, saying in an announcement: “We condemn this horrific act of violence.”

Slovakia’s largest opposition celebration Progressive Slovakia referred to as off a deliberate protest and referred to as for restraint to keep away from escalating tensions. Parliament suspended debate indefinitely after the assault.

In his profession, Fico has moved between the pro-European mainstream and nationalistic positions against EU and U.S. insurance policies. He has additionally proven a willingness to alter course relying on public opinion or modified political realities.

An admirer of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Fico has grown more and more vital of Western help for Ukraine in its battle with invading Russian forces.

Fico was pressured to resign as premier amid mass protests in 2018 triggered by the contract killing of Jan Kuciak, a journalist who had been investigating high-level corruption. These protests exacerbated divisions in Slovak society that also linger.