On Wednesday, May 15, an attack was carried out on the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico. However, as stated by Deputy Prime Minister Tomáš Tarhaj in an interview with BBC Newshour, Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition.
According to Tarhaj, Fico suffered serious injuries, but after emergency hospitalization and surgery, his condition has stabilized.
The incident took place in the city of Handlová, about 190 km from Bratislava, where a government meeting was being held. According to the media, Fico suffered internal bleeding as a result of three gunshot wounds to the abdomen and shoulder. It was later revealed that the shooter was the 71-year-old writer Juraj Číntala, an activist of the liberal party “Progressive Slovakia”. It became known that Juraj Číntala could have been associated with the pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci, particularly participating in the activities of the organization (Slovenskí Branci is an unregistered paramilitary group that has been active in Slovakia since 2012).
This attack may indicate an increase in radicalism in Europe, particularly under the influence of the large number of migrants and relocators, including from Russia. According to some experts, the attack could also be an act of discontent of the population of countries “controlled” by Russia, such as Slovakia and Hungary, which face serious socio-economic problems.
However, it is important to note that the attack on R. Fico is extremely disadvantageous for Ukraine, as it may have a negative impact on the planned Peace Summit overseen by President Zelensky, and may further complicate European support for Kiev in its confrontation with Russia. In turn, Ukraine is fully aware of the full range of negative consequences of this situation, as evidenced by Zelenskyy’s emotional statement, shocked by the attack. R. Fico, despite differences in position on the Russian invasion, is considered a rather moderate European politician.
Overall, according to some experts, the attack on R. Fico poses significant risks to the European security system, and also demonstrates the growth of radicalism and destabilization in the region, including under the possible influence of Russia.
