The Diplomat
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, yesterday expressed his “horror and indignation” at the attack on the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, who is in a very serious condition after being shot several times at the end of a government meeting in the city of Handlova, in the centre of the country.
In a message on his social network account X, Sánchez wrote: “Horrified and outraged by the attack on the Prime Minister of Slovakia. Spain stands with Robert Fico, his family and the Slovak people at this extremely difficult time. Nothing can justify violence.
Fico, who regained power in September last year and is close to the Kremlin’s positions, was talking to supporters of his party outside a cultural centre where the meeting had been held when he was shot several times.
The president was rushed to hospital while the alleged gunman, a 71-year-old man identified as Juraj Cintula, a member of a literary club and opponent of Fico’s government, was arrested.
In Spain, the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, also expressed his condemnation of the attack on the same social network, writing: “Terror is never the answer and Democracy must be on the side of those who defend it legitimately”.
The attack, which occurred on the eve of the European Parliament elections, has caused a great stir in Slovakia, where it has been condemned by the leaders of the political forces, some of whom have highlighted the climate of tension that the country has been experiencing in recent years.
The condemnation was also unanimous among European leaders, such as the German Chancellor, Olaf Sultz, the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, and the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, who described the news as “shocking” and said: “I hope that the Prime Minister recovers as soon as possible. We must not tolerate violence, it should have no place in society.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of the European leaders closest to Fico, expressed his shock at the “heinous attack” and added: “We pray for your health and speedy recovery. May God bless him and his country”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Slovak prime minister a “brave man of great mental strength”, saying “there can be no justification for such a monstrous crime”.
Ukraine’s President Volodimir Zelenski, while aware of Fico’s pro-Russian positions, also condemned the attack, saying: “Everything possible must be done to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form or sphere.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expressing her condemnation, said: “Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy which is our most cherished common value. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, also expressed their solidarity with Fico and his family.
US President Joe Biden called the attack a “horrific act of violence” and said he and First Lady Jill Biden were “praying for a speedy recovery” for Fico, according to a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and the people of Slovakia,” the statement said.
