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<p>Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first public appearance on Friday (July 5) since he survived an assassination attempt in May. Prime Minister Fico took part in an evening ceremony&nbsp;marking Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, a public holiday in&nbsp;Slovakia.&nbsp;He spoke standing at a podium at a castle ruins dating back over 11 centuries, a report by the news agency Reuters said.</p>

<p>"We must all together build a huge dam against the nonsensical, progressive and liberal ideologies that are spreading like a cancer. They are ideologies that are damaging this country," Fico said.</p>

<p>"They are ideologies that were created perhaps only the day before yesterday. I do not want&nbsp;Slovakia&nbsp;to be among the countries that make a caricature of Western civilization," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>The assassination attempt on Fico</strong></h2>

<p>Prime Minister Fico, 59,&nbsp;was&nbsp;shot four times at close range on May 15 as he greeted supporters after a government meeting in the central town of Handlova.&nbsp;He was&nbsp;hit in the abdomen and was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica in serious condition.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-forgive-the-attacker-slovak-pms-first-address-since-assassination-attempt-729180">I forgive the attacker: Slovak PM’s first address since assassination attempt</a></strong></p>

<p>He has been recovering at home since the end of May. The attacker was identified as 71-year-old&nbsp;Juraj C, who was&nbsp;detained and charged with attempted premeditated murder. Prosecutors this week upgraded the case to a terrorist attack.</p>

<p>The attacker&nbsp;said he had wanted to hurt the prime minister, but not kill him, because he disagreed with the government's policies.</p>

<p>The assassination attempt&nbsp;deepened the polarisation in Slovakia, a country of&nbsp;5.4 million.</p>

<p>Since coming to power in 2023,&nbsp;Fico's leftist-nationalist government has quickly shifted policy, including changing some criminal laws and cancelling a special prosecutor's office, transforming the public broadcaster, and halting state military aid to Ukraine.</p>

<p>Opposition parties have battled Fico's government over the changes.</p>

<h2><strong>Fico talks about Ukraine war</strong></h2>

<p>Talking about the Ukraine war, Fico said on Friday, "We are even criticised for having a clear view on the need for a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine."</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Assassination Attempt on Slovak&nbsp;PM : Who is 71-year-Old shooter?</strong></p>

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<p>I would like to express my admiration for the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, for not hesitating to go both to Kyiv and to Moscow, if my health had allowed me to do so, I would very much like to have joined him. There are not enough, I repeat, not enough peace talks, peace initiatives,"&nbsp;he added.</p>

<p>The Slovak PM also warned of an uncontrolled war if something was not done in the coming days and months about the situation developing in Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first public appearance on Friday (July 5) since he survived an assassination attempt in May. Prime Minister Fico took part in an evening ceremony marking Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, a public holiday in Slovakia.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first public appearance on Friday (July 5) since he survived an assassination attempt in May. Prime Minister Fico took part in an evening ceremony marking Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, a public holiday in Slovakia. He spoke standing at a podium at a castle ruins dating back over 11 centuries, a report by the news agency Reuters said. "We must all together build a huge dam against the nonsensical, progressive and liberal ideologies that are spreading like a cancer. They are ideologies that are damaging this country," Fico said. "They are ideologies that were created perhaps only the day before yesterday. I do not want Slovakia to be among the countries that make a caricature of Western civilization," he added. The assassination attempt on Fico Prime Minister Fico, 59, was shot four times at close range on May 15 as he greeted supporters after a government meeting in the central town of Handlova. He was hit in the abdomen and was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica in serious condition. Also read | I forgive the attacker: Slovak PM’s first address since assassination attempt He has been recovering at home since the end of May. The attacker was identified as 71-year-old Juraj C, who was detained and charged with attempted premeditated murder. Prosecutors this week upgraded the case to a terrorist attack. The attacker said he had wanted to hurt the prime minister, but not kill him, because he disagreed with the government's policies. The assassination attempt deepened the polarisation in Slovakia, a country of 5.4 million. Since coming to power in 2023, Fico's leftist-nationalist government has quickly shifted policy, including changing some criminal laws and cancelling a special prosecutor's office, transforming the public broadcaster, and halting state military aid to Ukraine. Opposition parties have battled Fico's government over the changes. Fico talks about Ukraine war Talking about the Ukraine war, Fico said on Friday, "We are even criticised for having a clear view on the need for a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine." Also watch | Assassination Attempt on Slovak PM : Who is 71-year-Old shooter? × I would like to express my admiration for the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, for not hesitating to go both to Kyiv and to Moscow, if my health had allowed me to do so, I would very much like to have joined him. There are not enough, I repeat, not enough peace talks, peace initiatives," he added. The Slovak PM also warned of an uncontrolled war if something was not done in the coming days and months about the situation developing in Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Slovak PM Robert Fico makes first public appearance since assassination attempt

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<p>Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has made his first address to the public after he survived an assassination attempt last month. In a video posted on Wednesday (June 5), Prime Minister Fico&nbsp;said he forgave the attacker who shot him four times and announced he would be ready to gradually resume his duties starting later this month.</p>

<p>"I feel no hatred towards the stranger who shot me.&nbsp;I forgive him and let him sort out what he did and why he did it in his own head," Fico added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Fico shot at close range on May 15</strong></h2>

<p>PM Fico, 59, was&nbsp;shot four times at close range on May 15 as he greeted supporters after a government meeting in the central town of Handlova. He was&nbsp;hit in the abdomen and was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica in serious condition. He immediately underwent a more than five-hour operation and another one two days later.</p>

<p>Last week, the prime minister was released from the hospital and was taken&nbsp;to his apartment in Bratislava.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the hospital,&nbsp;Fico&nbsp;underwent further follow-up examinations, which confirmed the positive development of his health condition, and that he had started rehabilitation.</p>

<h2><strong>The attacker</strong></h2>

<p>The attacker was identified as&nbsp;71-year-old poet Juraj Cintula. The police detained Cintula&nbsp;on the spot. He was charged with attempted premeditated murder. This incident was the&nbsp;first major assassination attempt on a European political leader in more than 20 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the video posted on Wednesday,&nbsp;Fico&nbsp;called his attacker an activist of opposition parties, saying there was no reason to believe&nbsp;the shooter&nbsp;was a lone lunatic.&nbsp;"On May 15, a Slovak opposition activist tried to assassinate me in Handlova because of my political views," he added.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has made his first address to the public after he survived an assassination attempt last month. In a video posted on Wednesday (June 5), Prime Minister Fico said he forgave the attacker who shot him four times and announced he would be ready to gradually resume his duties starting later this month.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has made his first address to the public after he survived an assassination attempt last month. In a video posted on Wednesday (June 5), Prime Minister Fico said he forgave the attacker who shot him four times and announced he would be ready to gradually resume his duties starting later this month. "I feel no hatred towards the stranger who shot me. I forgive him and let him sort out what he did and why he did it in his own head," Fico added. Fico shot at close range on May 15 PM Fico, 59, was shot four times at close range on May 15 as he greeted supporters after a government meeting in the central town of Handlova. He was hit in the abdomen and was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica in serious condition. He immediately underwent a more than five-hour operation and another one two days later. Last week, the prime minister was released from the hospital and was taken to his apartment in Bratislava. According to the hospital, Fico underwent further follow-up examinations, which confirmed the positive development of his health condition, and that he had started rehabilitation. The attacker The attacker was identified as 71-year-old poet Juraj Cintula. The police detained Cintula on the spot. He was charged with attempted premeditated murder. This incident was the first major assassination attempt on a European political leader in more than 20 years. In the video posted on Wednesday, Fico called his attacker an activist of opposition parties, saying there was no reason to believe the shooter was a lone lunatic. "On May 15, a Slovak opposition activist tried to assassinate me in Handlova because of my political views," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

I forgive the attacker: Slovak PM’s first address since assassination attempt

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<p>The Slovak government said on Sunday (May 19) that the man who shot Prime Minister&nbsp;Robert&nbsp;Fico&nbsp;might not have been just a "lone wolf" as previously believed. Addressing a press conference, Interior Minister&nbsp;Matus Sutaj Estok said&nbsp;that an&nbsp;additional investigation team&nbsp;was formed&nbsp;"because there is also a version that the suspect was operating in a certain group of people who might have incited and supported each other in this crime."</p>

<p>"These are all operational information that we have, and one of the most serious pieces of information that confirms all of this is that I think, two hours after committing this crime,&nbsp;the suspect had all his Facebook and communication history deleted.&nbsp;It wasn't deleted by him&nbsp;nor by&nbsp;his wife,"&nbsp; Interior Minister&nbsp;Estok said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slovak-pm-robert-ficos-life-no-longer-in-danger-after-assassination-attempt-723105">Slovak PM Robert Fico’s life no longer in danger four days after assassination attempt</a></strong></p>

<p>"...our goal is to be much more intense in prevention, to be able to remove the pitfalls that such a situation can bring, and to return Slovakia to the peace and quiet we have spoken about so often," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>An attack that shook Slovakia</strong></h2>

<p>On Wednesday (May 15), Prime Minister Fico, 59, was shot five times&nbsp;at point-blank range after he attended a government meeting in Slovakia's Handlova. Fico&nbsp;was subsequently hospitalised.</p>

<p>On Saturday, government officials said that the prime minister remained in serious condition and was still facing risks of complications. Fico&nbsp;underwent a two-hour operation at the&nbsp;F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital&nbsp;on Friday that improved prospects of his recovery.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Slovak PM Robert Fico shooting: Suspect a former shopping mall guard</strong></p>

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<p>Around 100 supporters of the PM&nbsp;some&nbsp;carrying flowers, gathered outside the hospital on Saturday.</p>

<h2><strong>The attacker</strong></h2>

<p>The attacker&nbsp;was identified&nbsp;as&nbsp;Juraj C. The Slovak Specialised Criminal Court ruled on Saturday that Juraj, 71 would remain in custody after he&nbsp;was charged&nbsp;with attempted murder.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Juraj&nbsp;was detained on the spot after the attack. He was a former security guard at a shopping mall and the author of three&nbsp;collections of poetry.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This shooting was the&nbsp;first major assassination attempt on a European political leader for more than 20 years and has drawn international&nbsp;condemnation.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Slovak government said on Sunday (May 19) that the man who shot Prime Minister Robert Fico might not have been just a "lone wolf" as previously believed. Addressing a press conference, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said that an additional investigation team was formed "because there is also a version that the suspect was operating in a certain group of people who might have incited and supported each other in this crime.

The Slovak government said on Sunday (May 19) that the man who shot Prime Minister Robert Fico might not have been just a "lone wolf" as previously believed. Addressing a press conference, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said that an additional investigation team was formed "because there is also a version that the suspect was operating in a certain group of people who might have incited and supported each other in this crime." "These are all operational information that we have, and one of the most serious pieces of information that confirms all of this is that I think, two hours after committing this crime, the suspect had all his Facebook and communication history deleted. It wasn't deleted by him nor by his wife," Interior Minister Estok said. Also read | Slovak PM Robert Fico’s life no longer in danger four days after assassination attempt "...our goal is to be much more intense in prevention, to be able to remove the pitfalls that such a situation can bring, and to return Slovakia to the peace and quiet we have spoken about so often," he added. An attack that shook Slovakia On Wednesday (May 15), Prime Minister Fico, 59, was shot five times at point-blank range after he attended a government meeting in Slovakia's Handlova. Fico was subsequently hospitalised. On Saturday, government officials said that the prime minister remained in serious condition and was still facing risks of complications. Fico underwent a two-hour operation at the F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital on Friday that improved prospects of his recovery. Also watch | Slovak PM Robert Fico shooting: Suspect a former shopping mall guard × Around 100 supporters of the PM some carrying flowers, gathered outside the hospital on Saturday. The attacker The attacker was identified as Juraj C. The Slovak Specialised Criminal Court ruled on Saturday that Juraj, 71 would remain in custody after he was charged with attempted murder. Juraj was detained on the spot after the attack. He was a former security guard at a shopping mall and the author of three collections of poetry. This shooting was the first major assassination attempt on a European political leader for more than 20 years and has drawn international condemnation. (With inputs from agencies)

Attack on Slovak PM Fico: Govt says shooter 'may not have been lone wolf'