Slovakia PM shooting live: Robert Fico in hospital after being shot - BBC News

Slovak Prime Minister Critical After Assassination Bid

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Rewritten section: Owen Amos made revisions to this blog post.

All the timings mentioned are in the UK.

Suspect: What Do We Know?

Slovak President Confirms Attacker Arrest

We have more news coming from the president of Slovakia who has confirmed that the culprit has been arrested by the police. The authorities will be releasing further details at their earliest convenience.

According to Zuzana Caputova's statement, the shooting of her political opponent is considered an assault on democracy.

Caputova previously spoke out against the shooting, describing it as an "inhumane and severe" incident.

Ex-Slovak Advisor Predicted This

According to Milan Nic, who previously worked as an adviser to Slovakia's deputy foreign minister, the political atmosphere in Slovakia has been split for a while now. He expresses regret at having to say that this was something that was bound to happen.

Nic unfortunately informs BBC News that this is not a singular occurrence.

According to him, it is very unfortunate that the prime minister was shot. However, he also mentioned that there were other politicians who were threatened, one of them being the current president (Zuzana) Caputova.

Presently, it is crucial for the political elites to address this matter with utmost importance.

Woman Reports Hearing Three Gunshots

We've received a report from someone who was standing outside the establishment, waiting to greet the Slovakian leader and was present just before he was fired upon.

The person who witnessed the incident stated to the BBC's 5 Live that they captured an image of him departing from the edifice.

As she approached Robert Fico to greet him with a handshake, she suddenly heard what seemed like a loud explosion, much like the sound of a cannon.

She stated that she heard three gunshots and observed a mark on his head.

Slovak PM Taken To Hospital By Ambulance

As we've informed before, Robert Fico is currently in a critical state of health.

The footage displays the leader of Slovakia being transported to the hospital in Banska Bystrica, situated in the eastern area neighboring Handlova, by means of an airborne vehicle.

European Leaders Denounce Attack On Democracy

Continuing on from our previous article, here is additional feedback from European officials regarding the Robert Fico shooting:

"Key Updates To Keep In Mind"

There is not yet much information available regarding the situation in Slovakia, where the Prime Minister, Robert Fico, was reportedly shot on multiple occasions. However, here is what has been confirmed thus far:

Slovak PM Shot After Attending Cabinet Meeting

As previously stated, Fico sustained injuries while departing from a meeting with government officials.

The footage depicts the presence of the Slovakian leader at a gathering held in the town of Handlova, and it was taken prior to the moment when he was fired at.

Fico's Health Status: What's The Update?

There are reports from people who saw it happen that claim Fico was shot in multiple areas, including his arms, legs, and stomach. However, we cannot confirm this information at this time.

After the gun attack, his security personnel were spotted assisting him to enter a vehicle.

Fico's team members have informed that he was transported by helicopter to a hospital that was nearby because transferring him to the capital city of Bratislava would have taken too much time. He is currently in a critical state.

Slovak President-to-be 'horrified', Says Report

The President-to-be and Fico's supporter Peter Pellegrini expressed his shock upon learning that Fico was the subject of a murder plot.

"I am deeply disturbed by the consequences of harboring disdain towards a contrasting political stance. While we are not obligated to concur entirely, there are several avenues to exhibit our variance of opinion through a just and democratic approach," he articulated.

He stated that diverse political views must be conveyed through voting stations, rather than through the use of firearms.

Slovak PM Carried To Car After Shooting On Video

Robert Fico got shot while he was standing in front of a building in a Slovakian town called Handlova, where a government gathering had happened earlier. The footage depicts people carrying him to a vehicle following the shooting.

Location Of The Attack

Reports state that while Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was welcoming individuals in front of a cultural center in the town of Handlova, multiple gunshots were fired from within a group.

Handlova is situated approximately 180km (112 miles) towards the north-east of the capital city of Bratislava.

According to sources in the area, he was transported by helicopter to a hospital close by and later taken to another hospital in Banska Bystrica situated towards the east of Handlova.

UK Prime Minister Shocked By Terrible News

The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has responded to the developing news and expressed his surprise, stating that he was "taken aback."

He penned a message on the topic of X expressing his dismay upon hearing the dreadful tidings. He conveyed his sympathy to the Prime Minister Fico and his loved ones during this trying time.

PM In Critical Condition: Life At Risk

Robert Fico's Facebook page has just been updated.

Reportedly, the Prime Minister of Slovakia was shot several times and his condition is critical. An air ambulance is ferrying him to Banská Bystrica, a nearby town for medical attention.

Slovak PM's Shooting Draws Global Condemnation

People from around the world are responding to the news of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico being shot. Fico has been transported to a medical facility and it's believed that his injuries are not severe enough to endanger his life.

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has expressed her strong disapproval of a heinous attack on Fico.

The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, expresses his deep shock upon learning of the shooting incident and asserts that those responsible should face the consequences of their actions.

The statement made by the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala expresses his surprise and concern about the shooting incident. He also hopes that Fico, the person involved in the shooting, will recover swiftly.

The leader of Hungary, Viktor Orban, has expressed his utmost shock and disgust towards the terrible assault on his friend and colleague, Prime Minister Robert Fico.

'Slovakian President Stunned By Harsh Shooting'

Zuzana Caputova, who is the departing president of Slovakia, expressed her astonishment at the prime minister's recent attack, describing it as "cruel and merciless."

The statement given expresses how shocked the speaker is. They send out well wishes to Robert Fico during this difficult time and hope that he is able to recover from the attack with all the strength he needs.

Assassination Attempt On Slovak PM Reported By Ministry In Breaking Incident

A representative from the interior ministry of Slovakia has verified that an effort to assassinate Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, took place.

The representative did not provide any specifics regarding the health of the Prime Minister.

Who's Robert Fico?

The Slovakian leader, Robert Fico, regained his position as Prime Minister following the elections in September. He now leads a coalition government with a populist-nationalist agenda.

The Smer-SSD political party is under the leadership of a person who won the recent election by appealing to the common people. He promised to stop providing military support to Ukraine. However, he refuted claims of being in allegiance with Russia.

Fico had no other choice but to resign from his position as the prime minister due to the unfortunate incident when Jan Kuciak, an investigative journalist was murdered in 2018.

Fico stated to his followers while campaigning that in the event that Smer becomes part of the government, no ammunition will be shipped to Ukraine.

This led some observers to draw comparisons between Fico and Hungary's right-wing populist leader, Viktor Orban, due to his commitment to opposing Western sanctions against Russia.

Photos: Suspect In Custody For Shooting Slovak PM

It has been reported that the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, was shot outside a cultural center in Handlova where a meeting involving the government was being held.

A recording displayed multiple individuals hurrying to apprehend the accused individual directly outside the cultural center in Handlova. The legitimacy of the video is yet to be confirmed by the BBC.

Chopper Sent To Shooting Scene

The emergency services in Slovakia sent a helicopter to Handlova after they were told that a man, aged 59, had been hit by a bullet. This was shared on social media.

According to the emergency service, the procedure is ongoing.

The security team of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is 59 years old, quickly ushered him into a car before he was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby medical facility, according to reports from the area.