Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico Continues Recovery at Home After Being Shot
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, aged 59, has been transferred to his home in Bratislava for continued recovery after being shot on May 15. The incident occurred following a Council of Ministers meeting in Handlová, a town in the center of Slovakia. Fico was initially admitted to the FD Roosevelt University Hospital in Banska Bystrica but expressed a preference to recover at home after his condition stabilized.
Fico, a populist and nationalist leader, resides close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kalvária neighborhood, part of Bratislava's historic center. His homecoming marks a significant step in his recovery process. According to the health center director, Miriam Lapuníková, Fico faces a 'long rehabilitation' period. His injuries included multiple perforations to the small intestine, which necessitated an initial five-hour surgery, followed by a second intervention two days later.
His attacker, a 71-year-old man identified as Juraj Chintula, was swiftly apprehended by the prime minister's security detail. Chintula, who has been described as having a pacifist past, reportedly opposed the government’s measures and used a 9-caliber CZ 75 pistol in the shooting. He is currently in preventive detention facing charges of attempted premeditated murder.
The political landscape in Slovakia remains volatile. The attack on Fico is a reflection of the country's aggressive political environment. This isn't the first time violence has rocked Slovak politics. In 2018, journalist Ján Kuciak, investigating links between the Italian 'Ndrangheta and senior government officials, was murdered alongside his girlfriend. The assassination led to public outrage and the resignation of the then prime minister, Robert Fico.
Fico made a dramatic comeback in the October 2023 elections, winning with a more radical stance. His return to power has seen him adopt a hard stance against liberalism, criticizing the West, including the United States, NATO, and the EU, and attributing Slovakia's economic issues to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This political polarization has been further exacerbated by responses from radical elements within the populist coalition government, which added to the tension by blaming the media and opposition for the situation.
- President Zuzana Caputová, who remains in office until June, and the elected head of state, Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, attempted to mitigate the political tension. They called a meeting of all political forces at the presidential palace, but this effort ultimately failed to unify the polarized nation.
- Slovakia, home to 5.4 million people, continues to face a highly polarized political climate. The latest attack on Fico, rather than calming the political waters, seems to have deepened the divisions within Slovak society.
