• Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was the target of a shooting attack after a cabinet meeting, where he was seriously wounded after being shot five times, but underwent successful surgery and is no longer in critical condition.
  • The attack may have been politically motivated following the presidential election, and the outgoing President called for an end to hateful rhetoric against politicians, amid concerns over potential authoritarian changes in Slovakia due to new legislation targeting the judiciary and media.
  • The assailant, a 71-year-old man who legally owned the firearm, was arrested at the scene and described as a “left-wing man” who had published poetry collections. His motives remain unknown.
  • Fico, known as a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a controversial figure in Slovak politics, and the decision to target him came after the presidential elections, according to the Interior Minister.
  • Global leaders, including Joe Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, Ursula von der Leyen, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed shock over the assassination attempt and called for unity and refraining from actions that could increase tension in Slovakia.
  • Despite political divisions, there has been a unified condemnation of the attack on Fico by various political parties, religious groups, and civil society, but the incident may serve as a turning point for the country’s political landscape, with speculations about paramilitary organizations possibly involved, raising fears of further divisions and disinformation campaigns.
  • The attempted assassination of the Prime Minister is described as an attack on democracy by the outgoing president, and the opposition was pointed out by members of Fico’s party as responsible for the attack. (Claim made by lavozdegalicia.es)
  • Slovakia has experienced other violent incidents in previous years, including shootings and murders of journalists, and Fico has generated controversy with reforms that limit judicial independence and press freedom, as well as laws that restrict the activities of NGOs. (Claim made by lavozdegalicia.es)
  • Polarization and public distrust in institutions have increased during Fico’s tenure, according to analysts and opposition, and the outgoing president Caputova did not run for re-election due to death threats received by her and her family, attributed to Fico. (Claim made by lavozdegalicia.es)

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