PRAGUE — Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot a number of instances and gravely wounded Wednesday whereas greeting supporters at a occasion in an tried assassination that shocked the small nation and reverberated throughout Europe weeks earlier than an election.

Medical doctors have been nonetheless combating for his life a number of hours after the pro-Russian chief, 59, was hit within the stomach, Protection Minister Robert Kalina advised reporters on the hospital the place Fico was being handled for his wounds.

He stated an operation on Fico was not but full and described his situation as “terribly severe.”

5 photographs have been fired outdoors a cultural heart within the city of Handlova, practically 140 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of the capital, authorities officers stated. Fico was shot whereas attending a gathering of his authorities within the city of 16,000 that was as soon as a middle of coal mining.

A suspect was in custody, and an preliminary investigation discovered “a transparent political motivation” behind the assassination try, Inside Minister Matus Sutaj Estok stated as he briefed reporters alongside the protection minister.

“There is no doubt about it,” Kalinak added.

Fico’s pro-Russian, anti-American message

Fico has lengthy been a divisive determine in Slovakia and past, however his return to energy final yr on a pro-Russian, anti-American message led to even higher worries amongst fellow European Union members that he would lead his nation farther from the Western mainstream.

His authorities halted arms deliveries to Ukraine, and critics fear that he’ll lead Slovakia — a nation of 5.4 million that belongs to NATO — to desert its pro-Western course and observe within the footsteps of Hungary underneath populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

1000’s have repeatedly rallied within the capital and throughout Slovakia to protest Fico’s insurance policies.

Assault comes forward of European Parliament elections

A message posted to Fico’s Fb account stated he was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica, 29 kilometers (17 miles) from Handlova, as a result of it might take too lengthy to get to the capital, Bratislava.

The assault comes as political campaigning heats up three weeks forward of Europe-wide elections to decide on lawmakers for the European Parliament. Concern is mounting that populist and nationalists much like Fico may make positive factors within the 27-member bloc.

“A bodily assault on the prime minister is, to begin with, an assault on an individual, however it’s also an assault on democracy,” outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, a political rival of Fico, stated in a televised assertion. “Any violence is unacceptable. The hateful rhetoric we have been witnessing in society results in hateful actions. Please, let’s cease it.”

Reactions of shock in Slovakia and all over the world

President-elect Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, referred to as the tried assassination “an unprecedented menace to Slovak democracy. If we specific different political beliefs with pistols in squares, and never in polling stations, we’re jeopardizing all the things that we have now constructed collectively over 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”

The latest elections that introduced Fico and allies to energy have underlined deep social divisions.

Gabor Czimer, a political journalist at Slovakian information outlet Ujszo.com, stated the outcomes confirmed that “Slovak society was strongly break up into two camps” — one which was pleasant towards Russia and one other that pushed for stronger connections with the European Union and the West.

“On the identical time, I could not think about that it might result in bodily violence,”Czimer stated.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated he was alarmed. “We condemn this horrific act of violence,” he stated in a press release.

NATO Secretary-Basic Jens Stoltenberg posted on the social media platform X that he was “shocked and appalled” by the try on Fico’s life, whereas European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen referred to as it a “vile assault.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the violence towards a neighboring nation’s head of presidency.

“Each effort needs to be made to make sure that violence doesn’t turn out to be the norm in any nation, type or sphere,” he stated.

Political opponents put aside variations

Fico, who’s in his fourth time period, and his leftist Smer, or Path, get together gained Slovakia’s Sept. 30 parliamentary elections.

However politics as regular have been put apart because the nation confronted the shock of the try on Fico’s life.

Slovakia’s Parliament was adjourned till additional discover. The most important opposition events, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a deliberate protest towards a controversial authorities plan to overtake public broadcasting that they are saying would give the federal government full management of public radio and tv.

Progressive Slovakia chief Michal Simecka referred to as on all politicians “to chorus from any expressions and steps which may contribute to additional growing the stress.”

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala wished the premier a swift restoration. “We can not tolerate violence, there is no place for it in society.”