The health condition of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is stable, but still serious; the operation the day before contributed to moving closer to a positive prognosis, Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova said on Saturday.
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“The condition (of the prime minister’s health) is stabilized, but this condition is still serious. It must be said that yesterday’s operation, which lasted two hours, contributed to a positive prognosis for the development of the prime minister’s condition,” Dolinkova told reporters at a press conference.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Republic Robert Kalinyak added that the prime minister is conscious, but his condition will not allow him to be transported to a hospital in Bratislava in the coming days.
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Earlier on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Republic Robert Kalinyak said that Fico was conscious, but his condition did not yet allow him to be transported to a hospital in Bratislava in the coming days.
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The assassination attempt on Fico, who has repeatedly spoken out against arms supplies to Ukraine and its membership in NATO, occurred on May 15 after a government retreat in the city of Gandlova, 190 kilometers from the Slovak capital Bratislava. The prime minister was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Banska Bystrica. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that Fico’s condition was critical. During the assassination attempt, the attacker fired five shots at the head of the Cabinet of Ministers; the police detained the shooter on the spot. The Deputy Prime Minister said that Fico was hit by four bullets, one of which pierced the politician’s stomach.
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According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the attacker was motivated by political motives. Slovak media reported that the assassination attempt was carried out by 71-year-old writer Juraj Cintula, who shot Fico when he came to greet people near the government meeting. The Republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the person who shot the Slovak Prime Minister acted alone; he participated in anti-government protests, but was not associated with radical groups. According to the department, the man did not agree with the actions of the country’s Cabinet, including opposing the stop of arms supplies to Ukraine. He faces 25 years to life in prison.
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Fico opposed the supply of weapons to Ukraine, and also stated that he would block Ukraine’s membership in NATO, since this would mean the beginning of the Third World War. According to Fico, the conflict in Ukraine began back in 2014 with “the rampant behavior of Ukrainian neo-Nazis,” and Russia was deceived into believing that NATO would stop expanding. The Prime Minister of Slovakia spoke out against sending military personnel to Ukraine. According to him, the possible dispatch of NATO troops to this country would lead to an escalation of the conflict. Fico also stated that Slovakia is not one of the countries that are interested in making an enemy out of Russia.
