Fico is "very tired"

Hit by four bullets: It was a matter of “centimeters”

The Slovakian Prime Minister is not yet out of danger.

(Bild: AFP)

After the assassination attempt on Slovakian head of government Robert Fico, a speedy recovery is not to be expected. Although his condition is stable, it is still life-threatening. In the shooting attack, a few centimeters probably made the difference between life and death.

The defense minister and deputy head of government, Robert Kalinak, described Fico's state of health on Thursday as still serious. The head of government had been hit by four bullets and the injuries were very serious.

"The doctors have managed to stabilize his condition," said Kalinak. However, Fico is not yet out of danger. Lapunikova warned that the consequences of the gunshot wounds could make recovery more difficult. An experienced surgeon who is not part of the treatment team told "Dennik N" that the next three to four days are likely to be crucial.

Fico can barely speak
President-elect Peter Pellegrini reported after a brief visit to the hospital that he had been able to speak to Fico - but "he was very tired. It was not possible to talk to him for any length of time or about politics." A "red line" had been crossed with the assassination attempt, explained the elected president.

The hospital is under constant guard.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Denes Erdos)

"The head of government escaped death by a hair's breadth, it would have been enough if the bullet wound or several bullet wounds had been a few centimeters further and we might have to talk about completely different things today." The situation is still very critical, Pellegrini also emphasized.

Decision on transfer on Monday
The 59-year-old was still in the intensive care unit of the university hospital in Banska Bystrica on Thursday after a five-hour operation. The hospital director Miriam Lapunikova told the newspaper "Dennik N" that a medical consultation is expected to decide on further action, such as a transfer to the capital Bratislava, on Monday.

If the head of government were to resign for health reasons, this would automatically bring down the entire government in accordance with the Slovakian constitution. The fact that a prime minister cannot continue in office due to an assassination attempt does not seem to have been taken into account by the fathers of the constitution.

Change could be like 2018
However, the change at the head of government in 2018 could serve as a model. Back then, Fico resigned from office under public pressure following the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak. The coalition parties agreed on Peter Pellegrini as the joint candidate to succeed him, who was then appointed by the president. As long as Fico is only taking a break until he is fully recovered, his deputies will continue to run the government - with Kalinak first in line.

A criminal investigation has been opened against the suspected assassin for attempted murder. He is a 71-year-old man from the small town of Levice. The man was a "lone wolf" who was dissatisfied with political developments in Slovakia, said Interior Minister Matus Sustaj Estok. However, he was not a member of a radicalized political group, neither right-wing nor left-wing.

Attention, the following video shows the seconds of the attack and contains disturbing scenes: 

Attention is now also turning to possible lapses in security measures in the small town of Handlova, where the shooting occurred after a cabinet meeting when Fico wanted to shake hands with supporters gathered at a fence.

Was the attack preventable?
The authorities are investigating whether his bodyguards did not protect the head of government sufficiently or whether incidents of this kind are simply almost impossible to prevent in an open society. Several experts criticized the security precautions on site or even spoke of a "failure".

Some media also raised the question of how a video of the suspected assassin, which was apparently recorded at a police station - possibly even by an officer - could be made public.

Shadow on European elections
Meanwhile, outgoing President Zuzana Caputova and her elected successor Pellegrini invited the political parties to joint talks. "Let's get out of the vicious circle of hatred and mutual accusations," appealed Caputova in Bratislava.

Demonstrative unity between Pellegrini and Caputova

(Bild: AFP/VLADIMIR SIMICEK)

Pellegrini called on the parties to suspend or at least limit their election campaigns for the time being ahead of the European elections on June 9. In the neighboring Czech Republic, the trade unions canceled a day of protest and demonstrations planned for May 21 out of consideration for the situation in Slovakia.