Attempted assassination of Robert Fico

On 15 May 2024, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico was injured in a shooting in Handlová, Slovakia, in front of the city's Palace of Culture after a government meeting, and was subsequently hospitalized. A suspect was detained by police. Fico is reportedly in a life-threatening condition.

Shooting

The shooting occurred outside the Palace of Culture, a cultural centre in Handlová, which had hosted a government discussion. Fico was giving a speech to a crowd at the time of the shooting. According to journalists, several sounds of gunfire were heard and Fico collapsed to the ground. The alleged assailant was captured by several people and police cordoned off the area. Three other ministers were escorted away from the scene.

Fico was carried into a car by medical personnel and taken to Handlová Hospital before being airlifted to Banská Bystrica Hospital. An interior ministry official said Fico was conscious while being transported. Several shots were fired, with one shot striking Fico in his abdomen and others striking his head and chest, leaving him in a life-threatening condition.

Suspect

A 71-year-old man was immediately detained by Fico's security detail. According to multiple Slovak media outlets, the suspect is from Levice and possessed the firearm legally in connection with his private security job. He had authored three poetry books and founded a "Movement Against Violence".

Response

Deputy Speaker of the National Council Ľuboš Blaha confirmed the shooting during a legislative session which was later suspended and blamed political opposition and liberal media. The interior ministry described it as an "assassination attempt". Zuzana Čaputová, Slovakia's president, called the shooting "brutal and ruthless", and expressed shock for the attack and solidarity with Fico. Similar sentiments were expressed by Michal Šimečka, leader of the opposition party Progressive Slovakia.

Andrej Danko, deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia and leader of the nationalist Slovak National Party, blamed the political opposition and media for the attack and said the country was heading for "political war".

Regional and global heads of state, and international organisations, condemned the attack, and expressed their support for Fico and the people of Slovakia.