What do we know about the attack on Slovakian prime minister?

Slovakia, a member of NATO and the European Union, was left shocked on Wednesday when Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot at and injured by a self-proclaimed writer after an official meeting outside the capital, Bratislava.

The shooting has sent investigators scurrying to find answers as Fico is a leftist pro-Russian politician while the shooter, Juraj Cintula, is a supporter of Slovenskí Branci, a pro-Russian paramilitary group, known for its extremist and anti-migrant views.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the shooting. US President Joe Biden also issued condemnation. The incident occurred a month after Slovakia elected Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, as the country’s next president.

Here’s what we know about the attempted assassination:

What happened?

Fico was shot several times in Handlova, a central Slovakian town. The prime minister faced a life-threatening condition after the shooting, suffering from "serious polytrauma", according to the defence minister Robert Kalinak.

He was transported to a nearby hospital by a helicopter in the regional capital Banska Bystrica. Later, Fico’s health was reported as stable but serious, according to both top government officials and Slovakian media.

"This assassination (attempt) was politically motivated and the perpetrator's decision was born closely after the presidential election," said Matus Sutaj Estok, the country’s interior minister.

The shooting marked “the worst day” for Slovakian democracy, he said. “For the first time in the 31 years of our democratic sovereign republic, someone has decided to express a political opinion not in an election but with a gun on the street,” he wrote on Facebook.

Who is the shooter?

Juraj Cintula, the shooter, is author of two novels and three collections of poetry. He is also a member of The Slovakian Writers' Association (SSS). His son appeared to be shocked by the father’s action, having “no idea” on what his father intended and planned.

Cintula, who worked as a security guard for a private security company, expressed anti-government views, criticising Fico’s policies and his plan to shut the state-funded media group, RTVS. Fico was critical of Slovakia’s mainstream media including RTVS.

Cintula, 71, held anti-migrant views, being a backer of a right-wing paramilitary group.

What’s the reaction?

The country of 5.4 million has been shocked by Slovakia’s first high-profile assassination attempt as all sides on the political divide urged calm.

The small eastern European country has gone through a divisive political debate, which has escalated in recent years with the start of the Ukraine war.

The 59-year-old Fico, a pragmatic politician, who has moved across the political spectrum holding different positions from being pro-EU to pro-Russia depending on various political settings, recently jacked up criticism of European policy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Fico’s party, Smer (Direction-Social Democracy), a leftist nationalist bloc, accused “liberal” media of creating an atmosphere of hatred, leading to Wednesday's attack.

After the assassination attempt, Progressive Slovaki, the country’s biggest opposition party, delayed an anti-government protest on Fico’s controversial media reform.

"I ask all to stop piling attacks, expressions of hate, on social networks, in the media, which are aimed at that or another political camp, regardless if it concerns the (government) coalition or the opposition," Sutaj Estok said.

The US, the EU, the UN and Russia have all condemned the attack.

Between Russia and Europe

Like Ukraine and some other former communist states in eastern Europe, Slovakia, which was part of the communist state of Czechoslovakia, a member of the Soviet-led Warsaw bloc until gaining its independence in 1993, has been stuck between the West and Russia.

While the country moved towards Europe after the end of the Cold War, becoming a member of NATO and the EU, Slovakian population has been wary of the Ukraine war.

Fico’s policies conducted by the current coalition government, which was elected to office in October, partly echo those concerns. Prior to the election, Fico expressed pro- Russian views accusing “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for starting the Ukraine war, a talking point repeated many times by Putin and his allies. He also promised to cut military aid to Ukraine.

Fico, who served as prime minister twice before, has been known for his political comebacks.

In 2018, he resigned after weeks of large protests, which began following the targeted killing of Jan Kuciak, an investigative journalist, and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova.

Kuciak covered corruption scandals involving Slovakian elite and its connection with Smer.

Fico recently proposed to reduce penalties related to corruption cases.