Fico “will survive” an assassination attempt in Slovakia, according to the Deputy Prime Minister.

Deputy Prime Minister of slovakiaTomas Taraba said that there is hope robert ficosurvive After the attack on a political program on Wednesday.

Taraba said in a statement to ‘BBC’ that the life of the Prime Minister no longer in danger And that “a bullet passed through stomach And the second one reached a joint. “He was immediately taken to the hospital.”

“I guess in the end to survive“He is not in a life-threatening condition at this time,” Taraba told the BBC.

The Slovak Prime Minister was greeting his supporters at an event when the assassination attempt took place shocked the country And it echoed across Europe just weeks before the European Parliament elections.

Doctors fought for Fiko’s life for several hours After the 59-year-old pro-Russian leader stomach hurtDefense Minister Robert Kalina told reporters at the hospital where the prime minister was being treated.

The alleged culprit was arrested

According to official sources, the attacker carried out this incident five shots In front of a cultural center in the town of Handlova, about 140 kilometers north-east of the capital, while Fico attended a meeting of his government in the town of 16,000 inhabitants.

a suspect Was Arrested And preliminary investigation found “A clear political motivationBriefing journalists along with the Defense Minister, Interior Minister Mateusz Sutaj Estok said: “Behind the assassination attempt.

A message posted on Feco’s Facebook account said he was taken to a hospital In banska bystrica29 kilometers from Handlova, as it would take too long to reach the capital Bratislava.

“Attack on democracy”

fico has long been a divisive figure Slovakia and beyond, but his return to power last year with a pro-Russian and anti-American message raised even greater concerns among EU members that he would lead their country away from Western positions.

As he begins his fourth term as Prime Minister, his government Arms supplies to Ukraine stoppedAnd its critics worry that it will lead to Slovakia (a NATO country with a population of 5.4 million) Abandon your pro-West path And follow in the footsteps of Hungary, led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Thousands of people have demonstrated repeatedly in the capital and throughout Slovakia in protest against Fico’s policies.

This attack took place as the political campaign intensified. Three weeks ago of european elections to elect MPs to the European Parliament, and amid growing concerns that populists and nationalists like Fico could make inroads in the 27-member bloc.

But business as usual was put aside as Slovakia dealt with the shock caused by the attempt on Fico’s life. “The physical attack on the Prime Minister is, first and foremost, an attack on a person, but it is also attack on democracyFico’s political rival, outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, said in a televised statement. “Any violence is unacceptable. hate speech which we have seen in society heinous act, “Please, let’s stop this,” he said.

elected president, peter pellegriniAn associate of Fico described the shooting as “An unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy, “If we express other political opinions with guns in intersections instead of in polling stations, we are endangering everything we have built together during 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”

Recent elections have highlighted the rise of Fico and his allies to power deep social divisionsincreased by war in ukraineSlovakia’s eastern neighbor.