Slovakia: Prime Minister Fico injured in shooting - reports

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has reportedly been injured successful a shooting pursuing a authorities gathering and been taken to hospital.

Local broadcaster TA3 reported that 4 shots were fired, 1 hitting Prime Minister Fico successful the stomach.

What bash we cognize astir the shooting?

The incidental took spot successful the cardinal Slovakian municipality of Handlova, astir 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the superior Bratislava, wherever Fico's furniture had been meeting.

It occured successful beforehand of the section "House of Culture" wherever populist person Fico had been gathering supporters.

The Slovakian parliament's lawman talker Lubos Blaha confirmed the incidental during a league of parliament which was adjourned until further notice.

A newsman for 1 regular paper said helium heard shooting and past saw rescuers carrying the 59-year-old premier to a car.

Another witnesser told the Reuters quality bureau that helium heard respective shots and that helium saw a antheral being detained by police.

Security guards respond astatine the country of a shooting incidental of Slovak PM Robert FicoImage: Radovan Stoklasa/REUTERS

Slovakian President condemns 'brutal and ruthless attack'

Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova condemned "a brutal and ruthless" onslaught connected the premier.

"I'm shocked," Caputova said. "I privation Robert Fico a batch of spot successful this captious infinitesimal and a speedy betterment from this attack."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen besides condemned the "vile" onslaught and said: "Such acts of unit person nary spot successful our nine and undermine democracy, our astir precious communal good."

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said helium was "profoundly shocked" by the news, saying: "Such utmost acts person nary justification and the perpetrators indispensable beryllium held accountable."

Who is Robert Fico?

Fico, the longest-serving Prime Minister successful Slovakia's history, began his latest word successful October 2023 aft moving connected a run to standard backmost subject enactment to Ukraine.

His party, "Direction - Social Democracy" - known arsenic Smer - won conscionable nether 23% of the ballot and formed a conjugation with "Voice - Social Democracy" - known arsenic Hlas - and the Slovak National Party.

This is simply a breaking quality story, it volition beryllium updated...

mf/lo (Reuters, AP)