The Prime Minister of Slovakia has undergone hours of emergency surgery after being shot multiple times while leaving a government meeting and passing through crowds of people in the town of Handlova.
Robert Fico was said to have been stabilised following “life threatening injuries”. It’s reported that five bullets were fired and he was hit in the stomach, arm and leg.
The suspect, a 71-year-old man, was arrested at the scene. Slovak media reports said he had worked as a security guard at a shopping mall and that the attack may have been politically motivated.
Slovakia has become increasingly polarised under Robert Fico’s government. His populist party began on the left but has moved increasingly to the right. It is anti-EU, against sending aid to Ukraine and against LGBTQ rights. His government is currently seeking to close down the national public broadcaster which it accuses of not being objective and creating political divisions. Opposition parties say many of Mr Fico’s government’s measures are a threat to democracy.
Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Bethany Bell in Bratislava and Katya Adler in Brussels.
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