٠٠:٠٣:٢٢Credit: JOJ.SK TV
An eyewitness to the shooting of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on Thursday recalled the moment of the assassination attempt in Handlova saying 'things happened very fast'.
"We didn't quite understand what was going on at that first moment. We thought maybe someone threw some firecrackers there and then things happened very fast," the woman stated.
She added that at that moment, she thought that the assailant was planning to 'just go say hello' or that he was "just another guy who wants to shake hands with the prime minister."
"I was shocked by it, that such a thing could happen in this country in the afternoon. And then subsequently, actually, I was aware, that I don't know if this is a country, where I'd like to live next," she concluded.
"First of all, it's a tragedy when you hear a politician is being attacked, and of course, you know, we know that Slovakia is a country where there's a big polarisation. There are parts of the country which is strongly opposed to Prime Minister Fico and then there's a large part which is a fan of Fico." another local stated.
He further remarked that it's undoubtedly a dangerous situation, and it's always disheartening to learn that people resort to violence to express their opinions in such a manner.
Fico was attacked on Wednesday by a 71-year-old assailant following a Slovak government meeting in Handlova. Multiple shots were fired at him, and the assailant was subsequently arrested.
Initially, Fico was reported to be in a 'life-threatening condition'. However, on Thursday morning, government officials and the hospital in Banska Bystrica reported that he had 'stabilised' but remained in a 'serious' condition.
On Wednesday, Slovak Minister of Interior Matej Sutaj Estok warned that the country was 'on the brink of civil war' and called for an immediate halt to 'hateful comments' on social media networks. He suggested that early reports indicated a 'clear political motivation' behind the attack.
Fico, aged 59, was elected in September 2023 for his fourth term as PM. He campaigned on a platform to end military support for Ukraine, opposing EU sanctions on Russia and the shipment of arms to Kiev. He advocated for the US and other parties to use their influence to negotiate a peace deal.
'Just another guy who wants to shake hands?' - Eyewitness recalls moment of assassination attempt on Slovak PM Fico
An eyewitness to the shooting of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on Thursday recalled the moment of the assassination attempt in Handlova saying 'things happened very fast'.
"We didn't quite understand what was going on at that first moment. We thought maybe someone threw some firecrackers there and then things happened very fast," the woman stated.
She added that at that moment, she thought that the assailant was planning to 'just go say hello' or that he was "just another guy who wants to shake hands with the prime minister."
"I was shocked by it, that such a thing could happen in this country in the afternoon. And then subsequently, actually, I was aware, that I don't know if this is a country, where I'd like to live next," she concluded.
"First of all, it's a tragedy when you hear a politician is being attacked, and of course, you know, we know that Slovakia is a country where there's a big polarisation. There are parts of the country which is strongly opposed to Prime Minister Fico and then there's a large part which is a fan of Fico." another local stated.
He further remarked that it's undoubtedly a dangerous situation, and it's always disheartening to learn that people resort to violence to express their opinions in such a manner.
Fico was attacked on Wednesday by a 71-year-old assailant following a Slovak government meeting in Handlova. Multiple shots were fired at him, and the assailant was subsequently arrested.
Initially, Fico was reported to be in a 'life-threatening condition'. However, on Thursday morning, government officials and the hospital in Banska Bystrica reported that he had 'stabilised' but remained in a 'serious' condition.
On Wednesday, Slovak Minister of Interior Matej Sutaj Estok warned that the country was 'on the brink of civil war' and called for an immediate halt to 'hateful comments' on social media networks. He suggested that early reports indicated a 'clear political motivation' behind the attack.
Fico, aged 59, was elected in September 2023 for his fourth term as PM. He campaigned on a platform to end military support for Ukraine, opposing EU sanctions on Russia and the shipment of arms to Kiev. He advocated for the US and other parties to use their influence to negotiate a peace deal.
Credit: JOJ.SK TV
An eyewitness to the shooting of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on Thursday recalled the moment of the assassination attempt in Handlova saying 'things happened very fast'.
"We didn't quite understand what was going on at that first moment. We thought maybe someone threw some firecrackers there and then things happened very fast," the woman stated.
She added that at that moment, she thought that the assailant was planning to 'just go say hello' or that he was "just another guy who wants to shake hands with the prime minister."
"I was shocked by it, that such a thing could happen in this country in the afternoon. And then subsequently, actually, I was aware, that I don't know if this is a country, where I'd like to live next," she concluded.
"First of all, it's a tragedy when you hear a politician is being attacked, and of course, you know, we know that Slovakia is a country where there's a big polarisation. There are parts of the country which is strongly opposed to Prime Minister Fico and then there's a large part which is a fan of Fico." another local stated.
He further remarked that it's undoubtedly a dangerous situation, and it's always disheartening to learn that people resort to violence to express their opinions in such a manner.
Fico was attacked on Wednesday by a 71-year-old assailant following a Slovak government meeting in Handlova. Multiple shots were fired at him, and the assailant was subsequently arrested.
Initially, Fico was reported to be in a 'life-threatening condition'. However, on Thursday morning, government officials and the hospital in Banska Bystrica reported that he had 'stabilised' but remained in a 'serious' condition.
On Wednesday, Slovak Minister of Interior Matej Sutaj Estok warned that the country was 'on the brink of civil war' and called for an immediate halt to 'hateful comments' on social media networks. He suggested that early reports indicated a 'clear political motivation' behind the attack.
Fico, aged 59, was elected in September 2023 for his fourth term as PM. He campaigned on a platform to end military support for Ukraine, opposing EU sanctions on Russia and the shipment of arms to Kiev. He advocated for the US and other parties to use their influence to negotiate a peace deal.