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Slovakia's prime minister shot, in life-threatening condition

by VOA News

   Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is fighting for his life after he was
   shot Wednesday afternoon following a Cabinet meeting in Handlova, his
   Facebook profile says.

   Fico was "shot multiple times and is currently in life-threatening
   condition," the Facebook message reads. "At this moment he is
   transported by helicopter to Banská Bystrica, because it would take
   too long to get to Bratislava due to the necessity of an acute
   procedure. The next few hours will decide."

   The 59-year-old prime minister was hit in the abdomen after four shots
   were fired outside Handlova's House of Culture, where Fico was meeting
   with supporters, local media reports said.

   Police have detained a suspect, according to TA3, a local media TV
   station.

   A helicopter was sent for the leader, emergency services said.

   The left-wing populist prime minister returned to power for the fourth
   time last year after his party won the parliamentary election on a
   pro-Russian, anti-American platform.

   Slovak President Zuzana Caputova denounced the attack.

   "I'm shocked," she said. "I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this
   critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack."

   U.S. President Joe Biden said the attack was a "horrific act of
   violence."

   "Our embassy is in close touch with the government of Slovakia and
   ready to assist," Biden said in a Wednesday statement.

   U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns the "shocking
   attack," Farhan Haq, a spokesman for the secretary-general, said at a
   briefing.

   Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence
   France-Presse and Reuters.

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