‘Cowardly, dastardly act’: PM Modi condemns attack on Slovak PM Robert Fico

The 59-year-old was shot five times, following which he was in critical condition while he underwent surgery.

Police arrest a man after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and injured following the cabinet's away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia. (AP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday condemned the shooting of Slovakia’s Prime Minister HE Robert Fico in Handlova, calling it a coward and dastardly act.

Expressing his shock over the incident, PM Modi wrote on X: “I strongly condemn this cowardly and dastardly act and wish PM Fico a speedy recovery. India stands in solidarity with the people of the Slovak Republic.”

Deeply shocked at the news of the shooting at Slovakia’s Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Robert Fico. I strongly condemn this cowardly and dastardly act and wish PM Fico a speedy recovery. India stands in solidarity with the people of the Slovak Republic.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2024

The Slovak Prime Minister was shot and hospitalised on Wednesday following a cabinet meeting. The 59-year-old was shot five times, following which he was in critical condition. Following the attack, police sealed off the area, and Fico was transported to a hospital in Banska Bystrica, where he underwent surgery.

As per a Reuters report, Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition. News outlet Aktuality.sk cited an unnamed source saying Fico was out of surgery and stable.

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A suspect has been detained in the case so far.

The incident comes just three weeks before the critical European Parliament elections, where populist and hard-right parties in the 27-nation bloc are expected to make significant gains.

Earlier, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, too, had condemned the “vile attack” on Fico. “I strongly condemn the vile attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with PM Fico and his family,” von der Leyen wrote in a post on X.

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