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Slovak PM’s shooter planned assassination attempt two days in advance — website

Juraj Cintula said that he did not want to kill Fico, but only intended to "damage his health" enough so that the politician would not be able to carry out his duties as prime minister

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico

© AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File

BRATISLAVA, May 23. /TASS/. Juraj Cintula, accused of trying to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, planned the crime two days in advance, the Pravda news website reported, citing court materials.

According to court documents, Cintula had readied two magazines for the pistol used in the assassination attempt. Earlier, Slovak media reported that the weapon was a Czech-made CZ 75. Its value is between 700 and 800 euros. Cintula owned it legally.

At the same time, according to the website, he said that he did not want to kill Fico, but only intended to "damage his health" enough so that the politician would not be able to carry out his duties as prime minister.

An armed attack on Fico took place in the western Slovakian town of Handlova on May 15. The politician suffered gunshot wounds and had to undergo surgery. Juraj Cintula, 71, has been charged with a politically-motivated assassination attempt.

Robert Fico served as Slovak prime minister in 2006-10 and 2012-18, becoming PM again on October 25, 2023. The politician has long been critical of the West’s Ukraine strategy, emphasizing that there is no military solution to the conflict, while weapons supplies to Kiev are only leading to numerous casualties.

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