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Slovak PM returns to his duties after attempt on his life

An armed attack on Fico took place in the western Slovakian town of Handlova on May 15

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico Jaroslav Novak/TASR via AP

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico

© Jaroslav Novak/TASR via AP

BRATISLAVA, July 8. /TASS/. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico who survived an assassination attempt in May has resumed his duties, Slovak Television reported.

During a visit to Agro Voderady, an agricultural enterprise in the country’s western part, Fico confirmed that Slovakia does not plan on lifting its ban on imports of some Ukrainian products.

"The list of products that we are not going to import from Ukraine remains in effect. I discussed this issue [several months ago] with the head of the Ukrainian government and explained to him that we cannot destroy Slovakia’s agriculture [by importing agricultural products from Ukraine]," he said.

He reiterated that Bratislava provides a corridor for transit deliveries of Ukrainian agricultural products to third countries. Slovakia has enacted a ban on importing 14 Ukrainian agricultural products, including wheat, flour, bran, corn, sugar, canola, sunflower seeds, honey, soybeans and barley. The country insists on the EU producing a decision on protecting the domestic agricultural market from cheap imports.

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 several surgeries. Juraj Cintula, 71, has been charged with a politically-motivated assassination attempt. On July 4, Slovak Prosecutor General Maros Zilinka said that the charges had been reclassified as an attempted terrorist attack.

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