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Slovakia’s Fico warns of possible further assassination attempts

Robert Fico described the current political climate in Slovakia as disturbing

MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico suspects that another attempt on his life may occur in the coming weeks or months.

"I reckon that such an attack may happen soon, but we cannot allow ourselves to be intimidated," he stated in an interview on the 60 Minutes program on the Rossiya-1 TV channel.

Fico noted that he sometimes feels many in Europe are disappointed he is "back to real political life in a relatively good shape." He agreed with the host that "an atmosphere has developed in Slovakia, following the parliamentary elections in September 2023, where anyone opposing the prevailing opinion is being ousted from politics."

He described the current political climate in Slovakia as disturbing. "The opposition is portraying us as some sort of mafia, as assassins, as agents of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. They keep spreading such nonsense," he emphasized.

"I firmly believe that common sense will soon prevail, and we will begin to reassess the military conflict in Ukraine. I have my own views on this matter," Fico concluded.

Attempt on Fico’s Life

The assassination attempt occurred in Handlova, western Slovakia, carried out by 71-year-old retiree and writer Juraj Cintula. Fico sustained several bullet wounds and underwent multiple surgeries, returning to work in July.

Following the attack, security measures for government officials, politicians, and leading media outlets were tightened. The shooter has been charged with attempted murder and is currently in custody pending trial. The prosecutor's office insists that the attempted assassination should be classified as an act of terrorism.

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