BRATISLAVA, October 21. /TASS/. The Specialized Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia ruled to sentence Juraj Cintula, 72, a retiree and writer who shot and wounded Prime Minister Robert Fico in mid-May 2024, to 21 years behind bars, Markiza television reported.

Cintula was found guilty of terrorism charges. He shot at the Slovak head of government in the town of Handlova. Fico suffered several gunshot wounds and underwent multiple surgical operations before he could return to his position at the helm of the government two and a half months later. Medics say he miraculously survived the attack.