Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico remains in serious condition after an assassination attempt on Wednesday, May 15. The politician was shot while meeting supporters in the town of Handlová, northeast of Bratislava.
Many diverse theories have been raised regarding the motivations of the shooting. Some allege that it was motivated by opposition to some of the most recent measures proposed by Fico’s government. Others suggest that the shooter may have been motivated by Fico’s positions to stop supporting Ukraine’s war efforts.
Since his third stint as prime minister that began in September 2023, Fico has been at the forefront of pushing legislative changes, including revisions to criminal law that soften penalties for corruption and proposals to dismantle the Special Prosecutor’s Office. This office is noted for handling high-profile corruption cases and other serious crimes, including the investigation into the 2018 murders of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his partner Martina Kušnírová, which were believed to be linked to Kuciak’s work investigating allegations of tax evasion and corruption involving people close to Fico’s party, Direction – Social Democracy (SMER – SD).
Their assassination played a key role in Fico resigning in 2018, yet he returned to the post of prime minister once again last year. Generally perceived as a controversial figure, Fico has continued to balance stances acceptable to mainstream EU politics and the strengthening of nationalist elements in his populist policies.
Most recently elected on a platform critical of the EU position on the war in Ukraine and its support for NATO, Fico’s premiership was taken as an indicator that people in many of Europe’s peripheral member states do not unequivocally share their government’s support for war and armament, as implied by corporate media in the region. One of his key campaign promises was to end all arms shipments to Ukraine which he did within his first month in office.
Fico’s latest administration has also come under strong criticism for its planned reform of the public broadcaster, which has drawn warnings from European journalist organizations about potential negative impacts on press freedom and governmental intrusion into public media.
In response to the assassination attempt, both government and opposition leaders have urged for calm and unity after heightened tensions over contentious policies. Media workers, including editors from some of Slovakia’s largest dailies, have emphasized the need for de-escalation to prevent further violence and resist framing the press as instigators of political violence.
