Assassination attempt on Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico

Robert Fico was critically injured in a shooting on May 15, 2024

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and critically injured on Wednesday in what officials are calling an assassination attempt.

Fico, a populist leader who has been in power since 2012, was shot in the chest while giving a speech in the central Slovak city of Banská Bystrica, according to Slovak media reports.

The Slovak defense minister, Peter Gajdoš, said that Fico was in stable condition but that his injuries were life-threatening.

The shooting has sent shockwaves through Slovakia, a country of 5.4 million people that has been a member of the European Union since 2004.

World leaders have condemned the shooting, with U.S. President Joe Biden calling it a "heinous attack on democracy."

The motive for the shooting is not yet known, but investigators are looking into whether it was politically motivated.

Fico is a controversial figure, and he has been accused of corruption and authoritarianism. He has also been criticized for his close ties to Russia.

The shooting has raised concerns about the stability of Slovakia and the future of democracy in the country.