Slovak PM shot, suffers life-threatening injuries in assassination attempt • FRANCE 24 English

Slovak PM shot, suffers life-threatening injuries in assassination attempt • FRANCE 24 English

this footage was taken just seconds after several shots rang out hitting Slovakia’s prime minister Robert fito in the abdomen you can see his security detail picking him up and carrying him frantically to his car before the car speeds off to transport the 59-year-old leader to the hospital onlookers stood by in shock minutes later footage showed a suspect on the ground apprehended by police the shooting took place outside the culture house in the city of handlova some 150 km Northeast of the capital where the leader was meeting with supporters we went to shake hands with Mr fito I was taking pictures of him when he was walking out of the building we were waiting for a long time and we were excited we wanted to shake his hand and there was a man next to me and at this moment we had a loud noise we thought it was a joke that someone had thrown a firecracker on the ground that was my first reaction how many shots did you hear I heard three quick shots one after another like when you throw a firework did you see any injuries yes I saw a scratch on his head and then he fell next to the barrier I think it’s a nightmare I tell you I don’t think I will wake up from this this is not possible to happen in Slovakia the shooting comes three weeks ahead of crucial European Parliament elections in which populist and hard-right parties appear poised to make gains fito is a third time Premier and his leftist Direction party won Slovakia’s parliamentary elections back in September staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-russian and anti-American message critics have worried Slovakia under fito would abandon the country’s pro-western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist prime minister Victor orbon thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest fito’s policies and for more let’s go to

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was battling life-threatening wounds Wednesday after officials said he was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt condemned by European leaders. The Dennik N daily said its reporter in the central town of Handlova heard several shots fired and then saw security guards rushing to lift the premier off the ground and into a car. The newspaper also reported that police had detained the suspected gunman. Monte Francis reports.
#Slovakia #Fico #assassination

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