Slovakia’s prime minister says he was targeted over his views on Ukraine

BELGRADE, Serbia

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said Wednesday that he was targeted for opposing European policy on the Ukraine war.

Fico's remarks came in a prerecorded speech online in his first appearance to the nation since he was shot and wounded on May 15 in an assassination attempt in front of the House of Culture in the central city of Handlova.

“Ties between my political representation and EU and NATO partners have become tense following the Russian attack on Ukraine, when we have refused to provide Ukraine any military aid from our state reserves aside from humanitarian aid and continue to strongly prefer peace rather than war,” he said.

Fico said he bears no malice toward the gunman who seriously wounded him.

''I feel no hatred towards the stranger who shot me. I forgive him and let him sort out what he did and why he did it in his own head,” he said.

Fico added that if everything goes well, he could return to work at the end of June or the beginning of July.

After he was shot, he immediately underwent two operations lasting several hours at a hospital in the city of Banska Bystrica.

Slovakian media identified the suspect as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, who was immediately arrested and placed in custody on charges of attempted murder.

Fico was hit by more than one bullet and was transported by helicopter ambulance to Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica to provide urgent intervention.