Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico narrowly escaped death: President-elect
Peter Pellegrini urges national parties to suspend, tone down campaigning ahead of European Parliament elections on June 6
BELGRADE, Serbia
Slovakia President-elect Peter Pellegrini said Thursday that Prime Minister Robert Fico narrowly escaped death in an assassination attempt.
"Prime Minister Robert Fico narrowly escaped death," Pellegrini said after visiting the hospital where Fico is being treated. "I was only allowed to talk to him for a few minutes because his current situation requires peace, without any external distractions."
He said if the bullets that hit Fico had landed differently by millimeters, the country would be "referring to him as the late prime minister."
Fico has a difficult and important process ahead because his condition remains serious, he said.
"The red line has been crossed, and we as a whole nation must be aware of this,” he added.
Suspension of EU election campaigning
Pellegrini, Fico’s coalition partner, urged national parties to suspend or tone down campaigning ahead of the European Parliament elections on June 6 after the assassination attempt on Wednesday.
"I am calling on all political parties in Slovakia to temporarily suspend or considerably reduce their European election campaign,” Pellegrini said in a statement.
He emphasized that Slovakia should avoid “further confrontation.”
Attacker not affiliated with any group
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said the attacker was alone and was not a member of any extremist organization, whether left or right.
He said the plan was to attack after the presidential election in April and the attacker participated in anti-government demonstrations. He carried out the attack because he opposed the government's policies, he said.
Estok said 32 additional people were questioned during an investigation.
The National Security Council of Slovakia, which convened after the attack, announced that a state of emergency would not be declared but the security of politicians who might be targeted had been increased.
It said an investigation was launched into the first response of Fico's close guards to the attacker.
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