The suspect in the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been identified by local media as Juraj C., a 71-year-old man from Levice, about 80 kilometers from Handlova, where the attack took place.

According to Slovak television JOJ TV, Juraj C., born in 1953, is a writer and poet and a member of the Slovak Writers' Association. He approached the prime minister near the House of Culture after shouting "Robo, come here" in the midst of a crowd trying to greet Fico after a government meeting.

Four to five shots were fired and security quickly restrained the suspect. 

After the attack, the Slovak prime minister was put in a car and later transported by helicopter to Roosevelt Hospital in Banská Bystrica, "because it would take too long to get to Bratislava [about 150 kilometers away] due to the urgent need for surgery," his office said. 

The same source added that Fico was "shot several times" and "is currently in mortal danger". The newspaper SME reported that the official was hit in the "abdomen" and "in the shoulder and hand".

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The suspect is in custody and a criminal case has been opened for attempted premeditated murder.

He could face life in prison, since according to the Slovak Penal Code, the crime of premeditated murder is punishable by imprisonment of "20 to 25 years". However, if the attack "is directed at a protected person", such as a prime minister, the sentence increases to life imprisonment, SME explains.

The assassination attempt has already been condemned by several world leaders who say they are "shocked" by the "barbaric" and "vile" attack.

It should be noted that since coming to power in 2023, Robert Fico has ended Bratislava's military aid to Ukraine and called for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, drawing criticism from Ukrainian authorities and their European allies.

More recently, in early April and in a change of tone regarding the Ukrainian conflict, he advocated a peaceful solution that respects the country's "territorial integrity".

Read Also: President of Slovakia says attack on Fico is "an attack on democracy" (Portuguese version)