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Slovak PM Robert Fico returns to work after assassination attempt

09 July 2024 21:24 (UTC +04:00)

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico resumed his duties on Tuesday, nearly two months after being shot four times by a lone gunman on May 15, APA reports citing Slovak media.

Fico, 59, was attacked at close range following a government meeting in central Slovakia. He underwent two extensive surgeries at a nearby hospital and was released on May 31. The assailant, identified by Slovak media as 71-year-old poet Juraj Cintula, is currently in custody awaiting trial.

Fico heads a coalition government composed of his centrist Smer-SD party, the centrist Hlas, and the far-right SNS. Slovakia, an EU and NATO member with a population of 5.4 million, has seen Fico often criticized by the EU, similar to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

To avoid the media, Fico arrived at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting through a tunnel. On Facebook, he addressed his critics: “Dear progressive liberal media and opposition, I apologize for having survived but I’m back,” along with a photo of himself in his office.