The assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday, which froze the international community with leaders from across the political spectrum calling it an “attack on democracy” is the first against a European leader since 2003, when Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.

The attack on the Slovak prime minister, who is in a critical condition, raises questions not only for his country but also for the European Union, with which Slovakia had disputes under Fico’s leadership, reports Bloomberg.

What we know about the attempt on Fitzo’s life

Fico was walking through the crowd after a government meeting in the central Slovakian city of Hadlova when witnesses heard four gunshots and saw the prime minister fall to the ground. The government issued a statement saying that Robert Fitzo is in a critical condition at a nearby hospital in Banska Bystrica. Slovakia’s parliament in Bratislava suspended its session as leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the attack, the first of its kind in the country’s history.

Who is the alleged perpetrator?

The alleged perpetrator was arrested and taken into police custody. Later, local media reported that it was the well-known Slovak writer, Juraj Tsindula, 71 years old. According to the same reports, Tsintula shouted at Fitso while the prime minister was talking to his supporters and when he approached him, he shot him. In a video released on social media, the alleged attacker, when asked about the motive for the attack, replied that he did not agree with government policy.

What does this mean for Slovakia?

The assassination attempt comes at a time of growing polarization in Slovakia’s political scene, with rivals accusing Fico of trying to create a mafia state. His allies accuse the opposition and local media of fracturing the nation. In a sign of the tense atmosphere in the country, some of Fitzo’s allies said after the assassination attempt that his political opponents and the “liberal” media had blood on their hands.

What does it mean for Europe?

Since returning to power, Fico has aligned himself with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in calling for the EU to lift sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He has angered the EU mainstream and its allies by criticizing the NATO military alliance and saying he intends to normalize ties with Moscow. Orban condemned the shooting of Fico as a “heinous attack against my friend” in a post on X. EU leaders also rushed to express their solidarity with Fico and the Slovak people after the incident.

Is Fico popular in Slovakia?

Fitzo resigned in 2018 amid mass protests over the death of a journalist investigating corruption cases in the country involving his fiancee. Upon his return to power, Fico consolidated his hold on the institutions in April when one of his close allies, Peter Pellegrini, was elected president of Slovakia. Pellegrini’s victory was interpreted as an expression of public support for Fizzo’s agenda. As president, Pellegrini played a crucial role in pushing through a controversial reform of the judicial system by Fitzo, which raised alarm bells in the EU.