Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday visited the town where a gunman shot him in May and accused progressive opponents of fuelling political tension that he said could lead to more attacks.
Fico, a 59-year-old four-time prime minister, received four gunshots to his abdomen that initially left him in a critical condition. The attacker has said he had aimed to hurt, not kill Fico, and disagreed with his policies, court documents show. He is facing terrorism-related charges and life in prison.
The attempted assassination, in the central Slovak town of Handlova, has deepened political tensions in the European country, and Fico and his government of leftist and far-right parties have stepped up criticism of progressive opponents.
Fico returned to Handlova, a town of 17,000, on government business for the first time since the incident and hit out at opponents again.
“Believe me, I have trauma, but not from the assassination attempt,” he told reporters when asked about the attack.