In Slovakia, twenty-one years in prison for the man who shot the Prime Minister, Robert Fico

Slovak justice sentenced poet Juraj Cintula to twenty-one years in prison for terrorism on Tuesday October 21, who seriously injured the nationalist Prime Minister, Robert Fico, in May 2024, and whose political motivations were upheld by the court.

A former admirer of the head of government of this central European country, he shot him five times at point blank range, “prevent the proper functioning of government”said Judge Igor Kralik.

The Banska Bystrica court (Center) ruled “not credible” the statements of Mr. Cintula, 72 years old, who said he only wanted ” hurt “ Robert Fico, since his two magazines were full and he did not “did not stop shooting, even after being overpowered”. The defendant remained calm as his sentence was read, looking away from the crowded room. He has the right to appeal.

“Drunk with power”

This attack, rare in a European Union (EU) country for a head of government, took place after a government meeting in the mining town of Handlova, in central Slovakia.

The Prime Minister then went out into the street to greet his supporters. Robert Fico, 61, had undergone two long operations and only returned to his post two months later.

Arrested at the scene, the shooter declared that he had gradually changed his opinion about the politician, seeing him “drunk with power”, “twisting the truth” and taking “irrational decisions that harmed the country”. He denounced in particular the cessation of military aid to neighboring Ukraine, invaded by Russia. Slovakia, previously united with the rest of the EU, has moved closer to Moscow under the injunction of Mr. Fico.

The prosecution, which had initially accused the poet of attempted premeditated murder, had reclassified the act as “terrorist attack”due to its political motivation.

Degraded relations with the European Union

The trial was held before a criminal court in the town of Banska Bystrica (Center) from July. Several days of hearing took place, spread over several weeks.

Robert Fico did not testify, but a video statement he gave to investigators after the attack was played during a hearing. Previously, he had accused Mr. Cintula of being a “product of hatred, an assassin created by the media and the opposition”. He remains convinced of a plot against him.

He has dominated the Slovak political landscape since 2006 with rhetoric whose nationalism is considered undemocratic by part of Slovak society. Since 2023, he has led the government for the fourth time, in coalition with the far right, pushing through reforms against the media, NGOs, the LGBT+ community and cultural circles.

His relations with the EU have deteriorated since he included in the Constitution that European law would no longer take precedence over national law. His policy is regularly denounced by citizens worried about the country's European future, during demonstrations in which the shooter took part.