Slovak PM Robert Fico 'fighting for his life' following surgery - minister

Summary

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been shot in what officials are calling an assassination attempt
On Wednesday evening, the Slovak defence minister said Fico had been in surgery for three-and-a-half hours and was "fighting for his life"
Fico was reportedly hit in the stomach, arm and leg - the interior minister says he was shot five times
The alleged assailant has been detained by the police - the ministers tell reporters it was a politically-motivated attack
Fico was wounded as he left a government meeting in the central town of Handlova

Live Reporting

Edited by James Harness

World leaders condemn shooting of Slovak PMpublished at 15:05 British Summer Time 15 May
Image source, EPA
International reaction is pouring in after the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot. He has been taken to hospital and his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemns what she calls a "vile attack" on Fico.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says he is "profoundly shocked" by the news of the shooting, and says the perpetrators must be held accountable.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala says the shooting is "shocking" and wishes Fico as quick recovery.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he is "deeply shocked by the heinous attack against my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico".
Slovakian President shocked by 'brutal' shootingpublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 15 May
Slovakia's outgoing president Zuzana Caputova says she is shocked by the "brutal and ruthless" attack on the prime minister.
"I am shocked. I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment to recover from the attack," she says in a statement.
Incident was assassination attempt on Slovak PM - ministrypublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 15 May
Breaking
A Slovak interior ministry spokesman confirms that an assassination attempt was carried out on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The spokesman gives no details of the PM's condition.
Who is Robert Fico?published at 14:53 British Summer Time 15 May
Image source, Reuters
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico returned to power after elections last September, at the head of a populist-nationalist coalition.
He leads the populist Smer-SSD party and won the vote last October with pledges to halt military aid to Ukraine, but denied being pro-Russian.
Fico was forced to step down as prime minister following the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018.
"If Smer enters government, we will not send a single round of ammunition to Ukraine," Fico told supporters during his campaign.
This, as well as his pledge to resist Western sanctions on Russia, caused some onlookers to compare Fico to Hungary's populist right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
In pictures: Suspect detained after Slovak PM shotpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 15 May
Slovak PM Robert Fico was shot in front of a cultural community centre in the town of Handlova, where a government meeting had been held, reports say.
A video showed several men rushing to detain the suspect just outside the cultural centre in Handlova. The BBC has not yet verified the footage.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
A person was detained after the shooting of Slovak PM Robert Fico
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Security officers moved Slovak PM Robert Fico in a car after the shooting incident
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
The incident happened in Handlova, Slovakia
Helicopter dispatched to shooting incidentpublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 15 May
Slovakia's emergency services dispatched a helicopter to a 59-year-old man in Handlova after receiving information that he was shot, it posted on social media.
"The action is still under way," the emergency service says.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, 59, was initially bundled into a car by his security team, and local reports say he was then airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital.
What do we know so far?published at 14:37 British Summer Time 15 May
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
A person is detained after shooting incident of Slovak PM Robert Fico, after a Slovak government meeting in Handlova, Slovakia
We've just received reports that the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Rico has been taken to hospital after being shot. This is a developing news story, but here's everything we know so far:
- Slovak PM Robert Fico was shot and taken to hospital after a cabinet meeting
- The alleged assailant was detained by police, local media reports
- It not known what condition the prime minister is currently in
- The shooting took place in Handlova, about 180km north east of the capital of Bratislava
- Local journalists reported hearing several shots fired
Stay with us as we continue to cover this breaking news story.
No news of Slovak PM's condition after shootingpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 15 May
Rob Cameron
BBC Prague Correspondent
Reports in Slovak media say the prime minister Robert Fico has been taken to hospital after being shot.
Denník N newspaper reported that Fico was leaving a government meeting in the central town of Handlova when several shots were fired from a crowd.
An eyewitness said he had fallen to the ground and was then loaded into a vehicle and taken away.
There is no news of his condition.
Suspect reported to have been detained after Slovak PM shotpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 15 May
As we’ve reported, media outlets say Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has been injured in a shooting and taken to hospital.
The incident is reported to have happened in the town of Handlova, around 180km (118 miles) northeast of Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, according to local news television station TA3.
Slovak news agency TASR cited parliament's vice-chairman Lubos Blaha as saying Fico was shot and injured.
A suspect has reportedly been detained.
Slovak PM shot and injured - reportspublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 15 May
Image source, Reuters
Reports from Slovakia say the Prime Minister, Robert Fico, has been shot and taken to hospital following a cabinet meeting outside the capital Bratislava.
Police are said to have detained a man after the incident.
This is a breaking story so stay with us for developments.