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The man who was seriously injured last year by shooting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was brought to trial on Tuesday on terrorist charges that allow him to be seen jailed for life.
Juraj Cintula, 72, cried out “Long-living democracy, long-living freedom” when he arrived at a specialized criminal court in the central Slovak city of Banská Bystrica.
The capital is accused of shooting FICO on May 15, 2024, as the prime minister welcomed supporters following a government meeting in the town of Hundrova, located 140km northeast of the capital.
FICO was shot four times, including the abdomen. He was taken to the hospital where he underwent five hours of surgery and two days later for another two hours.
In testimony read by prosecutors at the trial, Cintula said he opposed the state’s policies, including the cancellation of the Special Prosecutor’s Office to deal with corruption, the end of military support for Ukraine, and the government’s approach to culture.
Cintula “decided to harm the prime minister’s health,” Cintula said, according to testimony shared by prosecutors.
The defendant refused to testify in court on Tuesday, but confirmed that what he told investigators about his motives was true.
Cintula was initially charged with attempted murder. Prosecutors later dropped the charges and instead said they were pursuing a more serious charge, based on the evidence obtained by investigators, rather than engaging in a terrorist attack.
At the trial, Cintula’s lawyers said the defense refused to file charges of terrorism.
The court has set up hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, with more dates available before verdicts are reached later this year.
Slovak officials initially said they believed the shooting was a politically motivated attack committed by a “solid wolf.” However, they later announced that third parties may have been involved in “acting in the interests of the perpetrator.”
FICO previously said it had “had no reason to believe it” as the only shooter attack, repeatedly accusing the media of liberal opposition for the assassination attempt.
The Prime Minister has long been a more divisive figure in Slovakia and more. He returned to power for the fourth time after the Left Party won the 2023 parliamentary elections after campaigning on pro-Russia and anti-West platforms.
FICO critics say he has abandoned the pro-western course of Slovak and is following a friendly direction in Moscow as Hungary under Prime Minister Victor Orban.
Thousands of people have gathered repeatedly across the capital and Slovakia to protest Fico’s pro-Russian stance and other policies.
Additional sources •AP
