Slovak PM's condition still serious after being shot

The condition of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot Wednesday, is still serious, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Robert Kalinak said here Thursday afternoon, reported Xinhua.

Fico's injuries caused by gunshot wounds are extensive. Though doctors managed to stabilize his condition, his life isn't out of danger yet, Kalinak told reporters following a special session held by the Security Council.

Fico sustained four gunshot wounds in an attack when he greeted supporters after chairing a government meeting in the central Slovak town of Handlova.

The attacker, who is reported to be a 71-year-old man, was detained on the spot. He has been charged with attempted premeditated murder, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said Thursday, adding that the shooter is a lone wolf.

Fico was appointed as prime minister in October last year when the government was facing a series of challenges, including rising energy prices and poor fiscal conditions. Fico has pledged that the new government would bring about a better life for the people through professional performance.

After assuming office, Fico has implemented many reform measures, including requiring media outlets to reform and restructure. He opposed military assistance to Ukraine and advocated for a peaceful solution to disputes through negotiations, sparking discontent among some domestic figures.

The attack shocked the small central European nation and drew international condemnations.

Slovakia's outgoing President Zuzana Caputova said Thursday that heads of the country's political parties would meet to seek calm while describing the shooting as an "attack on democracy."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said "such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good."

European Council President Charles Michel shared the same view, noting that "nothing can ever justify violence or such attacks."