Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico is stable but remains in 'very serious' condition

After several hours in the operating room last night, Slovak Primer Minister Robert Fico, 59, is stable after an assassination attempt on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, the condition is still very serious as the injuries are complicated," said Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak. He also assured that the attempt was a "politically motivated act" and that the country will react "accordingly."

The director of Roosvelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica, Miriam Lapunikova, insisted that Fico is in "very serious" condition. Lapunikova assured that he will remain in intensive care after having undergone five hours of surgery.

Authorities also reported Fico recovered his ability to talk, although he can only speak a few sentences.

Fico was shot at least once when he was in the city of Handlova, roughly 95 miles from the capital. According to local media, five shots were heard while the politician was talking with supporters outside the House of Local Culture.

A lone wolf that was politically motivated

Hours later, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok announced that a suspect had been detained. The alleged attacker was a 71-year-old writer, identified by the local press by the name Juraj C. Although no further details have been given at this time, the son of the alleged detainee expressed his confusion in public and, asked if his father resented the prime minister, responded: "I’ll tell you this: he didn’t vote for him. That’s all I can say about it."

Sutaj Estok reported Thursday that the suspect was charged with attempted murder with premeditation. The motive, he also assured, was political. "This is a lone wolf whose actions were accelerated after the presidential election since he was dissatisfied with its outcome," the minister assured.

Call to suspend the European elections

Peter Pellegrini, president-elect following the April elections, had defined the attack as an "unprecedented" threat to democracy.

On Thursday, he called for "temporarily suspend" the campaign for the European Parliament elections to be held in June. "At this moment, Slovakia does not need more confrontation."