And how the attack unfolded. This was the moment a european leader was shot. Gunshots. As he greeted members of the public in front of a local community centre. Robert fico was shot in the stomach and in the arm. His Security Team half dragged, half carried him to his car. A few metres away, amidst the chaos, Security Officials push a man to the ground. The suspect is believed to be in his 70s. Witnesses say he shot at the Prime Minister several times. Translation i heard three shots. It was quick, one by one, like if you throw firecrackers on the ground. I saw a scratch on the Prime Ministers head and then he fell next to the barrier. Its a nightmare. The 59 year old was flown by helicopter to hospital, where he had emergency surgery. Officials said his condition was critical. A few hours later, a sombre president addressed the nation. Translation i am shocked, we are all shocked by the terrible and vicious attack on Prime Minister robert fico. A physical attack on the Prime Minister
Is in custody. Lets go live to the slovak capital, bratislava, and our correspondent, sarah rainsford. Sarah, bring us up to date with the latest we know about the condition of the Prime Minister this morning. Well, we have heard from the director of the hospital where mr fico is being treated, where he received Emergency Care overnight and yesterday afternoon and evening. He was in surgery for some five hours. That was Emergency Surgery after he received three gunshot wounds. We understand that includes wins to his stomach and to his arm. So extremely and serious injuries. Long, long surgery, five hours of surgery, multiple wounds. Now the defence minister has said his condition has stabilised and that he is no longer in a life threatening condition, but he is still in Critical Care in that hospital 100 or so miles from where we are here in bratislava. A dramatic attack, of course. You will have seen those pictures as robert fico came out of his government meeting, went out to meet sm
Of surgery to save his life following an apparent assassination attempt. Local media reported that the Prime Minister had regained consciousness. The deputy Prime Minister, tomas taraba, told the bbc that the operation had gone well and he expected mr fico to survive. The Prime Minister was shot several times as he was leaving a Government Meeting in what the Interior Minister described as a politically motivated attack. The deputy Prime Minister of slovakia accused opposition parties of using false narratives to paint the Prime Minister almost as a monster. In sliver you, we won two elections. In october we had parliamentary elections, so we have stabilised support of the public. In slavonic. Also international politics, speak about a false narrative that we want to leave the European Union and join the cooperation with russia and i dont want these false narratives and of course people from the other side lost the election sometimes, they believe in these narratives, they can become a
Slovakias cabinet is meeting this morning to discuss the political implications. Mr fico was shot several times as he was leaving a government meeting yesterday, in what the Interior Minister described as a politically motivated attack. Local media are reporting that a man in his 70s has been charged with attempted murder. Speaking outside of the hospital where mr fico is receiving treatment, deputy prime minster Robert Kalinak gave an update on his condition. Translation over the course of the night, the doctors managed to stabilise the patient s condition. And at this moment, further procedures are under way that should aim towards improvement of his condition. The situation is really serious. Live to the slovak capital, bratislava, and our correspondent bethany bell. Bethany, hello to you. Lets start with that news that we received that local media are reporting that a mild in his 70s has been charged with attempted milder, do we know any more than that . With attempted milder, do w