Scooped up, the Prime Minister, hes already been hit by three, four, may be five bullets, put into a car, it whisks away as he is put into hospital, some confusion as to which hospital, some confusion as to which hospital in the end he was taken to. Initially it was reported that there were non life threatening injuries, and that has changed over the last half hour with a number of sources reporting that he is a life threatening condition, and we will have more detail on that in a moment or two, but worrying scenes in slovakia, and in the last 30 minutes, a0 minutes, we have seen european leader after european leaders talk about their shock about what has happened. Giorgia meloni, the italian Prime Minister, Ursula Von Der Leyen talking about her shock, right across the board, all of europes leaders reacting as you would expect to quite shocking news, the news of the Prime Minister being shot and wounded there during a public gathering, and you can see a number of people still Walking Around the area, slightly bemused. I was watching one eyewitness, the footage coming into the building, and shejust described, footage coming into the building, and she just described, she told journalists, we want to shake the hand of the Prime Minister, i was taking pictures of him, and when he walked out of the building, we are waiting for a long time, we were excited, we wanted to shake his hand, he came next to me and at this moment we heard Something Like what we thought was a firecracker thrown on the ground, that was my first reaction, thejournalist on the ground, that was my first reaction, the journalist then asked the eye witness how many shots did you hear . I heard three shots, said the witness. It was quick, one by one, as if you had thrown a firecracker on the ground, and then asked about the injuries, yes, i saw something on his head, he then fell next to the barrier. It was nightmarish, and it is not possible to describe or to understand this actually happening here in slovakia. Those just some of the quotes from one eyewitness there amongst the crowd, and you see people just being shuffled away, and as the Security Forces just around one shuffled away, and as the Security Forcesjust around one individual, paul, you are here with me, you are cross details perhaps aware the Prime Minister has been taken to, you have seen though is coming out of the hospital, bring me right up to speed. Of the hospital, bring me right up to seed. ,. ,. , of the hospital, bring me right up toseed. ,. ,. , , to speed. Listed various people condemning to speed. Listed various people condemning the to speed. Listed various people condemning the attack, to speed. Listed various people condemning the attack, his to speed. Listed various people j condemning the attack, his one to speed. Listed various people i condemning the attack, his one is particularly pointed, ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the shooting thing it was appalling, every effort should be made to make sure that violence does not become the norm in any country. Why that is so pointer, robert fico was elected standing on the platform saying he didnt want slovakia giving any more weapons to ukraine. For a small country they had been a very generous giver of arms to ukraine, they saw the neighbouring country as a three mark an important ally, robert fico came to power and said no more. Notable that the ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the shooting, and everything we are hearing is that this is indeed a serious attack. Initial reports that it might not have been, that his condition was not life threatening have been contradicted. The government has specifically said the conditions are life threatening. The change the original plan to take him to the capital, instead they took to this much smaller place because of the urgency of his injuries. I think you made an earlier suggestion, there was some kind of official failure of security perhaps that he was so exposed, and this is a man he wanted to be seen as a man of the people, which perhaps explains why he was out and about perhaps not surrounded by bodyguards. Just looking at another report coming in, a post on the official Facebook Page of robert fico really confirming what we know, it says he has been shot multiple times, he is currently being transported to Banska Bystrica in a life threatening situation, they are calling this an Assassination Attempt, which i guess at this stage it would obviously seem to be, one person arrested at the scene, wrestled to the ground and handcuffed immediately, presumably people saw him doing it at close hand. Presumably people saw him doing it at close hand at close hand. Yes, i was reading at the quotes at close hand. Yes, i was reading at the quotes from at close hand. Yes, i was reading at the quotes from that the quotes from that eyewitness, hopefully well be able to play that in a moment or two, but you were talking about his election, the change of direction in slovakia, and you made the point earlier that it is a country now quite divisive in its politics. Is a country now quite divisive in its pounce its politics. Indeed. One interesting its politics. Indeed. One interesting thing its politics. Indeed. One interesting thing i its politics. Indeed. One| interesting thing i should its politics. Indeed. One interesting thing i should know, check this before joining you here, but despite its febrile politics, which at times has had a certain level of violence, slovakia is a very peaceful country. There is a low level of crime. Low level of violent crime, so the politics is out of step with the country itself at some level. Its a lovely place to visit, which may sound odd to say at a time like this, but im trying to contrast the politics with the people of that place. But, yes, it has been a place where populism has been their right from the start. Your colleague in slovakia mentioned one of the first Prime Minister is of newly independent slovakia, a very divisive figure, some even called him a fascist, he whipped up anger against the hungarian minority and against gypsies, its too early to say what this is about, but he didnt take any prisoners, robert fico, he said he would not take one single muslim, and those who dared to criticise him, at one point travelling to go over and give them a slap. In bratislava there was supposed to be a protest against mr ficos plans to get rid of the state broadcaster, i gather that process has been cancelled in light of what has been cancelled in light of what has happened. Has been cancelled in light of what has happened has happened. Very interesting detail. Has happened. Very interesting detail let has happened. Very interesting detail. Let me has happened. Very interesting detail. Let me bring has happened. Very interesting detail. Let me bring viewers. Detail. Let me bring viewers up to date on telly we are expecting an official News Conference in the next little while, and that is what we are being told. We are not exactly sure in terms of what who is giving the News Conference, whether its a Government Spokesperson or from the hospital, because information has been emerging from both those sources, but we are being told there will be some sort of official News Conference in the next few minutes. We shall see, there is no exact timeline on that, but we will get, i suspect, no exact timeline on that, but we will get, isuspect, the will get, i suspect, the First Official word confirming, there are so many different fragments of information, it will be interesting to hear from official sources where they think they are in terms of where exactly the Prime Minister has been taken, his current condition with the conflicting reports we have had. We saw him being whisked away in the car, we are being told that he initially was bundled into the car by the security team, and local reports say he was then airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital, but we wait to have confirmation of these details, and some sort of update. Lets bring sarah back in from bratislava. What are you hearing . We wait for that News Conference, but in terms of the detail about the incident, bringing more of the reaction there has been there, because there must be shock waves reverberating around as more people hear about what has actually happened. That people hear about what has actually ha ened. , people hear about what has actually ha ened. , u,. Happened. That is correct, there is a hue happened. That is correct, there is a huge shock happened. That is correct, there is a huge shock in happened. That is correct, there is a huge shock in slovakia happened. That is correct, there is a huge shock in slovakia right happened. That is correct, there is| a huge shock in slovakia right now, the parliament is holding a meeting where the mps are discussing the next steps. We are hearing there is currently some tension, and i have heard reports of different politicians accusing or pointing fingers at each other saying this is the fault of such and such person. However, everyone in slovakia is unanimous, and everyone, all the slovak readers from all the different parts of the political spectrum are condemning the attack, and expressing that they are shocked, and obviously wish him are shocked, and obviously wish him a speedy recovery. As you mention, we are all waiting for a Press Conference that has been announced that will take place in Banska Bystrica in 20 minutes, and that should be held by both the ministry of health, the ministry of the interior, and the police president. Thats information i have been hearing from slovak media. Thats interesting. Hearing from slovak media. Thats interesting, because hearing from slovak media. Thats interesting, because i hearing from slovak media. Thats interesting, because i was hearing from slovak media. Thats interesting, because i wasjust interesting, because i wasjust saying out loud that we knew a News Conference was coming, and he was actually going to host it, so that is good detail in terms of the key figures, the interior ministry, perhaps you are get an update from the hospital. It was interesting to hear you there because we were talking here, you mentioned before, paul was mentioning it in the studio, about the divisive nature, thatis studio, about the divisive nature, that is significant, what you have just said at the beginning of that answer, that despite all of that, the divisions when it comes to politics, this is as remote of such seriousness that it is being put to one size as people come together to just have a sort of unified approach to such shocking news. Yes. Just have a sort of unified approach to such shocking news. To such shocking news. Yes, and i believe the to such shocking news. Yes, and i believe the unified to such shocking news. Yes, and i believe the unified approach to such shocking news. Yes, and i believe the unified approach is believe the unified approach is very unanimous, meaning everyone obviously is really shocked and condemning the attack, however we are also hearing that there is a little bit of tension right now about different political figures. We are hearing a Political Party and the president are currently speaking out publicly and telling everyone, the whole of Slovak Society to condemn the attack and to stop the hatred, for example. Paul condemn the attack and to stop the hatred, for example. Hatred, for example. Paul was Ust Mentioning hatred, for example. Paul was Ust Mentioning here, i hatred, for example. Paul was Ust Mentioning here, that if i hatred, for example. Paul was just| mentioning here, that if you heard, some of the really contentious, controversial things he has said in the past, whether talking about ukraine, muslims, overthe months, have there ever been previous threats aimed at the Prime Minister . Not to my knowledge. I have been following the news and reporting from slovakia for nearly ten years, and i have never heard any serious threats. As you mention, slovakia is a peaceful country, it is also not very common for people to hold guns, gun violence is something that is extremely rare in slovakia, and i have never been aware of any serious threats that would threaten the security of fico or any other politicians. I5 security of fico or any other politicians. Security of fico or any other noliticians. ,. , my politicians. Is interesting to say about guns. Politicians. Is interesting to say about guns. In politicians. Is interesting to say about guns, in slovakia, politicians. Is interesting to say about guns, in slovakia, do politicians. Is interesting to sayj about guns, in slovakia, do you politicians. Is interesting to say about guns, in slovakia, do you need to hold a licence or how does it work . ,. ,. ,. ,. , work . Yes, you need to hold a licence, and work . Yes, you need to hold a licence, and also work . Yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need work . Yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need to work . Yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need to go i work . Yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need to go through a series of examinations by a clinical psychologist, who needs to give every Single Person who applies for holding a gun kind of approval that you have passed a psychological test and that you are capable of holding a garden on your own without posing any threats or danger to yourself or to other people, so holding guns is quite rare, and the only big incident where there has been gun violence and Mass Shootings that i am aware of in recent years was a Terrorist Attack against a gay bar in bratislava that happened in 2022, in which a shooter who was an extreme, a political extremist, decided to murder to people, to gay people or lgbt people who are actually in that bar at that moment and subsequently committed suicide, so there were three deaths that day. This happened in 2022, it sparked a wave of shock and grief, and august it was a very tragic day in the lgbt community, but it was also very shocking event in that holding guns is something that is not a very common thing in slovakia, and this is the first time weve heard about a mass gun attack, that is why the current news about the Prime Minister being shot is very shocking, we havent heard any similar incidents in slovakia, and some of the political leaders have indeed been saying that this attack against robert fico is something that has no equivalent in the history of slovakia. I that has no equivalent in the history of slovakia. That has no equivalent in the history of slovakia. I was ust readin history of slovakia. I was ust reading out i history of slovakia. I was ust reading out the i history of slovakia. I was ust reading out the quotes h history of slovakia. I wasjust reading out the quotes from | reading out the quotes from one eyewitness. We continue to watch the pictures, and any new pictures will get them onto the screen, because so many different sources are sending pictures and we are waiting for the News Conference as well, but the eyewitness saying to the Reuters News Agency a while ago that she was just in the crowd waiting excitedly ready to meet with the Prime Minister, he emerged from the building, and then very quickly she heard, she thought it was firecrackers, but in quick succession a number of shots, at least three shots, she saw, before she saw the Prime Minister, she described seeing blood on his head, but the other reports seem to suggest wounds to his abdomen, perhaps his leg as well, and arm, but very clearly it happened in a very short space of time, just as the Prime Minister came from the building, and presumably heading back towards his car as we saw a sample that. Back towards his car as we saw a sample that back towards his car as we saw a sample that. Yes, that is exactly what i had sample that. Yes, that is exactly what i had to. Sample that. Yes, that is exactly what i had to, and sample that. Yes, that is exactly what i had to, and that sample that. Yes, that is exactly what i had to, and that is sample that. Yes, that is exactly what i had to, and that is my what i had to, and that is my understanding of the event, although im not currently in handlova, im in the capital, bratislava, but that is what is being reported in slovak media. He was finishing a Government Meeting that was held in the slovak town of handlova in the centre of slovakia, he had just left the building, a cultural institution, the house of culture, the meeting was being held, and he was probably surrounded by people and supporters, or people who wanted to greet him, and in a very short space of time witnesses reported hearing four or five gunshots, and then seeing him being injured, bleeding, his abdomen and probably an arm injury to, and he has been transported to hospital in Banska Bystrica, which is a bigger town, in Banska Bystrica, which is a biggertown, but in Banska Bystrica, which is a bigger town, but also in the centre of slovakia. Bigger town, but also in the centre of slovakia of slovakia. Paul, let me bring you in, of slovakia. Paul, let me bring you in. Because of slovakia. Paul, let me bring you in, because over of slovakia. Paul, let me bring you in, because over the of slovakia. Paul, let me bring you in