Well get reaction from bratislava, and we will discuss what it means 3 weeks from european elections. Good evening. In the last hour doctors treating the slovakian Prime Minister robert fico, said he is still undergoing surgery and is in a critical condition. Slovakia has always been known as a country of people who are tolerant, people who are accepting of other opinions and people who are always able to discuss. What happened today is a stigma which will haunt us for many years to come. But that is something that none of us think about at the moment. All we are focusing on is the condition of the Prime Minister robert fico, and we hope that he is Strong Enough to deal with this drama. In the first place i would like to assure the public that we will make Everything Thatis Public that we will make everything that is in our power to investigate this heinous crime. We are doing this heinous crime. We are doing this at the moment as we speak. The initial information we have clearly point to a political motivation and to a decision of the perpetrator shortly after the president ial election and we would like to appeal to the public, journalist and all politicians to stop spreading hate. I would like to appeal to all citizens who after this unprecedented act, he must act still spread this hate to stop it. The Prime Minister spread this hate to stop it. The Prime Minister was shot five times in the attack. Mr fico was attending a Government Meeting in the town of handlova, north east of the capital, bratislava. Mr fico was attending a Government Meeting in the town of handlova, north east of the capital, bratislava. After the meeting, he came out to meet well wishers who had gathered just outside. The shots were seemingly fired from within the crowd, some Eye Witnesses say they saw the Prime Ministerfall, before he was quickly lifted by his arms, and bundled into a car by his security detail. The suspect, reported to be a 71 year old man, was quickly knocked to the ground, and arrested. The interior Ministry Said tonight the attack was politically motivated. Our Correspondentjon Donnison has this report. Just moments after being shot, Prime Minister fico is dragged out of a flower bed and bundled into a car by his security team. Eyewitnesses report hearing three or four bullets being fired. A few metres away, amid the panic, police wrestle a suspect to the ground. Translation i heard three shots it was quick, one by one, like if you throw Fire Crackers 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. With officials saying his condition is life threatening. A few hours later, the countrys president addressed the nation. Translation im shocked, we are all shocked by the terrible and vicious attack on Prime Minister robert fico. A physical attack on the Prime Minister is first of all an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy. Hateful rhetoric, which we can see in Society Leads to hateful actions. Please, stop it. Prime minister fico, seen here earlier in the day, is a divisive figure a populist politician, he has been accused of authoritarianism and being too close to russia. But, in slovakias parliament this afternoon, there was condemnation for the attack from across the political spectrum. There was condemnation of the attack from across the political spectrum. Translation the attack on the Prime Minister is terrible, uncivilised and brutal pure evil. This should provoke just one action unite all society against evil, hate and violence. The alleged attacker is now in police custody, where detectives will be trying to find out his motive and whether he acted alone. Jon donnison, bbc news. Robert fico has served three stints as slovakias Prime Minister, most recently returning to power after winning an election in september last year. He was previously forced out, in 2018, amid public outrage over the killing of a journalist who had been investigating ties between his associates and the calabrian mafia the ndrangata. But he staged an unlikely comeback exploiting the frustration over the rising cost of living, as well as the waning support there has been in his country for the war in nearby ukraine. Since then he has faced widespread criticism for his pro russian rhetoric, and the recent attempts to extend State Control over the media. With me in the studio is a journalist. With me in the studio isjournalist and former cnn anchor, Nina Dos Santos and the bbc� s chief international correspondent, lyse doucet. We could say it is a relatively young country, sasaki, but in recent years it has certainly taken via to the right in terms of its politics. Even robert fico himself who is Populist Party began on the left and then over the past three decades it has veered to the right, his selection last year which was met with protests by more liberal pro eu groups was within a Eurosceptic Coalition and month after month have seen the kind of policies that he campaigned on, saying there will be no military aid to ukraine although he later relented partly by allowing private companies, private Military Firms to provide some military support, calling for an end to sanctions against russia and this shocking, it seems it is clear it is an Assassination Attempt, came in the midst of a protest against his new Broadcast Law which would abolish the Broadcasting Corporation turning it into upright media to support this guy, very much a eco viktor orban in hungary. No matter what the politics of those hints of aki and europe, weeks before the election, this authentic collective shock wave that arguments are part of democracy, not Assassination Attempt on to see this happening is attempt on to see this happening is a reminder of the deeply polarised political climate, notjust in slovakia, but also the dangers of social media and that was very much their business at the press conference. Their business at the press conference. ~ ,. ~. , conference. We will come back to some of that conference. We will come back to some of that. If conference. We will come back to some of that. If you conference. We will come back to some of that. If you were conference. We will come back to some of that. If you were to conference. We will come back to some of that. If you were to look| some of that. If you were to look for a motive in this and look back at his political history, you can look in many different directions. He is a huge figure. Youve been on the scene he is a huge figure. Youve been on the scene since the late 1990s when he founded the party, but he entered politics he founded the party, but he entered politics pre 1989, pre the revolution, on the left side of the spectrum. Revolution, on the left side of the spectrum, he was originally a communist but hes been very nimble at capitalising on their populist headwinds that have become louder, particularly in this part of europe after particularly in this part of europe after a particularly in this part of europe after a country like hisjoined the eu, he after a country like hisjoined the eu, he first after a country like hisjoined the eu, he first became Prime Minister in 2006. Eu, he first became Prime Minister in2006, a eu, he first became Prime Minister in 2006, a couple of years after to the hack in 2006, a couple of years after to the back end of the countries acceded the back end of the countries acceded to the eu and he has been very Adept Acceded to the eu and he has been very adept at talking a big game of antieu very adept at talking a Big Game Of Anti Eu rhetoric were taking the benefits anti eu rhetoric were taking the benefits of eu membership, ditto a relationship with the United States, youte relationship with the United States, youte now relationship with the United States, youre now seeing this come into play over youre now seeing this come into play over the last couple of years or so play over the last couple of years or so he play over the last couple of years or so he has obviously started saying or so he has obviously started saying that he is a sceptic on ukraine, saying that he is a sceptic on ukraine, he doesnt want the eu to support ukraine, he doesnt want the eu to support ukraine in the way does. We actually support ukraine in the way does. We actually want to keep to capitulate and cede actually want to keep to capitulate and cede territory to moscow so the war eventually over and they have espoused war eventually over and they have espoused a very hard anti immigration stance. All of this has cleaved anti immigration stance. All of this has cleaved Slovakian Society from one tied has cleaved Slovakian Society from one tied to has cleaved Slovakian Society from one tied to the next and many people saym one tied to the next and many people saym 50 one tied to the next and many people sa i i i ,. ,. , one tied to the next and many people sa ,. , say. So i can better understand him as a politician, say. So i can better understand him as a politician, is say. So i can better understand him as a politician, is he a him as a politician, is he a political chameleon in one sense . Has he changed because he sees which way the direction of the country is going already been dragged that way out of necessity because he has had to go into coalition with the ultranationalists . I to go into coalition with the ultranationalists . To go into coalition with the ultranationalists . I think he was Alwa S Ultranationalists . I think he was always very ultranationalists . I think he was always very able ultranationalists . I think he was always very able to ultranationalists . I think he was always very able to read ultranationalists . I think he was always very able to read the ultranationalists . I think he was i always very able to read the room and capitalise on the political changes and capitalise on the political changes of the day. And for instance. Changes of the day. And for instance, take the 2008 bailout of euro zone instance, take the 2008 bailout of euro zone crisis, he was very able them euro zone crisis, he was very able them to euro zone crisis, he was very able them to try euro zone crisis, he was very able them to try and use is leveraged to say during them to try and use is leveraged to say during the eu summit to germany and france, say during the eu summit to germany and france, we want to seat at the table. And france, we want to seat at the table, Eastern European countries, countries table, Eastern European countries, countries including poland, hungary and cheshire. He was a Big Fight Around and cheshire. He was a Big Fight Around the table there advocating for a slightly more sovereign policy for a slightly more sovereign policy for them for a slightly more sovereign policy for them to have their own autonomy but also for them to have their own autonomy but also to for them to have their own autonomy but also to benefit from eu membership and by the way, even though membership and by the way, even though He Membership and by the way, even though he talks a big game against the eu, though he talks a big game against the eu, against nato he still decided the eu, against nato he still decided to take the euro 2009 even at a time decided to take the euro 2009 even at a time when the single currency was in at a time when the single currency was in crisis at a time when the single currency was in crisis in some countries are getting was in crisis in some countries are getting bailed out. Getting bailed out. Convenience, i would say getting bailed out. Convenience, i would say i getting bailed out. Convenience, i would say. I was getting bailed out. Convenience, i would say. I was looking getting bailed out. Convenience, i would say. I was looking at getting bailed out. Convenience, i would say. I was looking at some| getting bailed out. Convenience, i. Would say. I was looking at some of the reaction, they are calling for people to be calm and not seek out retribution. 0ne people to be calm and not seek out retribution. One such shock is dissipated, is there a risk so society becomes more divided . This is m First Society becomes more divided . Ti 3 is my first reflections on this very dangerous moment, you see on the internet this public square, a above right across europe saying that this is an attack against democracy. Everyone across the political spectrum in slovakia condemning this violence, this attack against the Prime Minister but so quickly we have seen the sniping. He was in full view in the press conference, yes, they called the candidate of the generalist, look at yourself in the generalist, look at yourself in the mirror, the kind of media that you have been putting on social media. Some would say what robert fico and others were putting on social media outing in public, not the right time to be discussing this, but that also created this no holds barred vicious kind of political atmosphere. When we got the break and use when i first went on social media and i thought, what is a motive . There was a whole slew of posts on social media saying it was because he refused to accept a Global Pandemic coalition. His policy, criticising the vaccine, he wanted to look into how to back it up wanted to look into how to back it up with the covid pandemic so that those old conspiracies are threading through. So danger in the assassination but danger in their reaction to the assassination. As we have said time and again, in disasters and crises like this it is not the crisis, it is how you respond to the crisis and this is in full flow right now and the alarm lighter blinking. Ads, full flow right now and the alarm lighter blinking. Lighter blinking. A lot of information lighter blinking. A lot of information on lighter blinking. A lot of information on social i lighter blinking. A lot of information on social media about this 71 year old man who is said to be the attacker, a lot of it we are trying to verify and we will bring you that when we have done that, but let me bring you some reaction from the russian president Vladimir Putin who sent a telegram to the outgoing backing president and described it as a monstrous crime. Not the sort of message you hear the russian leader often tending to european leaders, it tells you how closely aligned to. Speak to the head of the centre for democracy and resilience based in bratislava. Thank you for being with us. What are you learning tonight about the possible motive for this crime . Thanks a lot for having me. So far we do not have too many details are confirmed. There are certain theories, including one stated by theories, including one stated by the ministry of interior that the motive has been political, but we do not have any kind of confirmation either directly from the attic. 0ne tv station has reportedly found a video of him of the attacker criticising the government around a month ago but this hasnt been confirmed yet. Month ago but this hasnt been confirmed et. ,. ,. ,. , confirmed yet. You are at a Security Conference confirmed yet. You are at a security Conference Held confirmed yet. You are at a security Conference Held annually confirmed yet. You are at a security Conference Held annually at Conference Held annually at bratislava, so presumably you talk about how politics is changing in that part of europe. Whether threats to him before . I there been any sort of attack on him before, anything that would have forewarned what was to come . Mat that would have forewarned what was to come . ,. ,. ,. , to come . Not at all. That society has been already to come . Not at all. That society has been already mentioned, to come . Not at all. That society has been already mentioned, it l to come . Not at all. That society| has been already mentioned, it is very polarised, this is definitely true but we havent seen any hatred or tax, strong verbal attacks against the Prime Minister in the online space are the real world but the truth is that public space and a public debate has been very full of hatred, especially talk public debate has been very full of hatred, Especiall Public Debate has been very full of hatred, especially talk to me about the weeks preceding hatred, especially talk to me about the weeks preceding this. Hatred, especially talk to me about the weeks preceding this. Was hatred, especially talk to me about | the weeks preceding this. Was there a reason, a Tipping Point for thi