Attack on prime minister lifts lid on divided politics of ‘one of the most polarised countries in Europe’
On Friday morning, Father Tomáš stood solemnly in the small Catholic church nestled near a park along the banks of the Danube River in Bratislava.
Less than an hour after the shooting, as Fico was being helicoptered to a local hospital – his health deemed too critical for him to be flown back to Bratisvala for treatment – his allies rushed to criticise the opposition and elements of civil society, accusing them of having blood on their hands. As of Friday, Fico remains in intensive care, the government said, adding that further information on the prime minister’s health would be made public “when the situation allows”.
“Politicians have been stoking the flames for a long time. No one expected the prime minister would be shot, but it did not come out of the blue,” said Agnesa Rybár, the owner of a clothing store in the city centre, adding: “The country is going in the wrong direction, that is clear.” “Polarisation experienced in Slovakia isn’t unique, just look to Poland and Hungary,” said Balázs Jarábik a fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences and former Slovak diplomat, referring to neighbouring states that have similarly seen societal splits among political faultlines.In the aftermath of the attack, Jarábik said he had not seen enough “self-reflection” from either side of the political landscape that would address the causes that led to the shooting.
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