Juraj Cintula, a 72-year-old poet, faces trial on 8 July for the attempted assassination of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, with prosecutors upgrading initial attempted murder charges to terrorism offences carrying potential life imprisonment, according to Euractiv.
The proceedings commence over a year after Cintula shot Fico multiple times in the abdomen as the PM greeted supporters in Handlová on 15 May 2024.
The Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok will examine more than 6,000 pages of evidence across multiple hearings, beginning on Tuesday with a further session scheduled on Wednesday. Cintula, detained since the attack, will confront witness testimonies and forensic reports detailing how he fired five rounds at close range outside a cultural centre.
Fico underwent extensive surgeries and rehabilitation before resuming duties in June 2024.
Cintula’s motivations resist straightforward categorisation, reflecting Slovakia’s fractured political climate. Surveillance footage captured him criticising Fico’s policies moments before the shooting. Yet investigators uncovered his participation in rallies and a self-published anti-Roma manifesto. The duality complicates narratives advanced by both government and opposition factions.
On the attack’s first anniversary, Fico returned to Handlová issuing stark warnings that other government members could face similar violence.
The upgraded terrorism charges signal prosecutors’ intent to establish premeditation and ideological motivation, though Cintula’s defence may highlight his documented mental health struggles. With no verdict expected imminently, the proceedings will unfold against a backdrop of heightened security for government officials and deepening societal fissures across Slovakia.
