“We are just one step away from the next tragedy,” warned Fico at a government meeting held off-site in Handlova, the town where an attempt was made on his life exactly one year ago.
Citing information from security services, Fico said,
hate-fueled rhetoric has grown, not diminished, and officials are convinced that both the qualitative and quantitative conditions exist for another attack targeting a public figure to occur at any time.
According to Slovakia’s public news agency TASR, Fico reiterated his earlier claim that the growing polarization in society is primarily the fault of the opposition and the media.
During its Thursday session, the Slovak government approved the creation of an inter-ministerial working group to be formed in July to explore legal options for strengthening the protection of public officials.
President Peter Pellegrini, in a social media post marking the anniversary, stressed the importance of mutual respect for differing opinions and views in political life and society, warning:
If hatred permeates an entire society, it will eventually strangle it.
TASR reported that several members of the Slovak cabinet also emphasized that the attack on the prime minister was not just an assault on one person, but an attack on the rule of law, the democratic system and freedom.
Ministers also agreed that hate speech has not subsided in the year since the attack and echoed calls for national reconciliation.
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok stated that hatred toward differing views and values has not disappeared from society. He added that such rhetoric remains unchanged even among opposition politicians. Estok also announced plans for legislation aimed at curbing the spread of hate speech online, modeled after similar German laws.
Before the government’s off-site meeting, Slovakia’s National Security Council held an extraordinary session in Bratislava. Vice Speaker of Parliament Tibor Gaspar, citing intelligence sources, told TASR that:
Hateful expressions in Slovak society have increased by more than 200% in the past year.
A year ago on May 15, 2024, Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and seriously wounded following an off-site government session in Handlova. The attacker, Juraj Cintula from Levice, was apprehended at the scene. He had fired four shots, injuring the prime minister, and was later charged with attempted premeditated murder by the Special Criminal Court in Pezinok.
In his confession, Cintula admitted to opposing the government's policies, including its refusal to send weapons to Ukraine.
The case was reclassified as an act of terrorism in July 2024. The prosecutor submitted a 6,200-page indictment to the special court in March 2025. The trial is expected to begin in July, and if convicted, Cintula could face life imprisonment.
