The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, remains stable, but his health condition remains serious, after undergoing a two-hour surgical operation, three days after suffering an attack, as indicated this Saturday by the head of Health, Zuzana Dolinkova.
According to the Slovak minister, the purpose of the operation was to remove necrotic tissue from the abdomen, due to the shots fired by the attacker Juraj Cintula. Dolinkova assured that the procedure has contributed to Fico’s improvement.
At a press conference, the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Robert Kalinak, explained that the prime minister is aware. Although a positive prognosis is approaching, the patient’s delicate condition prevents his transfer to a hospital in Bratislava (capital) scheduled for Monday.
«Several miracles have occurred. Little by little we are getting closer to a positive forecast. The most important thing is that its condition allows recovery. “The prime minister is conscious, but, of course, with all the limits that such a serious injury represents,” Kalinak said.
Under these circumstances, Robert Fico will continue to be admitted to the medical center in the town of Banská Bytrica, the scene of the armed attack, for the next few days. However, the medical team treating him has no other intervention planned.
“Conscious within the limits allowed by his status,” Kalinak said, the Slovak Prime Minister authorized him to serve as acting head of the Executive to continue with his Government program.
The deputy prime minister said, in an interview with the Slovak television station Ta3, that Robert Fico was shot four times in the abdomen: “Two of them caused minor injuries and another caused a more serious injury. But the fourth bullet caused critical damage, it is a very serious wound.
Meanwhile, the Specialized Criminal Court of Slovakia issued preventive detention for Jurj Cintula. The 71-year-old man has acknowledged himself as the author of the shots, but without intending to kill the politician. For attempted premeditated murder for revenge reasons, he faces a sentence of between 25 years and life in prison.
