Slovak PM Fico’s attacker found guilty of terrorism, sentenced to 21 years
A Slovak court has sentenced Juraj Cintula, 72, to 21 years in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism for the 2024 shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico, which left the leader seriously wounded.
The Specialised Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica ruled that Cintula’s actions constituted an attack not on a private citizen, but on the state itself. Judge Igor Kralik said the motive and target made it a terrorist act, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Cintula, a former mine worker and writer, shot Fico five times at close range in the central Slovak town of Handlova in May 2024. Fico, 61, was hit four times, sustaining injuries to his abdomen, hip, hand, and foot. He returned to work later that year after months of recovery.
During the trial, Cintula admitted to the shooting but claimed he aimed only to injure Fico, saying he wanted to stop policies that he believed harmed “Slovak freedom and culture.”
Leaving the courtroom on Tuesday, he called the verdict “unjust” and vowed to appeal.
The incident shocked Slovakia and exposed sharp divisions in its political landscape. Fico — who has led the country for over a decade across three terms — accused the liberal opposition of fueling hatred that led to the attack.
Opponents, meanwhile, say Fico’s government has eroded democratic norms, restricted media freedom, and shielded corruption.
Fico returned to power in 2023, ending Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine and seeking closer ties with Moscow. His government has also pushed controversial reforms, including changes to criminal law and state media, moves critics say threaten democracy.
Fico has since said he forgives his attacker, despite ongoing health issues related to the shooting.
Cintula’s lawyer argued that his client should not have been charged with terrorism, saying not every attack on a public official meets that definition. However, prosecutors insisted the act was politically motivated and intended to intimidate society.
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