Serbian ambassador to Slovakia comments on assassination attempt: "Atmosphere is heated"

Aleksandar Nakic; Photo: bratislava.mfa.gov.rs

Serbian Ambassador to Slovakia Aleksandar Nakic today spoke about the attempted assassination of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to say that his condition is currently stable.

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"Thank God, he is currenty stable. The surgery lasted several hours, he was shot at close range with four or five bullets. There is some speculation about that information. He had three wounds. He had surgery in Banska Bystrica, in a top hospital and right now, since this morning, actually since yesterday afternoon, since the operation, his condition is stable, thank God," Nakic told Kurir.

The ambassador stressed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was yesterday the first leader to condemn the attempted assassination.

"I want to say that the first statesman and leader who condemned the attack on Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico was President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, and this proves that our bilateral relations are excellent and that the personal, friendly relations between Aleksandar Vucic and Robert Fico are at an enviable level. Of course, everyone, from the (Serbian) prime minister to the minister of foreign affairs, wished Prime Minister Fico a speedy recovery," the ambassador added.

Nakic is convinced that the attack is politically motivated.

"The motive is of a political nature. The suspect is 71 years old. He had a license to possess weapons, he is a writer, he has his 'Rainbow' association, but for a while he also worked as a security guard at a shopping center. So, as you saw, unfortunately, he was good at handling weapons," the ambassador said.

He stressed that the atmosphere in Slovakia is tense.

"The atmosphere is heated. An attack and attempted assassination of a prime minister is, in my opinion, the tip of something. We had that in our country, so we have those negative experiences. On the other hand, what I would like to say is that the prime minister himself, Mr. Fico, said 15 or 20 days ago that the situation in society is very bad, that negative tensions are at a very high level and that he is worried that someone might get hurt. Unfortunately, he had good intuition," said Nakic.

The Slovak National Assembly is currently suspended, and the entrance to the building is blocked.

"Security measures have been increased. You cannot enter the National Assembly, which is located a kilometer from our embassy, and the Assembly has suspended its work until May 21," said the ambassador.

(Telegraf.rs)