Slovakia: Juraj Cintula sentenced to 21 years for the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

A Slovak court has sentenced Juraj Cintula to 21 years in prison for the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico, convicting him of committing a terror attack.

Cintula, 72, opened fire on Fico on May 15, 2024, in the town of Handlová, as the prime minister greeted supporters after a government meeting. Fico was shot in the abdomen, underwent multiple surgeries, and has since recovered.

During the investigation, Cintula said he disagreed with Fico’s policies — including ending military aid to Ukraine and shutting down an anti-corruption office — but claimed he never intended to kill him. Prosecutors, however, treated the act as terrorism, citing its political motivation.

The attack deeply divided Slovakia, already polarized by Fico’s pro-Russia and anti-American stance. While critics accused him of drifting away from Europe’s democratic course, Fico himself forgave his attacker, saying he felt “no hatred.”