Source: China Youth, Global Times, CCTV News Client, CCTV International News, Green Hornet
On May 15, local time, according to a number of Slovak media reports, Slovak Prime Minister Fizo was shot in Handlova in the central part of the country and was subsequently taken to the hospital. According to eyewitnesses, the suspect fired a total of 4 shots, one of which hit Fizo directly.
Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia:
At the moment, Prime Minister Fizo is not in danger of life
On the evening of the 15th local time, Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Taraba told the BBC that Sri Lankan Prime Minister Fizo is not in danger of life.
Earlier in the day, Slovakia Interior Minister Estok said Fizo, who had been wounded by the shooting, was in critical condition.
"The assassination was clearly politically motivated"
Estok said at a news conference that day that preliminary information indicated that the assassination was clearly politically motivated and that "we are doing everything possible to investigate this heinous act."
The suspect is a 71-year-old male
The suspect's son spoke out
According to the Slovak news website aktuality.sk, the suspect in the attack on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Fizo was identified as a 71-year-old male named J. Fizo. C. Zbraň, from the Slovak town of Levice. According to the report, he fired several shots at Prime Minister Fizo using a firearm that may have been legally possessed.
The report, citing online eyewitnesses, said that he first yelled at Fizo before Fizzo approached him and shook his hand before the man opened fire. The gunman was subdued by the police immediately after the attack and is currently in custody, with the case being handed over to the Slovak National Criminal Service (NAKA).
The news site reached out to the suspect's son, who said he was shocked that something had happened. He confirmed that his father legally owned a gun. "I have absolutely no idea what my father's intentions were, what his plans were, or why this happened," he said. When asked if his father had a grudge against Fizzo before, he replied: "What I'm telling you is that he didn't vote for Fizo. That's all I can say about it. The man denied that his father had publicly mentioned that he would attack or kill politicians and denied that the 71-year-old suspect suffered from mental illness.
According to the report, the suspect J. C. Zbraň was artistically active and published several collections of poetry. In 2016, he worked for a private security company.
The Slovak prime minister is called a pro-Russian and anti-American by the West
Opposition to military support for Ukraine
In October 2023, Fizo's left-wing party, Direction, won parliamentary elections, and Fizo and the leaders of two other parties joined forces to form a new government and serve as Slovakia's prime minister for the fourth time. According to the Associated Press, Fizo's campaign slogan is pro-Russian and anti-American, and Slovakia is a member of both the European Union and NATO, and "Fizo's victory could further undermine the fragile unity within the EU and NATO."
According to Al Jazeera, Fizo has been sending two clear messages during the election campaign: no more military support for Ukraine and no more sanctions against Russia. Fizo had previously opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO, saying it "meant the beginning of World War III" and that "we need to tell the whole world: freedom comes from the East, and war always comes from the West." ”
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, the 60-year-old Fizo was born in the small town of Topolčani in western Slovakia, the son of a forklift driver and a shoe store clerk. Despite his humble background, Fizzo had ambitions from an early age, with his early ambitions in politics, archaeology and being a sports journalist. Fizo majored in law at the University of Fizo and impressed his mentors and professors with his outstanding performance during his studies, including the future Prime Minister Moravczyk. After graduating from university, Fizo worked at the Slovak National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Law, during which time he received a doctorate in law, where his doctoral dissertation explored the death penalty system in Czechoslovakia. Fizo married Svetlana, a law school classmate, in 1988 to a lawyer and a son.
According to Slovak media, Fizo is passionate about fitness, football, and sports cars. In the 90s of the 20th century, the Czechoslovak Republic disintegrated against the backdrop of drastic changes in Eastern Europe. Since then, Fizo has distinguished himself in the political arena. In 1999, he founded the left-wing party, Direction Party, to compete with the right-wing government of the time. The Orientation Party won landslide parliamentary elections in 2006 and 2012, and Fizo successfully brought Slovakia into the eurozone during his tenure. Although Fizzo is known for his sharp and outspoken rhetoric, his style of governance is pragmatic and responsive to public opinion, and the public is extremely popular. Vasechka, a sociologist at the Bratislava Institute for Policy Studies, commented: "This person has always attached importance to the state of opinion polls and has a lot of insight into social dynamics. ”
According to reports, Fizo admires Russian President Vladimir Putin very much, and has publicly stated that Slovakia will provide asylum to Putin if he is internationally wanted for war crimes. Some media also believe that Slovakia under Fizo's leadership may be like Hungary and strive for greater interests within the EU.