Attacker of Slovak Prime Minister Fico sentenced to 21 years in prison

A court in Slovakia has sentenced the attacker of Prime Minister Robert Fico to 21 years in prison.

Convicted Juraj Cintula shot Fico as he was greeting supporters after a government meeting in the town of Handlova on May 15th last year. The court convicted him of a terrorist attack.

Fico was shot in the stomach, after which he underwent several surgeries. He has since recovered.

Cintula, 72, was arrested immediately after the attack and remanded in custody. During questioning, he denied the accusation that he was a "terrorist."

He refused to testify before the Special Criminal Court in Banska Bistrica, but confirmed that what he told investigators about the motive for the attack was correct.

Cintula claimed that he shot Fico because he disagreed with the government's policies.

In his testimony, which was read by the prosecutor at the trial, he stated that he disagreed with the abolition of the special prosecutor's office for corruption, the end of military aid to Ukraine, and the government's approach to culture, as well as other decisions by the Slovak government.

Slovak Prime Minister Fico has previously been criticized for deviating from Slovakia's pro-Western path and moving closer to Russia.

His critics claim that Slovakia under Fico is following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Thousands of citizens have gathered in Bratislava and across Slovakia to protest against Fico.