Ofure Akhigbe
A man who shot and seriously injured Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in an attack in May 2024 has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after being found guilty of terrorism on October 21, 2025.
Juraj Cintula, a 72-year-old pensioner and amateur poet, fired five shots at Fico on May 15, 2024, during the prime minister’s visit to Handlová, about 180km (112 miles) from the capital, Bratislava.
Fico was struck in the abdomen at close range as he reached out to shake hands with people gathered outside a cultural centre. He was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery, with doctors describing his condition at the time as life-threatening.
In court, Cintula denied intending to kill the prime minister, claiming he deliberately aimed away from his vital organs and only wanted to injure him to protest government policies he believed were harming Slovakia.
Judge Igor Kralik, however, ruled that Cintula’s actions constituted terrorism, stating: “The court considers proven that the defendant did not attack a citizen but specifically the prime minister.”
The defence had sought to reduce the charge to attacking a public official, which carries a lighter penalty, but the court rejected the motion.
Cintula’s lawyer said he is likely to appeal the verdict.
Following the attack, Fico accused opposition politicians and media outlets of spreading hatred that contributed to the shooting — despite being known for using divisive rhetoric himself.