LONDON
Slovakia's deputy prime minister provided updates Wednesday on Prime Minister Robert Fico's condition, saying that while he faced critical injuries after being shot — specifically a bullet penetrating his stomach and another striking a joint—he is now out of immediate danger following successful surgery.
"Fortunately, as far as I know, the operation went well, and I guess in the end, he will survive. He's not in a life-threatening situation at this moment," Tomas Taraba told the BBC, after Fico was rushed to a nearby hospital.
"He was heavily injured -- one bullet went thought the stomach and the second one hit the joint. Immediately, he was transported to the hospital and then to the operation," he added.
According to the TASR news agency, the incident took place when a man fired several shots in front of the House of Culture in the central city of Handlova, where a government meeting was held.
The attacker was detained, it said.
His identity and motive are still under investigation.
However, Thomas Verniek, a Slovakian reporter, told SkyNews that the suspect was a former security guard, with elaborating.
Local JOJ television reported that a man in the crowd opened fire at the prime minister when he came out of the building to greet residents of the city.
