you are here is bbc news, the news. you are here is bbc news, the details of robert fico shot at an eventin details of robert fico shot at an event in a small town, i want to take you through some of the pictures from the scene from the immediate aftermath of the shooting. this is a man arrested at the scene, moments after shots were fired at the prime minister. we will put the still images on the screen in a moment or two, but let me take you through what we think actually happen, because as the prime minister was at this function, it's a small town, we have heard he was trying to meet people, speak to people, and these are the pictures. this is the moment, it mustjust be a few seconds, you see on being

scooped up, the prime minister, he's already been hit by three, four, may be five bullets, put into a car, it whisks away as he is put into hospital, some confusion as to which hospital, some confusion as to which hospital in the end he was taken to. initially it was reported that there were non—life—threatening injuries, and that has changed over the last half hour with a number of sources reporting that he is a life—threatening condition, and we will have more detail on that in a moment or two, but worrying scenes in slovakia, and in the last 30 minutes, a0 minutes, we have seen european leader after european leaders talk about their shock about what has happened. giorgia meloni, the italian prime minister, ursula von der leyen talking about her

shock, right across the board, all of europe's leaders reacting as you would expect to quite shocking news, the news of the prime minister being shot and wounded there during a public gathering, and you can see a number of people still walking around the area, slightly bemused. i was watching one eyewitness, the footage coming into the building, and shejust described, footage coming into the building, and she just described, she told journalists, we want to shake the hand of the prime minister, i was taking pictures of him, and when he walked out of the building, we are waiting for a long time, we were excited, we wanted to shake his hand, he came next to me and at this moment we heard something like what we thought was a firecracker thrown on the ground, that was my first reaction, thejournalist on the ground, that was my first reaction, the journalist then asked the eye witness how many shots did you hear? i heard three shots, said the witness. it was quick, one by

one, as if you had thrown a firecracker on the ground, and then asked about the injuries, yes, i saw something on his head, he then fell next to the barrier. it was nightmarish, and it is not possible to describe or to understand this actually happening here in slovakia. those just some of the quotes from one eyewitness there amongst the crowd, and you see people just being shuffled away, and as the security forces just around one shuffled away, and as the security forcesjust around one individual, paul, you are here with me, you are cross details perhaps aware the prime minister has been taken to, you have seen though is coming out of the hospital, bring me right up to speed. of the hospital, bring me right up to seed. , ., ., , of the hospital, bring me right up toseed. , ., ., , , to speed. listed various people condemning — to speed. listed various people condemning the _ to speed. listed various people condemning the attack, - to speed. listed various people condemning the attack, his - to speed. listed various people j condemning the attack, his one to speed. listed various people i condemning the attack, his one is particularly pointed, ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky has condemned the shooting thing it was

appalling, every effort should be made to make sure that violence does not become the norm in any country. why that is so pointer, robert fico was elected standing on the platform saying he didn't want slovakia giving any more weapons to ukraine. for a small country they had been a very generous giver of arms to ukraine, they saw the neighbouring country as a three mark an important ally, robert fico came to power and said no more. notable that the ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky has condemned the shooting, and everything we are hearing is that this is indeed a serious attack. initial reports that it might not have been, that his condition was not life—threatening have been contradicted. the government has specifically said the conditions are life threatening. the change the original plan to take him

to the capital, instead they took to this much smaller place because of the urgency of his injuries. i think you made an earlier suggestion, there was some kind of official failure of security perhaps that he was so exposed, and this is a man he wanted to be seen as a man of the people, which perhaps explains why he was out and about perhaps not surrounded by bodyguards. just looking at another report coming in, a post on the official facebook page of robert fico really confirming what we know, it says he has been shot multiple times, he is currently being transported to banska bystrica in a life—threatening situation, they are calling this an assassination attempt, which i guess at this stage it would obviously seem to be, one person arrested at the scene, wrestled to the ground and handcuffed immediately, presumably people saw him doing it at close hand. presumably people saw him doing it at close hand-—

at close hand. yes, i was reading at the quotes — at close hand. yes, i was reading at the quotes from _ at close hand. yes, i was reading at the quotes from that _ the quotes from that eyewitness, hopefully we'll be able to play that in a moment or two, but you were talking about his election, the change of direction in slovakia, and you made the point earlier that it is a country now quite divisive in its politics. is a country now quite divisive in its pounce-— its politics. indeed. one interesting _ its politics. indeed. one interesting thing - its politics. indeed. one interesting thing i - its politics. indeed. one| interesting thing i should its politics. indeed. one - interesting thing i should know, check this before joining you here, but despite its febrile politics, which at times has had a certain level of violence, slovakia is a very peaceful country. there is a low level of crime. low level of violent crime, so the politics is out of step with the country itself at some level. it's a lovely place to visit, which may sound odd to say at a time like this, but i'm trying to contrast the politics with the people of that place. but, yes, it has been a place where populism has been their right from the start.

your colleague in slovakia mentioned one of the first prime minister is of newly independent slovakia, a very divisive figure, some even called him a fascist, he whipped up anger against the hungarian minority and against gypsies, it's too early to say what this is about, but he didn't take any prisoners, robert fico, he said he would not take one single muslim, and those who dared to criticise him, at one point travelling to go over and give them a slap. in bratislava there was supposed to be a protest against mr fico's plans to get rid of the state

broadcaster, i gather that process has been cancelled in light of what has been cancelled in light of what has happened. has been cancelled in light of what has happened-— has happened. very interesting detail. has happened. very interesting detail- let _ has happened. very interesting detail. let me _ has happened. very interesting detail. let me bring _ has happened. very interesting detail. let me bring viewers . detail. let me bring viewers up—to—date on telly we are expecting an official news conference in the next little while, and that is what we are being told. we are not exactly sure in terms of what who is giving the news conference, whether it's a government spokesperson or from the hospital, because information has been emerging from both those sources, but we are being told there will be some sort of official news conference in the next few minutes. we shall see, there is no exact timeline on that, but we will get, i suspect, no exact timeline on that, but we will get, isuspect, the will get, i suspect, the first official word confirming, there are so many different fragments of information, it will be interesting to hear from official sources where they think they are in terms of where exactly the prime minister has been taken, his current condition

with the conflicting reports we have had. we saw him being whisked away in the car, we are being told that he initially was bundled into the car by the security team, and local reports say he was then airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital, but we wait to have confirmation of these details, and some sort of update. let's bring sarah back in from bratislava. what are you hearing? we wait for that news conference, but in terms of the detail about the incident, bringing more of the reaction there has been there, because there must be shock waves reverberating around as more people hear about what has actually happened. that people hear about what has actually ha ened. . , people hear about what has actually ha ened. ., , u, . happened. that is correct, there is a hue happened. that is correct, there is a huge shock— happened. that is correct, there is a huge shock in — happened. that is correct, there is a huge shock in slovakia _ happened. that is correct, there is a huge shock in slovakia right - happened. that is correct, there is| a huge shock in slovakia right now, the parliament is holding a meeting

where the mps are discussing the next steps. we are hearing there is currently some tension, and i have heard reports of different politicians accusing or pointing fingers at each other saying this is the fault of such and such person. however, everyone in slovakia is unanimous, and everyone, all the slovak readers from all the different parts of the political spectrum are condemning the attack, and expressing that they are shocked, and obviously wish him are shocked, and obviously wish him a speedy recovery. as you mention, we are all waiting for a press conference that has been announced that will take place in banska

bystrica in 20 minutes, and that should be held by both the ministry of health, the ministry of the interior, and the police president. that's information i have been hearing from slovak media. that's interesting. _ hearing from slovak media. that's interesting, because _ hearing from slovak media. that's interesting, because i— hearing from slovak media. that's interesting, because i was - hearing from slovak media. that's interesting, because i wasjust - interesting, because i wasjust saying out loud that we knew a news conference was coming, and he was actually going to host it, so that is good detail in terms of the key figures, the interior ministry, perhaps you are get an update from the hospital. it was interesting to hear you there because we were talking here, you mentioned before, paul was mentioning it in the studio, about the divisive nature, thatis studio, about the divisive nature, that is significant, what you have just said at the beginning of that answer, that despite all of that, the divisions when it comes to politics, this is as remote of such seriousness that it is being put to one size as people come together to just have a sort of unified approach to such shocking news. yes.

just have a sort of unified approach to such shocking news.— to such shocking news. yes, and i believe the _ to such shocking news. yes, and i believe the unified _ to such shocking news. yes, and i believe the unified approach - to such shocking news. yes, and i believe the unified approach is - believe the unified approach is very unanimous, meaning everyone obviously is really shocked and condemning the attack, however we are also hearing that there is a little bit of tension right now about different political figures. we are hearing a political party and the president are currently speaking out publicly and telling everyone, the whole of slovak society to condemn the attack and to stop the hatred, for example. paul condemn the attack and to stop the hatred, for example.— hatred, for example. paul was “ust mentioning — hatred, for example. paul was “ust mentioning here, i hatred, for example. paul was “ust mentioning here, that if i hatred, for example. paul was just| mentioning here, that if you heard, some of the really contentious, controversial things he has said in the past, whether talking about ukraine, muslims, overthe months, have there ever been previous

threats aimed at the prime minister? not to my knowledge. i have been following the news and reporting from slovakia for nearly ten years, and i have never heard any serious threats. as you mention, slovakia is a peaceful country, it is also not very common for people to hold guns, gun violence is something that is extremely rare in slovakia, and i have never been aware of any serious threats that would threaten the security of fico or any other politicians. i5 security of fico or any other politicians.— security of fico or any other noliticians. , , ., my politicians. is interesting to say about guns. — politicians. is interesting to say about guns. in _ politicians. is interesting to say about guns, in slovakia, - politicians. is interesting to say about guns, in slovakia, do - politicians. is interesting to sayj about guns, in slovakia, do you politicians. is interesting to say - about guns, in slovakia, do you need to hold a licence or how does it work? , , ., ., ., ., work? yes, you need to hold a licence, and _ work? yes, you need to hold a licence, and also _ work? yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need - work? yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need to - work? yes, you need to hold a licence, and also need to go i work? yes, you need to hold a - licence, and also need to go through a series of examinations by a

clinical psychologist, who needs to give every single person who applies for holding a gun kind of approval that you have passed a psychological test and that you are capable of holding a garden on your own without posing any threats or danger to yourself or to other people, so holding guns is quite rare, and the only big incident where there has been gun violence and mass shootings that i am aware of in recent years was a terrorist attack against a gay bar in bratislava that happened in 2022, in which a shooter who was an extreme, a political extremist, decided to murder to people, to gay people or lgbt people who are actually in that bar at that moment

and subsequently committed suicide, so there were three deaths that day. this happened in 2022, it sparked a wave of shock and grief, and august it was a very tragic day in the lgbt community, but it was also very shocking event in that holding guns is something that is not a very common thing in slovakia, and this is the first time we've heard about a mass gun attack, that is why the current news about the prime minister being shot is very shocking, we haven't heard any similar incidents in slovakia, and some of the political leaders have indeed been saying that this attack against robert fico is something that has no equivalent in the history of slovakia. i

that has no equivalent in the history of slovakia.— that has no equivalent in the history of slovakia. i was “ust readin: history of slovakia. i was “ust reading out i history of slovakia. i was “ust reading out the i history of slovakia. i was “ust reading out the quotes h history of slovakia. i wasjust reading out the quotes from | reading out the quotes from one eyewitness. we continue to watch the pictures, and any new pictures will get them onto the screen, because so many different sources are sending pictures and we are waiting for the news conference as well, but the eyewitness saying to the reuters news agency a while ago that she was just in the crowd waiting excitedly ready to meet with the prime minister, he emerged from the building, and then very quickly she heard, she thought it was firecrackers, but in quick succession a number of shots, at least three shots, she saw, before she saw the prime minister, she described seeing blood on his head, but the other reports seem to suggest wounds to his abdomen, perhaps his leg as well, and arm, but very clearly it happened in a very short space of time, just as the prime minister came from the

building, and presumably heading back towards his car as we saw a sample that. back towards his car as we saw a sample that-— back towards his car as we saw a sample that. yes, that is exactly what i had _ sample that. yes, that is exactly what i had to. _ sample that. yes, that is exactly what i had to, and _ sample that. yes, that is exactly what i had to, and that - sample that. yes, that is exactly what i had to, and that is - sample that. yes, that is exactly what i had to, and that is my - what i had to, and that is my understanding of the event, although i'm not currently in handlova, i'm in the capital, bratislava, but that is what is being reported in slovak media. he was finishing a government meeting that was held in the slovak town of handlova in the centre of slovakia, he had just left the building, a cultural institution, the house of culture, the meeting was being held, and he was probably surrounded by people and supporters, or people who wanted to greet him, and in a very short space of time witnesses reported hearing four or five gunshots, and then seeing him being injured, bleeding, his abdomen and probably an arm injury to, and

he has been transported to hospital in banska bystrica, which is a bigger town, in banska bystrica, which is a biggertown, but in banska bystrica, which is a bigger town, but also in the centre of slovakia. bigger town, but also in the centre of slovakia-— of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in, of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in. because _ of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in, because over _ of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in, because over the _ of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in, because over the last _ of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in, because over the last hour - of slovakia. paul, let me bring you in, because over the last hour or. in, because over the last hour or so, and let me pose, because out of the corner of my eye i can see the pictures beginning to come in, so i think that news conference that we are expecting has just started. we will wait to see if we have a translation, but the news conference i was talking about in the next little while has seemed to have started, so those are the pictures. wait for the lions to come in, those are the president of slovakia addressing the news conference, so we will monitor the key lines in the next few months, but paul, we were describing the events on the ground,

and just the numbers of political leaders talking about their political shock, and i suppose whatever their political leanings across the european leaders, this resonates because so many of them will be doing similar things, just walking, doing political stops, engagements, and very difficult to protect against something like this. it is, this has obviously always been a danger for politicians, the long list of politicians who have been assassinated in the past would bear witness to that. i suppose perhaps, and i'm thinking out loud here, it is maybe a particular problem at the moment because politicians all across the world faces accusations that they are part of the elite, we see populist politicians everywhere saying you don't know what real people feel like, accusing politicians of being in an ivory tower, and for that reason i think it is more important than ever that they are seen to get

out and about, gladhanding the public, which doesn't often leave them exposed, as if seen, mr fico was apparently today, this doesn't look like, this is early days, this is a man who is 71 years old wrestled to the ground at the scene, this was not some sniper operating at a distance of some cleverly planned terrorist attacks, judging it initially, but the combination from all around europe, i guess if you're a politician, you don't like at assassinations, whatever your political colours. giorgia meloni, and victor 0rban, who are both ideal —— both ideological allies of mr fico, talking about their heinous attack on his friend, and ursula von der leyen condemning it,

occasionally robert fico has sounded europhobic, he's had some harsh thing to say about the european union, but at the this that doesn't really feature. 0ne really feature. one interesting thing listening to sarah in bratislava talking about previous violence, the attack on the lgbt bar, i think the assassination that shocked slovakia was the one i refer to earlier, when the journalist investigating corruption in high places in slovakian politics was himself assassinated, a very young man. he and his fiancee assassinated in 2001 and that's when the last government fell from power. many people wrote him off at that point, thinking he was brittle her history, having been associated with this, but he came back in september. people were tired with what they thought was the corruption of the other party. it's not like there one party that has a monopoly on this

accusation, unfortunately slovakian politics has been caught up in corruption allegations and all sorts of political skulduggery since the birth of the country in 1993. i was sent to early _ birth of the country in 1993. i was sent to early viewers _ birth of the country in 1993. i was sent to early viewers earlier, - sent to early viewers earlier, although we see in these pictures had been taken away by the car, he was then, as i was saying, transported into a helicopter, then that took him to hospital, so these pictures that have just come into us from the hospital itself, and we were talking earlier about where exactly the prime minister has been taken, and very clearly here here's at this hospital, banska bystrica, were certainly initially he has been taken, surrounded by paramedics, but we wait to hear from the hospital

itself and any sort of medical update. itself and any sort of medical u date. ., . itself and any sort of medical u diate. .. ., itself and any sort of medical u idate. .. ., ., , itself and any sort of medical u-date. .. . .,, ., ,, update. the fact that he was taken to the hospital _ update. the fact that he was taken to the hospital is _ update. the fact that he was taken to the hospital is notable, - update. the fact that he was taken to the hospital is notable, because we were initially told that he was going to be taken to the capital, bratislava, which is some distance from the assassination attempt happen, we heard he was taken to the close of play is because of the acute nature of his injuries, banska bystrica, a small town, much closer to handlova, and we saw him being carried him, ithink to handlova, and we saw him being carried him, i think he is covered up carried him, i think he is covered up there, but presumably they don't want him exposed. i up there, but presumably they don't want him exposed.— want him exposed. i expect there will be aware _ want him exposed. i expect there will be aware of _ want him exposed. i expect there will be aware of the _ want him exposed. i expect there will be aware of the media - want him exposed. i expect there will be aware of the media and i want him exposed. i expect there| will be aware of the media and the cameras there, certainly protecting his privacy and these terrible moments, as well, and one assumes from the description of the injuries, perhaps now he will be in surgery. injuries, perhaps now he will be in surie . �* , ., . surgery. i've seen a reference to him requiring — surgery. i've seen a reference to him requiring what _ surgery. i've seen a reference to him requiring what is _ surgery. i've seen a reference to him requiring what is called - him requiring what is called vascular surgery, which refers to

blood vessels, so it's giving a suggestion that blood loss is an issue, which would perhaps be obvious in the shooting, but it is explicitly made clear in that statement.— explicitly made clear in that statement. �* , , �* statement. it's interesting, i'm readini statement. it's interesting, i'm reading as _ statement. it's interesting, i'm reading as you're _ statement. it's interesting, i'm reading as you're speaking - statement. it's interesting, i'm reading as you're speaking to l statement. it's interesting, i'm i reading as you're speaking to me, quotes from the vice chairman of parliament, who said he decided to interrupt proceedings in the chamber, he said, is vice chairman of this problem is i'm interrupting the sitting of parliament and this attack was a terrible incident, i see it as a an attack on democracy, it's never happened before in slovakia, and it's interesting, three region of the quote from a former adviser to the deputy foreign minister of slovakia saying the country is increasingly polarised, politically polarised, and they are

seeing the rise in the number of violent incidents in the country, so you can just sense from comments like that that there is an unease about the direction in the country, the divisiveness in the country, that you have been referring to earlier. , �* , ., earlier. isn't it interesting that the are earlier. isn't it interesting that they are calling _ earlier. isn't it interesting that they are calling this _ earlier. isn't it interesting that. they are calling this assassination attempt an attack on democracy? in slovakia people have accused robert fico and his party of precisely that, of themselves attacking democracy not through assassination but through the legislative measures, removing the state broadcaster, and proposing changes to the police. there was an accusation the robert fico was trying to remove the romaine office that dealt with corruption

allegations, making people say that democracy and the rule of law were under attack in slovakia from the moment robert fico return to the office of prime minister, and now we see his assassination attempt being described as an attack on democracy. this all not the sign, perhaps, of a healthy body politic in this relatively young country. indie relatively young country. we anticipated _ relatively young country. we anticipated a _ relatively young country. we anticipated a news conference, perhaps you also get a news conference, but that looked like a short statement, so we wait to hear what the president said, but in terms of a written statement we have heard from her already. yes. terms of a written statement we have heard from her already.— heard from her already. yes, i should emphasise, _ heard from her already. yes, i should emphasise, zuzana - should emphasise, zuzana caputova, very much not have the same politics as robert fico, the president of the prime minister opposed to each other, when he was elected, people said it was a sign of slovakia returning to a

change away from the eurocentric stance of caputova. still change away from the eurocentric stance of caputova.— stance of caputova. still on the screen we _ stance of caputova. still on the screen we have _ stance of caputova. still on the screen we have those - stance of caputova. still on the screen we have those pictures | stance of caputova. still on the - screen we have those pictures taken in the immediate aftermath, with the prime minister with the way, and that suspect pinned to the floor, surrounded by security personnel, because what we still await, there are still so much to learn on the story, we know very little about the man they have detained. ida. story, we know very little about the man they have detained.— story, we know very little about the man they have detained. no, we are in the realms _ man they have detained. no, we are in the realms of _ man they have detained. no, we are in the realms of speculation, - man they have detained. no, we are in the realms of speculation, who i in the realms of speculation, who knows what is going on in the hospital ward? presumably his hospital ward ? presumably his political colleagues hospital ward? presumably his political colleagues is welch running around trying to work out what they should do, parliament suspended, perhaps the prime

minister, whatever his condition, looking like you will be back in office running the country, the main issue for this forest across the world is concerned, slovakia's relationships are russia and ukraine, slovakia having been a key supplier of weapons as well as political support to volodymyr zelensky and the ukrainians, robert fico is seen as close to put in, not wanting any more weapon sent to ukraine. 0f wanting any more weapon sent to ukraine. of all times for this to happen, this is one that will have a strong effect on what people are expecting to see in this country. in terms of the shift, had not been anticipated, the public moving in that direction?— that direction? first of all there were a lot _ that direction? first of all there were a lot of — that direction? first of all there were a lot of reports, _ that direction? first of all there were a lot of reports, people i that direction? first of all there were a lot of reports, people in| were a lot of reports, people in slovakia being disappointed in

slovakia. when robert fico, you see this, when someone comes in they say they will clean things up, but no party can do it quickly. we they will clean things up, but no party can do it quickly.— party can do it quickly. we are comini party can do it quickly. we are coming to _ party can do it quickly. we are coming to the _ party can do it quickly. we are coming to the top _ party can do it quickly. we are coming to the top of— party can do it quickly. we are coming to the top of the i party can do it quickly. we are j coming to the top of the hour, party can do it quickly. we are - coming to the top of the hour, where i willjust go through the key details for anybody actually joining us here on bbc news, with these the latest pictures of the prime minister, because we have been reporting how he was whisked away from the incident itself, and there are the pictures, but those of the first pictures of the prime minister arriving there at the nearby hospital. welcome if you are justjoining welcome if you arejustjoining us. welcome if you arejustjoining us. we are staying with that breaking

news from slovakia. let's go straight back to the pictures because i want to show you the pictures from the immediate aftermath, after the shooting this afternoon of slovakia's prime minister. we still awaits to have official confirmation of the number official confirmation of the number of bullet wounds. we know at least three or four shots were fired. this, the picture of the suspect battled to the ground, surrounded by police that he has been detained. he has been arrested. let's go from these pictures did pictures of the prime minister himself because we know that we have seen how the security personnel whisked him, picked him up off the ground, we'll put theirs pictures on the screen in a second or two but they physically lifted him off the floor and actually got him into the carpet of apologies, these are pictures, obviously, the suspect as he was detained but there, the pictures i

was referring to with