for the latest where you are much for the latest where you are and just that analysis of what we have seen emerge in slovakia in the last few hours. you are watching bbc news, welcome if you have justjoined you are watching bbc news, welcome if you havejustjoined us. i would like to recap what has happened, dramatic scenes in slovakia, a few hours ago, breaking news thatjust a couple of hours ago an assassination attempt on the prime minister of slovakia, robert fico, has been shot and injured. a post on his official facebook page says he was hit several times, we know a number of shots were fired. we have eyewitnesses describing seeing and hearing that. i want to show pictures of the aftermath, because they were filmed very quickly in the immediate aftermath, and you see the security detail simply pick him up and get him into his car before they

whisk him away, and we know three or four shots actually hitting the prime minister, eye witnesses have described one in the abdomen certainly, i've heard reports of shots hitting him in the arm and also the leg, the eyewitness talking about blood on his forehead, and those pictures we are seeing the man that was detained, a suspect, wrestled to the ground, you can see his arms cuffed behind him, all the reports, confirmed in the last little while, he is 71 years old, slovakia's president saying in the briefest of statements we saw from her a little earlier describing that her a little earlier describing that he had been detained, so no surprise there given that he has totally surrounded by the security forces. let us actually go from those

pictures to the... sorry to interrupt, but we are going to cross to a news conference that is just beginning. it isn't in english, but i will show you... we are about to get detailfrom the i will show you... we are about to get detail from the german chancellor, who is also meeting with the swiss president. i know they are going to talk about this incident in the next few seconds, but i thought it was just worth showing you the news conference has started, and when they talk about this, we will obviously return to it. tecnico back to the pictures we've got, we will keep an eye across a news conference but i will go back to the pictures, because i've shown you the pictures at the time of the shooting and his security dispatch getting into the car, then he was taken by helicopter to this nearby hospital, there you

see all the emergency workers around him, and certainly the prime minister himself covered by that sheet and blanket, his privacyjust maintained, but really distressing pictures, disturbing pictures, as he is taken into the hospital, and we wait to hear the details about any surgery and latest details about how the prime minister is. we have been hearing from correspondence in the country, outside the country, the initial reports were that it was not life—threatening, but that was very quickly changed, and that suggests also why biopsy was taken that nearby hospital rather than to the capital, but the latest comes from the government is that he has life—threatening injuries. let me bring in sara, who is based in

bratislava, following all of this. we were just showing the conference with the german chancellor, but right across europe different leaders have been talking about their shock, the can be no greater shock then actually there in the country where you are. absolutely. these attacks _ country where you are. absolutely. these attacks have _ country where you are. absolutely. these attacks have sparked - country where you are. absolutely. these attacks have sparked a - country where you are. absolutely. these attacks have sparked a huge j these attacks have sparked a huge wave of shock, and all the different political leaders, editors and journalists publishing stories and statements condemning the attack, and saying that this attack is the most serious attack against an eu leader in the past recent years, and the event is currently on the front page of most big international

media. meanwhile, i have been trying to follow more news about the shooter, so what we know so far is that it would be a 71—year—old man from the west of slovakia, who was holding gun legally, i havejust read a news story saying that this man would have been a writer and a member of the slovak writing association who had worked according to the tv station in slovakia, this man would have worked in a shopping

mall in levice, i cannot independently verify this, but it has been reported in the biggest slovak paper. tell has been reported in the biggest slovak paper-— has been reported in the biggest slovak --aer. ., slovak paper. tell me about the mood in the country — slovak paper. tell me about the mood in the country over— slovak paper. tell me about the mood in the country over the _ slovak paper. tell me about the mood in the country over the last _ slovak paper. tell me about the mood in the country over the last few- in the country over the last few months, because as we have heard from so many different sources, a very divisive politician, the prime minister, but give me a sense of how that has translated with the public. well, as we have heard before, he was the controversial figure due to his very strong opinions about topics such as the war in ukraine, he was openly pro—russia, he once said that there is no war in the ukrainian capital, in kyiv, he had very strong anti—migration and anti—refugee opinions, and he had also treated journalists and members of the media industry in ways that

have been criticised by many people. however, he also had a lot of supporters, and along with the current president, both of them were very popular political figures. obviously what i would say is that the whole of the country, i think, political leaders from all over the political leaders from all over the political spectrum have been condemning the attack, saying how shocking it is, and editor hasjust published an op—ed saying it is an attack against all of us, so despite the fact that robert fico was seen as a very controversial figure, the

whole country condemns the attack and wishes him a swift recovery. stay with us, let me give you some of the latest detail, i've been taking you through various reaction from world leaders, just the latest condemnation coming from russia, with one mp actually calling this assassination attempt an attack on russian — slovakian relations, so an interesting comment they're coming from russia, condemning what we have seen today, adding their voice to a number of world leaders, and i will take you through various reaction there has been amongst world leaders in a moment or two, but as you watch a pictures of the prime minister being put into the car, just moments after the shots were fired, i want to just play to you just a short interview with an eyewitness, because i was just reading her account, and i read out some of the quotes earlier, she had been

standing there outside the building, she knew the prime minister was there, she was amongst other people waiting to see him come out, hopefully, she said, to shake his hand, when suddenly she had a number of shots. have a listen. translation: i of shots. have a listen. tuna/mom- of shots. have a listen. translation: ., , ., , , translation: i heard three shots, is cuick, one translation: i heard three shots, is quick. one by — translation: i heard three shots, is quick. one by one. — translation: i heard three shots, is quick, one by one, like _ translation: i heard three shots, is quick, one by one, like if— translation: i heard three shots, is quick, one by one, like if you - translation: i heard three shots, is quick, one by one, like if you throw. quick, one by one, like if you throw firecrackers on the ground. i saw a scratch on the prior minister's head and then he fell next to the barrier. it's a nightmare. just part of what she _ barrier. it's a nightmare. just part of what she told _ barrier. it's a nightmare. just part of what she told reporters, - barrier. it's a nightmare. just part of what she told reporters, but i l of what she told reporters, but i mention some of the latest reaction this time from a russian mp, european leaders universal and unified in their own voice and condemnation, their shock at what we have seen today. let me take you through the key reaction we have seen, because x, olaf scholz...

we saw him having that news conference, we wait for any updated comments from him. ursula von der leyen also hosts the mac adding her voice, condemning the violent attack on the prime minister... hungry�*s prime minister said he was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against his friend. the uk premise, rishi sunak, said he was shocked to hear the cell phone use and thoughts of the prime minister and his family. the nato secretary general said... plenty of reaction there so far. i

will take you through a bit more, because on x, christine gegard said... the president of finland also has condemned the attack, saying any attack against an elected politician is an attack against democracy. the swedish prime minister echoed the same thought, saying it's an attack on our democratic society. the president of the republic of azerbaijan has also condemned the attack in which the premise are a speedy recovery. you can see just right across the board a similar sentiment, huge amounts of shock and well wishes sent to the slovakian prime minister and his family. i want to bring onto the programme now

the former slovakian prime minister and vice president of the opposition democratic party, thank you for being here on bbc news. let me hear your immediate reaction is what we're seeing today.— your immediate reaction is what we're seeing today. thank you for havin: i we're seeing today. thank you for having i strongly _ we're seeing today. thank you for having i strongly condemn - we're seeing today. thank you for having i strongly condemn this i having i strongly condemn this attack on our prime minister, as he mentioned other leaders say, violence has no place in a democratic society at all, and we wish robert fico a quick recovery. we have to prevent that this violence will not cause any other violence will not cause any other violence in society, so i strongly condemn this attack. let violence in society, so i strongly condemn this attack.— violence in society, so i strongly condemn this attack. let me take it in states, condemn this attack. let me take it in stages, because _ condemn this attack. let me take it in stages, because you _ condemn this attack. let me take it in stages, because you talk - condemn this attack. let me take it in stages, because you talk about i in stages, because you talk about society, but let's stay with political parties, because we know

there is such division politically in slovakia, i was talking to a former adviser to the foreign minister, who said these were crucial hours for slovakia, how politicians, how the parties respond. how do you think they should respond?— should respond? absolutely agree, the responsibility _ should respond? absolutely agree, the responsibility of— should respond? absolutely agree, the responsibility of politicians - should respond? absolutely agree, the responsibility of politicians to l the responsibility of politicians to be crucial because that's what will be crucial because that's what will be observed by the citizens and also of the world. i'm very thankful and glad that all the world leaders condemn this attack, because that is the right way to do it, and also calling for stopping any violence, and i think this is the way politicians should address it. the polarisation is here in slovakia, but i see it all around the developed world, and we see how far it can go if that polarisation is

growing, so we have to reduce and basically start to bring down the polarisation, because politics is about putting solutions for people and about a better life for people, it is not about growing violence, so this is what we have to speak about, all politicians are here to serve people and they should never, never be subject of aggression or attack. that's the way to share your opinion, neverturn that's the way to share your opinion, never turn to violence. the difficul , opinion, never turn to violence. the difficulty. and _ opinion, never turn to violence. the difficulty, and you're absolutely right in your analysis, but the difficulty is that the divisions are so clear, so dearly, deep, you look at currency is made about immigration in ukraine, or the laws about the laws about national broadcasters, these are fundamental

dividing lines currently in your country, that is very difficult to somehow grapple with, and unify around. 1sole somehow grapple with, and unify around. ~ ., somehow grapple with, and unify around. ~ . , . around. we are facing difficult challenges. — around. we are facing difficult challenges, and _ around. we are facing difficult challenges, and slovakia - around. we are facing difficult challenges, and slovakia is i around. we are facing difficult challenges, and slovakia is in | challenges, and slovakia is in neighbouring countries ukraine, we are facing the challenge of being a country where our neighbours territories and ongoing war, and migration is something we see every summer, because migrants travel to slovakia, but i am sure there are ways to solve it in a peaceful way, because what i've seen in the last few years, many politicians turn to be very personal in their attacks of other politicians, and this is just not the way to go, because that's what actually promotes the aggression, and also the emotions

among the citizens, therefore the