'Cowardly, dastardly act', says PM Modi on attack on Slovak PM Robert Fico

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condemned the attack on Slovakia's PM Robert Fico, calling it a "cowardly and dastardly act".

The Slovakian Prime Minister was critically injured in an assassination attempt on Wednesday.

Expressing shock over the attack, PM Modi posted on his X handle, "Deeply shocked at the news of the shooting at Slovakia’s Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Robert Fico. I strongly condemn this cowardly and dastardly act and wish PM Fico a speedy recovery. India stands in solidarity with the people of the Slovak Republic."

According to local media, the Slovak Prime Minister is no longer in a life-threatening condition after surgery.

The attack has been classified as a politically motivated assassination attempt, according to Slovak Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok.

Estok said that the assassination attempt was "politically motivated and the decision was born right after the presidential election". He blamed "social media hate" for the attack.

Fico was wounded Wednesday afternoon after attending a government meeting in the town of Handlova, some 150 km northeast of the capital. He was shot by a 71-year-old man. According to eyewitnesses, the man shot the premier several times as he was greeting supporters.