James Rothwell
Wed, May 15, 2024
A man, named by local sources as Juraj Cintula, is held by police at the scene of the shooting - Radovan Stoklasa/Reuters
The man who tried to assassinate Robert Fico, the Slovakian prime minister, is a government critic and poet who once founded a campaign group against violence, it has emerged.
The suspect was named in local media reports on Wednesday night as Juraj Cintula, a 71-year-old resident of Levice in western Slovakia.
Mr Cintula, who is the author of three poetry collections and two books, is listed as one of the founders of the Dúha literary club, in which he has been active since 2005.
In 2015, he founded the campaign group Against Violence, and had sought to get it officially registered in Slovakia.
“Violence is often a reaction of people, as a form of expression of ordinary dissatisfaction with the state of affairs. Let’s be dissatisfied, but not violent,” a petition circulated by Mr Cintula states.
The movement had called on people to stand against violence of all kinds, from “martial law to domestic physical or psychological violence,” as well as violence on the international stage, in Europe, “in which militarisation, extremism, neo-Nazism, anarchy are growing”.
Robert Fico's security staff are seen picking him up after the shooting in a screengrab from video of the incident - AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images
Mr Cintula regularly published contributions to his literary club, including one where he railed against “rich deviants” in Slovak society who he said were poisoning public debate.
“This fraction, the percentage, must not determine the pathogenic value system of the masses. It is immoral and abnormal! They say that decent people don’t go into politics,” he wrote.
In another post, he criticised the Fico government for not cracking down on gambling. “In every city or village there is a slot machine on which gamblers masturbate for money borrowed from their whole family and acquaintances, it is tens of thousands of euros. What is the state doing about it?” he wrote.
The suspect’s political leanings appear to have shifted over time. In 2016, he appeared in a photograph with the Slovak Soldiers, a far-Right, Pro-Russian association.
But in a post for the Movement Against Violence in 2022 he condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A friend from Levice told Markiza TV that they had debates about politics. “I’m more for Russia,” they said. “He had different opinions.”
Mr Cintula is reported to have shot Mr Fico with a weapon which he owned illegally.
He was the subject of media attention in 2016 when it was reported that he was attacked while working for a private security firm in a department store in Levice.
He was assaulted by a younger man, apparently under the influence of drugs. Markiza TV reported he suffered injuries all over his body and could not work for a long time.
What do we know about Robert Fico's alleged shooter?
Wed, May 15, 2024
A man, named by local sources as Juraj Cintula, is held by police at the scene of the shooting - Radovan Stoklasa/Reuters
The man who tried to assassinate Robert Fico, the Slovakian prime minister, is a government critic and poet who once founded a campaign group against violence, it has emerged.
The suspect was named in local media reports on Wednesday night as Juraj Cintula, a 71-year-old resident of Levice in western Slovakia.
Mr Cintula, who is the author of three poetry collections and two books, is listed as one of the founders of the Dúha literary club, in which he has been active since 2005.
In 2015, he founded the campaign group Against Violence, and had sought to get it officially registered in Slovakia.
“Violence is often a reaction of people, as a form of expression of ordinary dissatisfaction with the state of affairs. Let’s be dissatisfied, but not violent,” a petition circulated by Mr Cintula states.
The movement had called on people to stand against violence of all kinds, from “martial law to domestic physical or psychological violence,” as well as violence on the international stage, in Europe, “in which militarisation, extremism, neo-Nazism, anarchy are growing”.
Robert Fico's security staff are seen picking him up after the shooting in a screengrab from video of the incident - AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images
Mr Cintula regularly published contributions to his literary club, including one where he railed against “rich deviants” in Slovak society who he said were poisoning public debate.
“This fraction, the percentage, must not determine the pathogenic value system of the masses. It is immoral and abnormal! They say that decent people don’t go into politics,” he wrote.
In another post, he criticised the Fico government for not cracking down on gambling. “In every city or village there is a slot machine on which gamblers masturbate for money borrowed from their whole family and acquaintances, it is tens of thousands of euros. What is the state doing about it?” he wrote.
The suspect’s political leanings appear to have shifted over time. In 2016, he appeared in a photograph with the Slovak Soldiers, a far-Right, Pro-Russian association.
But in a post for the Movement Against Violence in 2022 he condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A friend from Levice told Markiza TV that they had debates about politics. “I’m more for Russia,” they said. “He had different opinions.”
Mr Cintula is reported to have shot Mr Fico with a weapon which he owned illegally.
He was the subject of media attention in 2016 when it was reported that he was attacked while working for a private security firm in a department store in Levice.
He was assaulted by a younger man, apparently under the influence of drugs. Markiza TV reported he suffered injuries all over his body and could not work for a long time.
What do we know about Robert Fico's alleged shooter?
Tamsin Paternoster
Wed, May 15, 2024
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is currently in hospital following a shooting that occurred following his cabinet's away-from-home session in the town of Handlova.
Slovakian outlets have identified the shooter as the 71-year-old Juraj Cintula.
According to the daily newspaper Dennik N, the suspected perpetrator is a self-described writer from the small western town of Levice and a founding member of the Rainbow Literary Club.
Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi has unearthed Facebook posts reportedly showing Cintula as a sympathiser and supporter of the pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci, known for its links to the Kremlin.
Slovenskí Branci has been accused of attempting to recruit young men across Slovakia for its paramilitary organisation. In a post from January 2016, Cintula is seen holding a speech next to members of the group wearing camouflage.
In the accompanying text attributed to Cintula, he expressed extremist views in support of self-organised militias, who, according to him, should be allowed to protect "the inhabitants, the country, tradition, (and) culture" from migrants coming from outside of Europe.
Cintula has written three collections of poetry and published two novels titled The Message of Sacrifice in 2010 and Efata in 2015, according to his literary club's Facebook page. The latter is an overt attack against Slovakia's Roma community, in which he criticises the state and accuses the Roma of abusing social protections.
The Slovakian Writers' Association (SSS) has registered Cintula as a member since 2015 however, have since tried to distance themselves from his association posting in a statement, "We express our indignation at such a brutal act, which has no parallel in the history of Slovakia."
Cintula reportedly owned a gun license and previously worked as a security guard for a private security firm where he himself was the target of an attack in a shopping centre.
Markíza TV station reported on a brief video showing the suspect, which was released shortly after his arrest. In the video, he says, "I don't agree with the government's policies. Why are the media being targeted? Why is RTVS under attack? Why was Mazák dismissed from his position?"
The assassination attempt is the first on a senior politician in the history of modern Slovakia, which gained independence in 1993.
Rescue workers take Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, to a hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. - Jan Kroslak/Tlacova agentura SR
Slovakia's General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka has vowed that the attacker would face "uncompromising" punishment from law enforcement.
Allies of Fico have blamed "liberal media" for the attack, accusing journalists of creating an environment that promoted hatred for Robert Fico and his populist policies.
Lubos Blaha, Slovakia's deputy parliament speaker and deputy chairman of Fico's Smer party has said, "For Smer, I want to sharply condemn what happened today in Handlova and at the same time express heavy disgust over what you have committed here in the past years".
"You, liberal media and political opposition. What hatred you spread against Robert Fico."
The country's largest opposition party, Progressive Slovakia, has called off a protest against Fico's government's controversial reform of the state-funded public broadcaster. The party leader, Michal Simecka, said the move was made to avoid an "escalation of tension".
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is currently in hospital following a shooting that occurred following his cabinet's away-from-home session in the town of Handlova.
Slovakian outlets have identified the shooter as the 71-year-old Juraj Cintula.
According to the daily newspaper Dennik N, the suspected perpetrator is a self-described writer from the small western town of Levice and a founding member of the Rainbow Literary Club.
Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi has unearthed Facebook posts reportedly showing Cintula as a sympathiser and supporter of the pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci, known for its links to the Kremlin.
Slovenskí Branci has been accused of attempting to recruit young men across Slovakia for its paramilitary organisation. In a post from January 2016, Cintula is seen holding a speech next to members of the group wearing camouflage.
In the accompanying text attributed to Cintula, he expressed extremist views in support of self-organised militias, who, according to him, should be allowed to protect "the inhabitants, the country, tradition, (and) culture" from migrants coming from outside of Europe.
Cintula has written three collections of poetry and published two novels titled The Message of Sacrifice in 2010 and Efata in 2015, according to his literary club's Facebook page. The latter is an overt attack against Slovakia's Roma community, in which he criticises the state and accuses the Roma of abusing social protections.
The Slovakian Writers' Association (SSS) has registered Cintula as a member since 2015 however, have since tried to distance themselves from his association posting in a statement, "We express our indignation at such a brutal act, which has no parallel in the history of Slovakia."
Cintula reportedly owned a gun license and previously worked as a security guard for a private security firm where he himself was the target of an attack in a shopping centre.
Markíza TV station reported on a brief video showing the suspect, which was released shortly after his arrest. In the video, he says, "I don't agree with the government's policies. Why are the media being targeted? Why is RTVS under attack? Why was Mazák dismissed from his position?"
The assassination attempt is the first on a senior politician in the history of modern Slovakia, which gained independence in 1993.
Rescue workers take Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, to a hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. - Jan Kroslak/Tlacova agentura SR
Slovakia's General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka has vowed that the attacker would face "uncompromising" punishment from law enforcement.
Allies of Fico have blamed "liberal media" for the attack, accusing journalists of creating an environment that promoted hatred for Robert Fico and his populist policies.
Lubos Blaha, Slovakia's deputy parliament speaker and deputy chairman of Fico's Smer party has said, "For Smer, I want to sharply condemn what happened today in Handlova and at the same time express heavy disgust over what you have committed here in the past years".
"You, liberal media and political opposition. What hatred you spread against Robert Fico."
The country's largest opposition party, Progressive Slovakia, has called off a protest against Fico's government's controversial reform of the state-funded public broadcaster. The party leader, Michal Simecka, said the move was made to avoid an "escalation of tension".
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