The International Press Institute today condemned the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and called for an immediate end to the violent political rhetoric and discourse directed against the media.聽
鈥淭he assassination attempt on Prime Minister Fico is an appalling act as it is an attack on Slovakia鈥檚 democracy,鈥� said Frane Maroevi膰, IPI Executive Director. 鈥淲e wish the Prime Minister full and swift recovery.鈥澛�
鈥淚PI is deeply alarmed by politicians blaming independent media for this heinous act. Such rhetoric is an attempt to exploit the shooting for political gain and can only heighten tensions when the country needs restraint from its political leaders. We are already witnessing statements on social media blaming the 鈥榣iberal media鈥� and we fear for the safety of Slovak journalists.鈥�
Fears of a targeting of independent media were further exacerbated by a video circulating of the gunman allegedly claiming he was motivated by the government鈥檚 attack on the public broadcaster.
The political atmosphere has rapidly deteriorated in Slovakia since the October 2023 elections saw the return of Robert Fico to power at the head of a coalition government. Since then, the government has threatened to withdraw advertising funds from critical media, denied certain media access to press conferences and pushed through a highly controversial public broadcasting law that would see the current Radio and Television Slovakia replaced with a new institution and a new governing board appointed by the current government.
Relations between the media and Robert Fico鈥榮 SMER party have been fraught ever since the 2018 assassination of Aktuality journalist J谩n Kuciak and his fianc茅e, Martina Ku拧n铆rov谩, led to Fico鈥檚 resignation. In February this year, the government changed the criminal code that led to the dissolution of the Special Prosecutor鈥檚 Office that was responsible for investigating the most serious corruption cases and the murder of Kuciak and Ku拧n铆rov谩, sparking huge public protests.聽