Poet Sentenced for 2024 Attack on Slovak PM

Banska Bystrica, Slovakia – A Slovak court on Tuesday sentenced 72-year-old Juraj Cintula, a poet from Levice, to 21 years in prison for the 2024 shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico, classifying it as a “terror attack”.

The Specialised Criminal Court ruled that Cintula acted “with a motivation to stop a proper functioning of the government,” labeling the crime as particularly serious. Cintula fired four shots at close range on May 15, 2024, leaving Fico seriously wounded.

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Cintula Cites “Moral Despair”

During the trial, Cintula claimed he was driven by moral despair, protesting against what he described as the prime minister’s irrational decisions and arrogance of power. He told the court his attack was intended to protest government policies, including halting military aid to Ukraine, but denied he sought to kill Fico.

Cintula shouted “It was worth it” outside court and called his defense a “manifesto” for those frustrated by corruption and mismanagement. His lawyer, Namir Alyasry, said they would likely appeal the verdict.

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Political Fallout

Since his 2023 return to office, Fico’s government has been increasingly divisive, cracking down on nonprofits, cultural institutions, and media it deems hostile, while pursuing policies aligning Slovakia closer to Russia and critical of EU sanctions.

The shooting prompted Fico to accuse the liberal opposition and critical media of fostering political hatred. Fico, who forgave the attacker, did not attend the trial or comment immediately after the sentencing.

The case highlights Slovakia’s struggle with political violence, rising polarization, and debates over terrorism laws and government accountability.