Fico assassination attempt reveals deep divisions in Slovakia

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The interior of Slovakia minister warned THE country could be on THE edge of “civil war” after THE tent assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico laid naked THE the country is bitter policy divides.

The populist chief was shot several times And seriously wounded In THE city of Handlova on Wednesday, but government officials to have said he is expected to survive.

HAS A press conference out Banska Bystrica Hospital, Or Fico was treaty, Interior Minister Matus Choutaj-Eštok said there was a clear policy motivation” behind THE assassination attempt, And warned that THE country was on THE edge of A civil war" due has THE rising policy tension.

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Call For A END has THE violent language And social media attacks that to have become A functionality of THE policy landscape below Fico, he said: “I to want has call has THE public, has journalists And has all The politicians has stop diffusion hatred."

For what East Slovakia SO polarized?

Social division was maybe “always going has torment policy In Slovakia" next THE 1989 revolutions that are spreading through East Europe And THE to break up of Czechoslovakia, said Policy. The social whiplash" of these suddenly "turned" transformations city against the village, young against old, Slovak patriot against Czechoslovak internationalist, as all look for For their foot In unknown land".

But Wednesday's assassination attempt has put A projector on THE more recent "collective dysfunction” in Slovakia, said THE New York Times.

Fico has has been A polarizing figure In Slovak policy Since THE 1990s with sound support base do up mostly of older, nationalist voters. Since his re-election In October, THE populist chief has pushed through a “strongly “contested” revision of THE judicial has limit THE scope of Corruption the surveys, has tent has turn THE national Streamer In state-run TV purge What THE government calls liberal bias", cracked down on financed from abroad non-governmental organizations, And strongly opposed military help has Ukraine, as GOOD as LGBTQ rights. He also “favors friendly relationships” with Vladimir Poutine, winner comparisons with the Hungarian right nationalist chief Victor Orban.

THE the decisions taken by the government of Fico, as GOOD How is it frequently inflammatory rhetoric, have led has say again massive demonstrations And petitions by both THE opposition And civil society" since December last year, said