UK news agency accused of excusing Fico shooting
Date
5/20/2024 8:44:53 AM
(MENAFN) Sky News has come under fire for remarks perceived as justifying the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. During a broadcast, a Sky News anchor implied that the attack on Fico was foreseeable given his controversial views and "pro-Russian" stance. Military analyst Michael Clarke, who advises United Kingdom lawmakers on security, responded by suggesting that Slovakia's internal conflicts might explain the shooting.
Clarke noted that Fico has advocated for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict and opposed continuing arms shipments to Kiev, describing him as increasingly pro-Russian. "One wonders why and how, but maybe that’s his conviction," Clarke speculated. He also linked Fico's stance to that of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, both of whom resist aiding Ukraine, which Clarke said causes division within Slovakia and the European Union. He suggested it was unsurprising that such violence could occur in a "very unhappy country" like Slovakia.
The suspect, 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, is known to vehemently oppose Fico's Ukraine policies, according to Slovakia's interior minister. Fico, who secured a third term as Prime Minister last year, had campaigned on promises to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine and stop sending arms to the conflict zone.
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