Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, has posted a speech online, his first appearance since he was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt three weeks ago.
In a prerecorded speech posted on Facebook on Wednesday, ahead of the European parliament election, Fico said the attack caused serious damage to his health and that “it will be a small miracle if I return to work in several weeks”.
Fico has been recovering from multiple wounds after being shot in the abdomen as he greeted supporters on 15 May in the town of Handlová, about 140km (85 miles) north-east of the capital, Bratislava. The assailant was arrested.
Seemingly in good shape, Fico promised to be back at work at the end of June or beginning of July, and said he felt “no hatred” towards his attacker.
“I forgive him,” he said, adding he planned no legal action against the assailant.
However, he attacked the opposition and others, saying: “After all, it’s evident that he only was a messenger of evil and political hatred.”
Fico suggested his views of Russia’s war on Ukraine and other issues that sharply differ from the European mainstream had made him a victim.