Politics Fico assassin convicted of terrorism in Slovakia
Following the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico almost a year and a half ago, a court has sentenced the assassin Juraj Cintula to 21 years in prison for terrorism. The verdict is not yet final. Cintula, who is now 72 years old, told journalists after the end of the trial that he intends to appeal. The sentence was "not just".
21.10.2025, 11:19
SDA
Who the perpetrator of the attack was was beyond doubt from the outset, as the then 71-year-old pensioner was arrested immediately after the crime on May 15, 2024. The court case, which had been running since July before a special court in Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia, was about the legal classification of the crime.
Classified as a terrorist act
The charge was originally attempted murder, but was upgraded to terrorism in July 2024 due to the alleged political motive. A sentence of up to life imprisonment can be imposed for this.
The defense, on the other hand, argued that the crime should only be classified as an attack on a public official. The penalty range for this is seven to twelve years in prison. The court cited the defendant's advanced age and poor state of health as reasons why it did not opt for a life sentence.
The defendant was led into the courtroom before the verdict was announced, his face impassive. Apart from a loud "Hello!" to the judge, he initially said nothing. At the start of the trial, he had shouted loudly: "Long live democracy!"
Shortly after his arrest, the perpetrator confessed to the police that he had shot at Fico. However, he denied any intention to kill. He had wanted to injure the left-wing populist politician so much that he would no longer be able to continue his government work. He cited hatred of Fico and his government policy as the reason.
