Opposition: UIS Botched Investigation into Leaked Video with Fico's Attacker

Bratislava, April 22 (TASR) - According to opposition politicians, the Internal Affairs Inspectorate (UIS) has failed in its investigation into a leaked video featuring detained assailant Juraj C., who shot Prime Minister Robert Fico multiple times in May 2024. The opposition SaS and 'Slovakia' parties responded in this way to media reports that UIS has suspended the investigation into the case. Shortly after the assassination attempt, a video was released in which the detained assailant in police custody expressed his disapproval with Robert Fico's politics. "We can try to believe that they are just completely incompetent. So, someone was allowed access to the attacker of this country's prime minister, filmed a video there and shared it online. In that case, the head of the incompetent inspection service Branislav Zurian, the head of the incompetent secret service (SIS) Pavol Gaspar, and incompetent [interior] minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) should immediately resign. Such toothless security services clearly can't protect anyone from anything," said MP Juraj Krupa (SaS). Former interior minister (2020-23) and MP Roman Mikulec (Slovakia-For the People-KU alliance) said that UIS is suspected of deliberately avoiding an investigation into who recorded the video. He hopes that UIS's potential failures will also be addressed by Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka. "There were also media reports that a police officer — at the time a member of the Office for the Protection of Constitutional Officials — admitted to recording the video," he added. Spokesperson of the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Trencin Marian Sipavy has confirmed for TASR that UIS has suspended criminal proceedings in the case of the leaked video of Juraj C. and that it's also dropped criminal proceedings in the case of the security team's failures. Juraj C. shot the prime minister multiple times and left him seriously injured during a government away-from-home session in the village of Handlova on May 15, 2024. Juraj C. was initially charged with an aggravated crime of premeditated attempted murder. In July 2024, the legal classification was changed to an aggravated crime of a terrorist attack. The prosecution filed an indictment against him in March. He's currently in custody and faces a life sentence if convicted. mf/df