First address by Slovak Prime Minister after assassination attempt: I feel no hatred towards the attacker, I forgive him

(Patria) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced today in a video message that he could return to work at the end of this month or the beginning of next month, following the assassination attempt carried out against him on May 15 by 71-year-old writer Juraj Cintula.

Fico shared his address on social media, marking his first public appearance since being seriously wounded in the assassination attempt three weeks ago, reports Euronews.

He said he should return to work around the turn of June and July and that he feels "no hatred" towards his attacker.

- I forgive him - said the Slovak Prime Minister.

He also stated that he will not take any active legal action against Cintula, whom he described as a "messenger of evil and political hatred," nor will he seek compensation.

- An activist of the Slovak opposition tried to kill me on May 15 because of my political views - Fico said, adding that he has no reason to believe this was the attack of a lone madman.

He emphasized that for several months he had been warning about a possible assassination attempt on one of the ruling politicians and specified that "the hatred and aggressiveness of the current opposition, covered up and tolerated by public opinion and NGOs financed by foreign countries, culminated after the successful presidential election of coalition candidate Peter Pellegrini."

He added that his government is not perfect, but that disagreement with someone's political opinion is not resolved with a gun, but through dialogue.

- Certainly, many things can be done differently. And precisely the offer to do things differently and better, to have different opinions, must be the elementary basis of any meaningful democratic competition.

The offer cannot be to imprison or maliciously kill the opponent without reason. The opposition will have to think about that - Fico said, warning that there will be more victims if there is no change.

The Slovak Prime Minister added that the attack seriously damaged his health, that he underwent several surgeries and suffered pain, but he deeply thanked the medical staff at the hospital in Banská Bystrica, where he was treated after the assassination attempt.