Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. (source: TASR)
A man currently in custody for allegedly endorsing the attempted shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) in May has been charged with terrorism, as reported by TV Markíza on Tuesday.
The media first covered the case earlier in October, but additional details have now emerged from an anonymised list of criminal charges.
In a video posted in September, the man allegedly supported the attack, saying, “I don’t know, but I think X missed him—he should have shot him in the forehead,” the list of charges states. The suspect claims the comment was ironic, adding that he had consumed two beers before recording the video.
Man with eight cats
He defended his actions, explaining that his videos critique Slovakia’s political situation. Describing himself as homeless, the man holds two university degrees, a PhD, and has no prior criminal record. He receives a pension of €560, suffers from poor health, and owns eight cats, which he takes with him everywhere—a key reason, he argues, for having no intention of fleeing.
“There’s no chance I’ll reoffend—not just because of the cats,” the list of charges also notes.
During his interrogation, the man expressed remorse, stating that he never imagined his words could be construed as a terrorist act, believing that it might constitute a minor offence instead.
The suspect remains in custody at Leopoldov Prison, facing a possible sentence of five to ten years if convicted. However, the charge could be amended. The Supreme Court recently suggested that the attack on Fico might not meet the legal definition of terrorism, which could lead to the case being reclassified as “approval of a criminal act”.
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) addressed the case at a press conference in early October, describing the suspect as an “absolute supporter of the current opposition”—a claim that Prime Minister Fico has also levelled against his attacker, Juraj Cintula. Photos from a home search, where the recently charged man allegedly created a “wall of shame” featuring prominent figures such as General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka and businessman Jaroslav Haščák, are said to highlight his opposition sympathies. Šutaj Eštok suggested that the wall might also have included the suspect’s intended victims, while another list named individuals he supported, such as former prime minister and Slovensko party leader Igor Matovič, whose movement defeated Smer in the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Comedian joking about attack
The minister also referenced comedian Matej Makovický, who joked during a performance about Slovaks’ inability to “shoot their own prime minister dead”.
“What kind of country is this if we can’t even kill our own Kennedy?” the comedian quipped.
While Šutaj Eštok acknowledged the role of satire, he questioned whether such humour was appropriate, suggesting that the comedian might face police scrutiny.
Makovický later responded, stating, “Although that joke falls into the category of dark humour, I don’t believe it crossed the line. It was more a critique of Slovak society than an endorsement of violence or crime.”
Since the attack on the prime minister, authorities have filed 35 charges related to endorsing criminal acts, with 11 cases proceeding to trial.
