(BRATISLAVA, Slovakia) — Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded in a shooting Wednesday mid-day and required to health center.

Reports on TA3, a Slovakian television terminal, stated that Fico, 59, was struck in the belly after 4 shots were discharged outside the House of Culture in the community of Handlova, some 150 kilometers northeast of the funding, where the leader was consulting with advocates. A suspect has actually been apprehended, it stated.

Police sealed the scene, and Fico was required to a healthcare facility in Banska Bystrica.

The shooting in Slovakia comes 3 weeks in advance of important European Union Parliament political elections, in which democratic and hard-right events in the 27-nation bloc show up positioned to make gains.

Deputy audio speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha validated the event throughout a session of Parliament and adjourned it till more notification, the Slovak TASR information company stated.

Slovakia’s significant resistance events, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, terminated an intended objection versus a questionable federal government strategy to upgrade public broadcasting that they claim would certainly provide the federal government complete control of public radio and tv.

“We absolutely and strongly condemn violence and today’s shooting of Premier Robert Fico” said Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time we call on all politicians to refrain from any expressions and steps which could contribute to further increasing the tension.”

President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless” attack on the premier.

“I’m shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.”

Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party, won Slovakia’s Sept. 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.

Critics worried Slovakia under Fico would abandon the country’s pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico’s policies.

Condemnations of political violence came from leaders across Europe.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile attack.”

“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.

Leaders in Latvia and Estonia also quickly condemned political violence.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk composed on the social networks network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment.”