Mile Ludovit, like the other residents of his unassuming gray apartment building on the outskirts of Levice, a sleepy town in central Slovakia, considered Juraj Cintura a trusted neighbor and friend.
Having lived next door to him for more than 40 years, Ludovit could never have imagined that the 71-year-old former security guard and amateur poet would be arrested for the worst political attack in Slovakia’s modern history – the shooting death of the prime minister. It should be. Multiple times at close range.
“I’ve known him for decades. If he was planning anything, there was no sign of it. But you can’t look inside his head.” Ludovic, 68, was diagnosed on Thursday, a day after an assassination attempt on divisive politician Robert Fico left him in critical condition.
“Our entire building is trying to understand why he did this.”
They weren’t alone. On Thursday, the whole of Levice, like much of Slovakia, was struggling to make sense of the attack. The shooting of a head of state or government is virtually unprecedented in recent European history, and the attempt on Fico’s life deeply shocked Slovakia and the rest of Europe.
However, while the motives of the alleged perpetrators remain unclear, the attack comes against a backdrop of increasing polarization in Slovak society.
Mr. Ludovit said that he and Mr. Sintura sometimes discuss politics, and that the neighbor did not appear to have “strong political opinions,” but said that under Mr. Fico’s leadership, attacks on free speech had become more common. He said he was expressing anger at the increase.
“But I never expected him to act so badly. He never talked about using violence. He was not an extremist,” said the neighbor.
Slovak police have not yet officially named Cintura as the attacker, but say the shooting appears to have been “obviously politically motivated.”
Slovakia’s interior minister said the “maverick” had “recently become radicalized after the war.” [spring] Presidential Election”, he was charged with attempted murder.
video posted online Hours after the shooting, it emerged that Chintura, who was in custody, said he did not agree with government policies, especially what the media called “cleansing.” It is unclear who shot the footage or how it ended up on the internet.
Radovit said the last time she saw Cintula was Monday, when he seemed like his “usual self.” Wearing shorts and slippers, Ludovit walked past police stationed outside the apartment and pointed to the top-floor apartment owned by Sintura and his wife. “I have no explanation why he did what he did,” he said, shaking his head.
Initial available information portrays Sintura as a contradictory figure, a critic of Fico, who opposes violence but at times aligns himself with ultranationalist discourse.
In an unearthed 2015 YouTube video, he claimed to be setting up an “anti-violence group” in Levice with others. “Every ordinary person rejects violence. Our goal is to unite people, preserve peace and restore democracy,” he said while announcing the creation of the group. “The world is full of violence and weapons. People seem to be going crazy.”
But a year later, Chintura was photographed attending a meeting with the pro-Russian paramilitary group Slovak Conscription. In a Facebook post at the time, Sintura praised the organization as “protecting the country’s traditions and culture.”
Cintura, a member of the Slovak Writers’ Association, sometimes used anti-immigrant narratives in her writings. An analysis by Slovak media Posti found that at least one of his published works expressed xenophobic views against Slovakia’s Roma community, a popular topic among the country’s far-right political parties. Ta.
In February, Sintura was photographed taking part in a protest in Bratislava against Fico’s proposed reform to the criminal code, which aims to reduce penalties for corruption and economic crimes. In recent months, thousands of Slovaks have rallied against what they see as plans by the populist Fico government to dismantle democratic institutions, especially the public broadcaster.
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Slovakia’s political situation has long been sharply divided between pro-European factions and nationalist factions led by Fico. This division has been exacerbated by the recent elections, which critics say were marked by disinformation and verbal attacks on social media by Fico and his supporters.
Conflicting reports about Sintura’s motives, which began to slowly emerge on Thursday, appear to be causing further division and confusion in Levice.
“Of course, now everyone is talking about this. Nothing like this happened here,” says the man who lives not far from Sintura and who sometimes sees him walking. I saw it, but I didn’t know it personally, Martin said. Martin declined to give his last name.
“Some say he was a pro-Russian activist, others call him a left-wing terrorist and accuse rebels of inciting the attack. It depends on who you ask and who you vote for.” Martin said, adding that like many regions in Slovakia, Levice is divided along political lines.
“Of course, this shooting is tragic and every Slovak should condemn it,” Martin continued. “But at the same time, Fico and his party were the ones who contributed to this climate of hatred in society.”
Sensing rising tensions, Slovak officials on Thursday called for restraint.
“The hateful rhetoric we have witnessed must stop,” Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová said at a press conference in the capital Bratislava. Last June, Čaputova announced that he would not stand for re-election after receiving death threats.
“What happened yesterday was an individual act. But the tense atmosphere of hatred was our collective effort,” she said, adding, “Let’s break out of the vicious cycle of hatred and mutual condemnation.”
President-elect Peter Pellegrini, a friend and ally of Fico, who attended the press conference alongside Čaputová, said: “Instead of responding to hatred with hatred, Slovakia must walk the path of peace.” he said.
But some Levice residents said they feared Wednesday’s attack would add to the hostile atmosphere that grips Slovakia. “I hope I’m wrong, but I believe this is not the last shooting,” said Yana Bachik, a 22-year-old student.
