Former Slovak Prime Minister Discusses Current Assassination Try and Requires Unity

Heger was prime minister of Slovakia till Might final 12 months. At one level, whereas he was in workplace, threats of assault have been directed towards him.

LTV journalist Gints Amoliņš invited Eduards Heger to a dialog.

Gints Amoliņš: What’s your evaluation of the try and assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico yesterday? As his political opponent, what do you consider this?

Eduard Heger: To begin with I need to say that I condemn the assault on our Prime Minister Robert Fico for the time being and I want him a speedy restoration. There isn’t a place for violence or aggression in a democratic society. So we have now to be very cautious about how we converse as politicians or as any public determine as a result of we’re function fashions for society. I welcome the truth that world leaders have additionally condemned this assault, together with our opposition leaders.

It’s broadly agreed that Fico’s assassination try sheds gentle on excessive polarization in Slovakia. The political environment has been very tense, particularly since 2018, when investigative journalist Jan Kucjak was murdered.

Sure, there may be polarization. Not solely in Slovakia, we see it everywhere in the world. However as you mentioned, there are a number of challenges, a number of circumstances that make this polarization worse. We’re a neighboring nation of Ukraine, which is dealing with a brutal assault by the Russian Federation, there’s a conflict of their nation. There may be numerous misinformation and propaganda on social platforms, which is already encouraging and strengthening the polarization of the inhabitants.

And lots of politicians abuse this polarization and use it to achieve extra political capital for themselves. So I feel that what occurred yesterday, the assault on the Prime Minister, is a time when we have now to cease and assume and rethink what we have now finished.

We should return democracy to its roots. It must be a battle between concepts and options, not a battle between folks. Aggression and violence actually don’t have any place in it.

And above all, it should be an answer for the advantage of the residents, as a result of politicians are right here to serve the folks, not battle amongst themselves and be oppressed.

Talking of violence, have you ever been in a life-threatening state of affairs in the course of the two years you have been Prime Minister of Slovakia from 2021 to 2023? for the 12 months? For instance, in 2022, two folks have been killed exterior a homosexual bar in Bratislava. And the shooter had additionally taken photos exterior the residence constructing the place you lived on the time.

Sure, this shooter had additionally arrived in entrance of our residence constructing that day. Later, we noticed on surveillance cameras that he walked across the constructing for greater than half an hour. Truly, I feel God protected our household. As a result of my spouse and son had gone by means of one of many exits in our residence constructing on the similar time the shooter was on the opposite aspect of the home.

Thank God certainly that my spouse determined to take the opposite approach out as a substitute of confronting him. And after 10 minutes, when he began strolling round, my spouse was already gone. Sure, we had such an incident in 2022 when there was an try and kill me. However the man didn’t keep as a result of he got here within the afternoon and that was not the time I might come dwelling. However after the state of affairs you talked about, we elevated the safety of presidency representatives and MPs as effectively. However as you possibly can see, there are nonetheless issues to enhance.

You introduced that you just strengthened the safety of public officers, stricter safety measures have been put in place. What must be finished now? As a result of the try and assassinate the prime minister occurred yesterday.

I feel it is vitally essential to do a factual investigation of the entire state of affairs, together with throughout the police, and discuss not solely concerning the security of the prime minister, but additionally concerning the authorities. Analyze the processes that existed earlier than, throughout and after the assault and think about whether or not enhancements are attainable. I feel it is vitally essential to speak to our overseas companions as effectively, if we are able to be taught one thing from them. Since this can be a common query. From this standpoint, now’s undoubtedly the time to behave, examine and, primarily based on this, implement measures to make sure that one of these incident doesn’t occur once more in Slovakia.

In the previous few hours, you may have requested the Slovak authorities to ask representatives of the opposition events to the Nationwide Safety Council to agree on measures each from the safety and public aspect. Arrange some sort of spherical desk.

For certain. The security of not solely politicians, but additionally the media and residents is the highest precedence in any democratic nation. Due to this fact, we ask the federal government to ask the representatives of the opposition to a joint assembly of the Safety Council. Be capable of focus on all points first after which implement measures and talk them with the general public. As a result of it could be a powerful sign to the people who politicians care concerning the security of their residents and that they need to settle all conversations, relax.

We additionally invited the Mrs. President to ask political representatives to the spherical desk discussions. Additionally to think about how the political debate ought to proceed in Slovakia and the way we are able to deliver down the aggression and violence we see. Particularly on social networking platforms. However as we have now seen, additionally it is bodily current amongst folks, which is a really dangerous signal.