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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in a life-threatening condition after being injured in a shooting following a political event on Wednesday afternoon, his Facebook profile shows.

The populist, pro-Russian leader, 59, was hit in the stomach after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, some 90 miles (150 kilometers) northeast of the capital where the leader was meeting with supporters. according to reports on TA3, a Slovak TV channel.

A suspect has been arrested, police said.

A post on Fico’s Facebook account said the leader “has been shot multiple times and is currently in life-threatening condition.”

It said he was transported by helicopter to Banská Bystrica, 29 kilometers (63 miles) away from Handlova, because it would take too long to reach Bratislava due to the need for an acute procedure.

“The next few hours will decide,” it said.

Newly elected President Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, called the killing “an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy. If we express different political opinions with guns in squares, and not in polling stations, we endanger everything we have built together over 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”

There were shocked reactions from across Europe, with some calling it an attempted assassination of the NATO state leader, although a motive for the shooting was not immediately clear.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg posted on social media platform X that he was “shocked and appalled by the shooting.”

The shooting in Slovakia comes three weeks before crucial European Parliament elections, in which populist and far-right parties in the 27-nation bloc appear poised to make gains.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of the Slovak parliament and suspended it until further notice, according to Slovak news agency TASR.

Slovakia’s main opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to overhaul the public broadcaster, which they say would give the government full control over public radio and television.

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

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

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

Fico, prime minister for the third time, and his left-wing Smer party, or Direction, won Slovakia’s parliamentary elections on September 30, marking a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.

Critics feared that 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 gathered in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico’s policies.

Condemnations of political violence soon came from leaders across Europe.

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

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

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking” and added: “I wish the Prime Minister gets better soon.” We cannot tolerate violence, there is no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia until 1992.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social media network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you at this very difficult time.