A man described as a "lone wolf" has been charged in the shooting of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Fico was in serious but stable condition in the intensive care unit Thursday after being shot multiple times in an assassination attempt.
Five shots were fired outside a cultural center in the town of Handlova, where Fico was meeting with supporters.
Officials at F.D. Roosevelt Hospital say doctors performed a five-hour operation on Fico. He was reported to be in a life-threatening condition when he arrived.
Slovak police have provided no information on the identity of the shooter.
Local media reports claimed 71-year-old retiree who was known as an amateur poet, the Associated Press reported.
Slovakia's interior minister said the assassination attempt was politically motivated based on "initial interviews with the suspect."
During a news conference outside of the hospital where the prime minister is being treated, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok told reporters,
"This assassination attempt was politically motivated, and the suspect made the decision to do it shortly after the presidential election."
But he said the suspect "did not belong to any political groups."
Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia.
His return to power last year came on a pro-Russian, anti-American platform. He also has come out against Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
