Slovakia's Prime Minister makes first public appearance since May 15 shooting

A gunman shot the Slovakian prime minister five times as he greeted supporters in the town of Handlová in May.

Transcript

00:00Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has made his first public appearance since he

00:06was shot in an apparent assassination attempt in May.

00:11He spoke at a public holiday event in the capital Bratislava and made only one reference

00:16to his shooting, referring to it only as an unfortunate event.

00:20He used his speech largely to talk about the need to build a barrier against progressivism,

00:25which he said is spreading like a cancer.

00:29Slovakia's populist prime minister was shot at close range as he greeted supporters following

00:34a government meeting in Handlava on May 15.

00:39Fico immediately underwent a five-hour surgery to treat multiple wounds, followed by another

00:44surgery two days later to remove dead tissue.

00:48In late May, he was airlifted from the hospital in Banska Bystrica to the capital Bratislava

00:53where he was nursed at home.

00:55In early June, Slovakia's deputy prime minister said Fico's condition was gradually improving

01:00but that he would likely have permanent health issues.