Professionals voice concerns over safety measures.
After the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, experts have voiced concerns over the security measures in place. Stefan Hamran, former chief of Slovakian police, questioned who had analyzed the potential threat and its severity, saying in an interview with "Dennik N" on Thursday, "If I recall correctly, Fico himself had mentioned a few weeks ago the potential danger of someone targeting politicians." According to Hamran, the resulting chaos following the shots fired was a clear failure.
Juraj Zabojnik, a former head of the prime minister's personal security unit, also expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of Fico's bodyguards: "If someone could fire 4 to 5 shots, then the bodyguards are likely not up to the task." Zabojnik indicated that he hadn't seen any of the bodyguards act to protect Fico from the attack. He believes that a thorough investigation into the incident will be conducted, as he considers the crowd in front of the Handlova House of Culture manageable.
Fico was attacked on Wednesday afternoon as he greeted his supporters outside the Handlova House of Culture following a cabinet meeting. Lumir Nemec, a former police officer and security advisor, told the Czech newspaper "Blesk" that the situation was already risky given how anyone could have circumvented the security cordon without being searched. "The bodyguards only have a limited time to react, and any misstep can have tragic consequences," Nemec said.
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Following the concerns raised by experts about the safety measures, it was revealed that Robert Fico's bodyguards failed to protect him during the assassination attempt. After the incident, questions were raised about who had analyzed the potential threat and its severity before the event. Several experts, including former police chiefs, criticized the security arrangements in place.
Source: www.ntv.de