BRATISLAVA, July 1, 2024 (BSS/TASS) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will soon appear in public and gradually start performing the duties of the head of the government, Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak said.

"The prime minister is approaching the point when he will be fully able to perform his duties," the pravda.sk website quoted the defense minister as saying.

Kalinak added that "he (the prime minister - TASS) will always feel the effects of his injuries."

The assassination attempt on Fico took place on May 15 in the town of Gandlova in western Slovakia. The prime minister suffered several gunshot wounds and has since undergone several surgeries. The attacker, 71-year-old writer Juraj Cintula, was arrested. He is charged with attempted murder for political reasons.

Fico served as prime minister of Slovakia from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018. He became head of government again in October 2023.

Fico disagrees with the EU leadership's policy toward Ukraine and does not support arms deliveries to the Ukrainian army.