“The surgery has been going on for three-and-a-half hours. His medical state is really very complex,” he added. “We are singularly focused on the health of Robert Fico. And we are hoping he will be strong enough to pull through,” Kaliňák said.
Defence Minister Robert Kalinak goes on to say that any detailed medical information will be available later on: "The situation is really complicated now".
He tells the reporters that the surgery has been going on for three and a half hours.
Kalinak says the people of Slovakia have always been known as tolerant, and they have always been able to discuss matters.
"What happened today is a stigma which will haunt us for many years to come," he says.
"But at the moment all of us think about the condition of our Prime Minister Robert Fico," he adds and concludes that "we are hoping that he is strong enough to deal with this trauma".
Kalinak continues saying he would like to thank the emergency services, doctors, nurses and specialists for fighting for the prime minister's life.
He says Prime Minister Fico is still in surgery and that the situation is really bad.
Kalinak adds there is no good news at the moment.
Robert Kalinak, from the Ministry of Defence, says Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is still in surgery and fighting for his life - following being shot several times.
Kalinak adds his health is "really serious" - and the "situation is bad".
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova told reporters the shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico was an "attack on democracy".
