Court: Fico Attacker Sought Plea Deal With 12-year Sentence, Says Prosecutor
dnes 14:31
Banska Bystrica/Bratislava, 8 July (TASR) – Juraj C., the man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) in 2024, originally sought to avoid trial by negotiating a plea deal, but his condition was that the sentence mustn't exceed 12 years, stated prosecutor Katarina Habcakova during the opening day of the trial at the Specialised Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica on Tuesday.
"His defense attorney contacted me, saying that his client was willing to plead guilty in exchange for a maximum sentence of 12 years. But such a deal isn't legally possible, as he is charged with an especially serious crime - an act of terrorism against a protected public official. The Penal Code mandates a life sentence for this, with the minimum possible reduced penalty still being 20 years," explained Habcakova.
She reminded the court that Juraj C. was originally charged with attempted premeditated murder, but in July 2024 the legal classification was changed to an aggravated terrorist attack based on new evidence. The prosecution stands by this classification.
Defence lawyer Namir Alyasry confirmed that his client admitted to the shooting and acknowledged that the trial is justified. However, he rejected the terrorism charge, arguing that not every attack on a public official qualifies as terrorism.
According to the defence, Juraj C. acted out of personal anger towards Fico and deliberately aimed for his legs to avoid killing him. The goal was to injure the prime minister enough to prevent him from continuing his tenure in office.
Juraj C. refused to testify during Tuesday's hearing, with his lawyer stating that he had already provided all relevant information during earlier proceedings. When asked what legal classification the defence would propose, Alyasry responded: "I've thought it out, but I'll present it in my closing argument".
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