As a result of the trial, Cintula was found guilty of a terrorist act. Despite the defense's requests to reclassify the charge to a less severe one related to assaulting a public official, the court upheld its decision.
The defendant claimed that his intentions were not to kill Fico; he only wanted to cause him physical harm so that the Prime Minister could no longer perform his duties. Cintula explained his actions as stemming from hatred for the policies implemented by Fico.
Robert Fico, who has been the Prime Minister of Slovakia since October 2023, was attacked on May 15, 2024, when Juraj Cintula shot at him five times after a cabinet meeting in Handlová. Cintula was detained at the scene, and Fico was hospitalized in serious condition, which was stabilized by the evening. By the end of May, the Prime Minister returned home from the hospital.
