According to the police, the writer Juraj Cintula attempted to murder the prime minister out of revenge, the broadcaster said, adding that he faces 25 years in prison to life sentence.
Fico was shot on Wednesday during the government's field-meeting in the city of Handlova located 190 kilometers (118 miles) northeast of Bratislava. The prime minister was rushed to a hospital, reportedly with wounds to his abdomen and chest. Slovakia's TA3 TV channel reported that Fico had been placed in an induced coma after undergoing surgery.
Earlier on Thursday, Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak said that doctors had managed to stabilize the condition of Fico, but the situation is still serious.