On Thursday, Slovakia’s 71-year-old poet Juraj Cintula was formally accused of attempting to murder the Prime Minister, Robert Fico. Despite being a prominent figure in national literature, Cintula’s life has been under scrutiny since his connection with paramilitary group Slovenskí Branci (SB) was exposed. This group, which originated from nationalist influences, has become increasingly involved with Russian militias and is linked to a previous organization called Slovenské Hnutie Obrody, which has been associated with Nazi tendencies in the past.
Investigations have revealed that the leader of Slovenskí Branci, Peter Švrček, received training with the Russian Narodny Sobor militia. The group has also been found to have ties to the Night Wolves, another pro-Putin Russian militia. Slovenskí Branci was formed over a decade ago and recruits young people to engage in activities they believe are neglected by the State.
Cintula’s involvement with the group began in 2016 when he was seen with individuals wearing the Slovak flag. He expressed gratitude for the paramilitary organization’s work, especially in combating immigration. In response, Cintula founded a party called Hnutie proti nasiliu but it did not gain much recognition. Slovenskí Branci operates like an official army, with an internal hierarchy, defined ranks, recruitment and training inspired by the Slovak armed forces.
The attack on the Prime Minister was labeled as planned and politically motivated by the Slovak government. Defense Minister Robert Kalinak confirmed that Cintula had participated in protests against the government but was considered a “lone wolf” and not affiliated with radical groups. The Interior Minister urged for calm in public debate and emphasized that addressing root causes of polarization in society is necessary for maintaining peace and stability in country. Police were unable to detect individual’s radicalization plans due to nature of attack happening on social networks
