The assault “shocked us all,” mentioned Van der Bellen on Wednesday in a press convention with Čaputová at Schloss Hof. However such assaults at all times have a historical past. “We should do all the pieces we are able to to make sure that the lethal spiral doesn’t even start.”
“It begins with the hurtful phrase, then comes the inflammatory speech, then silence, wanting away,” defined Van der Bellen. Liberal democracies make it potential to resolve variations peacefully.
Caputova was additionally threatened
Čaputová addressed the polarization and fragmentation of Slovak society. The outgoing president confirmed that she herself had additionally been subjected to threats. Safety dangers have been one purpose for her choice to not run once more – though not the dominant one. Čaputová’s time period of workplace ends in mid-June. “I really feel protected in my nation,” the president mentioned, emphasizing her belief within the Slovak safety forces.
Picture: (APA/EVA MANHART)
“}”>
Picture: (APA/EVA MANHART)
The left-wing populist Slovakian Prime Minister Fico was hit by a number of bullets throughout a gathering with residents two weeks in the past and was critically injured. His situation is slowly bettering, the federal government introduced on Tuesday. The suspected murderer, a 71-year-old pensioner, was arrested instantly after the assault. He justified his actions by saying that he didn’t agree with the federal government’s insurance policies.
When requested whether or not Austria was proof against a polarization of society like in Slovakia or whether or not there have been already related tendencies, Van der Bellen replied: “Austria is essentially a peaceable nation.” However: “You’ll be able to by no means rule something out.” Concerning feedback in the course of the EU election marketing campaign that Van der Bellen was a “sugar daddy” of the Inexperienced EU high candidate Lena Schilling, he mentioned that it will take extra to insult him. However the intention had been to offend Schilling. This didn’t succeed. “She is a powerful character.”
For the reason that assassination try on Fico, Čaputová has repeatedly referred to as for calm and restraint in her polarized nation. A cross-party reconciliation assembly she had advised didn’t happen on account of resistance from politicians. She mentioned on Wednesday to journalists that she very a lot hoped that her successor Peter Pellegrini would be capable of host the assembly. Van der Bellen, nonetheless, was assured that his relationship with Pellegrini could be nearly as good as that with the green-liberal president. The connection between the 2 international locations is “too shut” to be in danger.