"The world will deal with the incident in Nice for several months", stated Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in reaction to the Thursday terrorist attack in the French city of Nice. At the same time he expressed solidarity with the French people. President Andrej Kiska on his Facebook wrote he is "deeply shattered by the attack" and called it a cold-blooded, barbarian act that misused the celebration of a state holiday in order to cause death and suffering to many innocent people. Parliamentary speaker Andrej Danko also reacted on his Facebook. "In my thoughts and prayers, I am with the victims and their families who lost their children, mothers and fathers," wrote Danko. Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák condemned the attack, sending condolences to the victims' families.
A lorry driver intentionally hit a crowd of people celebrating the French national holiday Bastille Day at a square in Nice. This happened at approximately 10:30 PM on Thursday, July 14 during a celebration of the 227th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille prison; one of the most important events of the French revolution and in French history in general. So far, 84 victims of the attack have been confirmed dead. Moreover, more than 100 other individuals were injured, including 18 with severe injuries. According to Reuters, the attacker, identified by a police source as a 31-year-old Tunisian-born Frenchman, also opened fire before officers shot him dead.
The Foreign Ministry has informed that no Slovaks have been identified among the victims at this stage. In reaction to the tragedy, the French embassy in Slovakia has opened a book of condolences in the gallery of the French institute in Bratislava from Friday to Monday.
