A Serbian politician suffered a stroke during a live television interview, prompting urgent medical intervention.
Darko Glišić — former minister for public investment and father of two, according to his government biography — was appearing on a morning program for Serbian television channel Pink on Tuesday, Aug. 5, when his demeanor abruptly changed mid-conversation, according to Vreme and the Daily Mail.
Footage from the broadcast, reposted by European outlet Nexta, shows Glišić’s speech slowing and one eye beginning to close as he tried to continue speaking with the hosts. One side of his face appeared to droop and his words became slurred — both common signs of a stroke, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A close associate of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Glišić was rushed to the Clinical Center of Serbia in “very serious condition,” Vreme reported, citing Serbian newspaper Informer. He arrived “unconscious” and doctors were “fighting for his life,” the outlet said.
Zlatibor Lončar, another Serbian politician, told Vreme that Glišić underwent “an extremely complex operation” that took “longer than expected.”
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Lončar added that Vučić personally visited Glišić at the hospital — a visit the president confirmed on Instagram.
“I came to the Clinical Center of Serbia and visited Darko Glišić, and for all our people I want to share one wonderful news. Darko is better, I talked to him,” Vučić said in a video shared Aug. 6 and translated by Vreme.
“He’s still struggling a bit, but I can’t describe my joy and his. They cannot beat Serbia. There is no surrender — long live Serbia,” he added.
In a caption written in Serbian, Vučić said: “Darko is better, thank you all for your concern.”
On Aug. 7, the president posted another update, this time showing him holding Glišić’s hand in the hospital, with the minister raising his other hand in a fist.
The CDC notes that stroke treatments are most effective when given within three hours of symptom onset. Urgent medical attention is critical if any of these symptoms occur: sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body); confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech; vision problems in one or both eyes; trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; or a severe headache with no known cause.
