Georgian Prime Minister Claims EU Commissioner Threatened Him with Assassination Example

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that during a conversation about the recently adopted law on foreign agents, an EU commissioner frightened him with an example of the recent assassination attempt against Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

"Even against the backdrop of prolonged blackmail from the West, there was a shocking threat that was articulated during a phone conversation with one of the EU commissioners. In my conversation, the commissioner listed a number of measures that Western partners could take should they overcome the veto on the transparency law, including mentioning: 'You saw what happened to Fico, and you need to be very careful,'" Kobakhidze's statement is quoted by the Georgian government's press service.

The Prime Minister described the example of the assassination attempt against Fico as extremely alarming in the context of the adopted law on foreign influence transparency. As Kobakhidze emphasized, preliminary information suggests that the assassination attempt on the Slovak Prime Minister "reveals the trace of special services from one of the countries, which is particularly closely connected to the so-called 'global war party.'" He also noted that in the face of the 'global war party,' Tbilisi is dealing with "an extremely dangerous force that is ready to go to any lengths to disrupt stability in Georgia."

Kobakhidze stated that the so-called global war party's plans are doomed to failure, and Georgia will maintain peace and political stability. Regarding the EU commissioner's threat, the Prime Minister deemed it necessary to disclose this information as a preventive measure.

The Georgian Parliament adopted the law on foreign influence transparency in the third reading on May 14, which prompted strong statements from the European Union about threatening to suspend the country’s integration. Additionally, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien, announced that the U.S. would impose sanctions against Georgian authorities if democracy in the country was undermined.

On May 18, President Salome Zourabichvili vetoed the law; however, according to Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, lawmakers intend to override it. The vote on the veto in Parliament will take place next week.

Since the onset of military operations in Ukraine, Georgian authorities have been discussing how certain influential political figures in the West are trying to open a 'second front' against Russia in Georgia. According to Georgian leaders, this so-called global war party is behind these plans. Kobakhidze did not disclose the names of those involved for security reasons.