TBILISI -- Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said he was warned by a European commissioner that if his government goes ahead with a controversial "foreign agent" law, he should be "very careful" in light of the recent assassination attempt of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Kobakhidze did not name the EU commissioner who made what he said was a "threat," but later on May 23 EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said he spoke with the Georgian prime minister by phone about the "foreign agent" bill and Kobakhidze took his comments out of context in his summary of the call.
According to Kobakhidze, "While listing these measures, [the commissioner] mentioned, 'You've seen what happened to Fico and you should be very careful."
Fico was shot four times while greeting citizens last week in the central Slovakian town of Handlova. He is recuperating, and his condition was described on May 20 as stable.
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'An Attack On Democracy': Leaders Condemn Shooting Of Slovak PM Fico
In Varhelyi's statement, he said that he told Kobakhidze that adopting the law "could lead to further polarization and to possible uncontrolled situations on the streets of Tbilisi."
"In this regard, the latest tragic event in Slovakia was made as an example and as a reference to where such a high level of polarization can lead in a society even in Europe," the enlargement commissioner said.
“Once again, I regret that one part of my phone call was not just fully taken out of context but was also presented to the public in a way which could give rise to a complete misinterpretation of the originally intended aim of my phone call,” he said.
He emphasized that he was still urging the Georgian authorities not to adopt the law and that he continues "to support Georgians working toward a European future."
Over the past few weeks, tens of thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets to protest the "foreign agent" law, amid fears it could be used to restrict civil society and free media. Under the proposed law, media outlets and NGOs that get more than 20 percent of their money from outside the country would have to register as "pursuing the interests of a foreign power."
The United States, the European Union, and rights watchdogs have all condemned the law and criticized the often violent crackdown by the authorities.
In his statement accusing the commissioner of threatening him, the Georgian prime minister said that "several high-ranking foreign politicians are not hesitating to use open blackmail against the Georgian people and their elected government."
In recent weeks, the EU and the United States have linked their relations with Georgia to the passing of the law.
In a May 15 statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Varhelyi said that "the adoption of this law negatively impacts Georgia's progress on the EU path."
A bill that expected to be unveiled this week by U.S. lawmakers is aimed at convincing Georgia's government to repeal the contentious law. Under the proposed Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia's Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence (MEGOBARI) Act, the United States would give Georgia more economic aid, lower trade barriers, and grant more access to U.S. visas if the law were to be repealed.
But if the "foreign agent" bill becomes law, the MEGOBARI Act would require the U.S. administration to impose sanctions on Georgian officials responsible for the legislation.
In his statement Kobakhidze said he felt obliged to inform Georgians about the “threat” and said the parallel drawn with the attempted assassination of Fico “reminds us that the Global War Party is an extremely dangerous force willing to do anything to bring chaos to Georgia."
In recent weeks, Georgian Dream leaders have ramped up their populist and conspiratorial rhetoric with increasing mention of the "global war party." Although it is not clear what or whom they are referring to, they have said the mysterious party is responsible for many of the country's ills.