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TBILISI — Georgia’s prime minister has accused the EU of intimidation in an explosive outburst as controversy rages over his government’s Russia-style “foreign agent” law.
In a statement posted on Facebook Thursday, Irakli Kobakhidze claimed that his increasingly authoritarian government is facing “abusive blackmail” from the West, and said a senior EU official had hinted he could face the same fate as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot four times earlier this month.
“The threat aired during a phone call with a European Commissioner was astonishing,” he wrote. “In my conversation, the European Commissioner listed a number of measures Western politicians can take after [Georgia passes] the transparency law and, while listing these measures, [the Commissioner] said ‘look what happened to Fico, you should be very careful.’”
Kobakhidze also linked the May 15 shooting of the Slovak leader — in which a 71-year old suspect has confessed to having acted alone — to the intelligence services of a country “closely linked to the Global War Party.” The phrase, which references a shadowy cabal supposedly responsible for dragging Ukraine into conflict with Russia, echoes Kremlin propaganda and has been used several times by politicians from the governing Georgian Dream party in recent weeks.
Responding to Kobakhidze’s claims, a European Commission spokesperson told POLITICO: “this is not true.” A formal rebuttal is expected shortly; Kobakhidze provided no evidence to substantiate his lurid allegations.
Tina Bokuchava, leader of the largest opposition party in Georgia’s parliament, the United National Movement, blasted the prime minister for “promoting dubious conspiracy theories at every turn.”
“The protests of recent weeks make it clear that the Georgian public desperately desires a future at the heart of Europe. These wild allegations will do little to further those ambitions.”
Tens of thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets to show their opposition to the government’s foreign agent bill, which they say mirrors legislation used by Russia to silence critical voices. The EU has warned that final passage of the law, expected next week, would torpedo the candidate country’s hopes of joining the bloc, while the U.S. Congress is set to consider a package of sanctions against politicians pushing the new rules.
