Slovakia’s investigation into the shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15 centers around the vitriolic, media-induced environment, created by foreign-funded operations, which targeted Fico and prompted the “lone assassin” Juraj Cintula. The European Commission (EC) has warned Slovakia, as Reuters has reported, that it will take immediate legal action if the government pushes ahead with a proposed law requiring NGOs that receive funding from abroad to identify themselves as “organizations with foreign support.”
EC Vice President Vera [Jourova stated](EU warns Slovakia against foreign agent law for NGOs | Rustavi2), prior to the release of the EU’s annual rule of law report: “I was in Bratislava and I was very clear. If you follow the Hungarian example on the NGOs law, we will launch an infringement procedure (for violation of EU law) immediately, because already we have the decision of the court on the table.” A similar law was passed by Hungary in 2017 regarding foreign-funded NGOs, but in 2021, the European Court of Justice ruled it illegal.
Curiously, EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi had, in the week after the assassination attempt on Fico, threatened Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze with the fate of Fico, if Georgia implemented their transparency law (requiring foreign-funded operations to identify themselves as such).
Two days ago, Fico released a statement upon the now-delivered EU “rule of law report,” which reflects Jourova’s anti-transparency position. Fico said that, while he took note of its recommendations, relevant Slovakian ministries would hold dialogue with the Commission. But he added that Slovakia’s problem with it, was due to disagreements on foreign policy issues, where the Commission seeks “obedience.”
