Slovakia’s government has summoned the British ambassador as diplomatic tensions mount after Prime Minister Robert Fico accused the United Kingdom of interfering in the country’s 2023 parliamentary elections.
Speaking in Bratislava on Tuesday, Fico alleged that the British government had supported groups attempting to influence the vote that returned him to power.
“This is a deliberate and intentional action by a foreign power, which is our NATO ally, in cooperation with some Slovak influencers and journalists, aimed at influencing the 2023 elections,” Fico said.
Fico’s statement came in response to a report by Declassified UK, which claimed the British Foreign Office signed a £10 million contract with a media agency in 2021 to support digital influencers.
The campaign reportedly aimed to boost youth voter engagement in European Union member states, including Slovakia.
The Foreign Office dismissed the accusations as “completely untrue” in a statement released through its embassy in Bratislava.
The statement stressed that the UK’s activities were “aimed at encouraging young people to take part in democratic processes in their countries by participating in elections – regardless of their political affiliation or preferences”.
According to Slovak media reports, the British envoy will be asked to clarify whether the UK paid activists to influence the outcome of the election.
Fico said Bratislava could take further action depending on the results of the meeting.
Fico’s party, Smer, defeated the pro-EU Progressive Slovakia party in the 2023 elections, campaigning against various EU policies and opposing military assistance to Ukraine.
Fico survived an assassination attempt last year by a pro-Ukraine activist who objected to his opposition to arming Kyiv.
He has continued to maintain ties with Moscow, including holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on energy cooperation and the Ukraine conflict.
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