Fico: Britain Paid Activists to Influence Slovak Election, We Want Explanation

Bratislava, 29 July (TASR) - Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) claims that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of Great Britain paid influencers via a media agency to influence the Slovak general election in 2023 to the detriment of Smer-SD and in favour of Progressive Slovakia (PS), referring to a story published on the marker.sk website. Slovakia will therefore summon British Ambassador Nigel Baker, from whom it will demand an explanation of all the details, Fico told a news conference on Tuesday. "There was a targeted deliberate activity by a foreign power, which is our ally in NATO, in cooperation with some Slovak journalists and in cooperation with some Slovak political influencers, to influence the election in 2023," said Fico, adding that Britain's Foreign Office signed a contract with the agency worth almost £10 million. "This agency was supposed to seek influencers, political activists in central and eastern European countries and to influence events in these countries," stated the premier, adding that the spokesman for British Foreign Office hasn't denied anything and has only said that "it will fight for democracy, human rights and the rule of law". The British ambassador has therefore been summoned by the Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry. "We'll demand an explanation of all the details of the case," said Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), adding that if the ministry doesn't obtain a sufficient explanation, further steps will be taken. They will also demand the publication of a list of names of political activists. "Our interest is not in escalating relations, but to clarify the situation," added Fico. Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Marek Estok announced that Slovakia will also turn to the European Union about this matter. He wants to raise the issue within the EU Council for Relations Between the EU and the United Kingdom. Slovakia will also ask the European Commission to evaluate and seek mechanisms for how the issue can be raised at an official level with Great Britain. Estok said that hybrid threats and interference in election campaigns should be discussed at the September meeting of EU ministers and state secretaries for European affairs, at which he wants to initiate a debate on the matter as well. House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) wants to discuss the issue in Parliament; for example, within supervisory committees. The marker.sk website reported that the British government is "secretly funding hundreds of foreign influencers whose job is to create political propaganda on YouTube". It refers to the findings of British investigative platform Declassified UK. The work is reportedly being coordinated by London-based media agency Zinc Network on behalf of the British ministry as part of a deal worth almost £10 million. The work allegedly included a campaign to mobilise young voters in the Slovak election in 2023. ko/df