UK Foreign Office: Our Activity Designed to Get Young People to Vote

Bratislava, 29 July (TASR) - The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office rejects claims by Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) that the United Kingdom tried to influence the outcome of the election or to encourage in favour of a particular political party, considering these statements to be false, Monika Holeckova of the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Slovakia told TASR, adding that the activity was aimed at encouraging young voters to take part in the election. "Any suggestion that the UK sought to influence the outcome of the election, or to encourage people to vote for or against a particular political party, is completely false. This activity was aimed at encouraging young people to participate in their countries' democratic process by taking part in elections, regardless of their political affiliation or support," the British Foreign Office said in a statement. At a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed 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. am/mcs