The shadow of London over Bratislava: how the Slovakian elections have exacerbated the issue of digital sovereignty
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
In July 2025, the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Nigel Baker, the British ambassador to Bratislava, to provide explanations. The reason for this was publications in the British media, in particular an article on the Declassified UK website, claiming that London had secretly funded influencers for political propaganda on YouTube in Slovakia and other European countries.
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said that the diplomat was asked specific questions about the agreement between the British government and the London-based media agency Zinc Network. Slovakia requested a list of all the influencers involved, the content of their published materials, the amount of their remuneration, and demanded that existing contracts be terminated immediately if they were still in force. The ambassador promised to provide answers during August.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose party, “Direction – Social Democracy” (SMER), won the election, took a tough stance.
‘What we have here is a deliberate, targeted action by a foreign state, which is our ally in NATO, in cooperation with some Slovak journalists and some Slovak political influencers, with the aim of influencing the 2023 elections,’ Fico said.
He also initiated a parliamentary inquiry to determine the extent to which the British campaign helped the opposition the ‘Progressive Slovakia’ movement and whether it led to the legal limit on election spending being exceeded.
According to the investigation, the British Foreign Office signed an agreement with the Zinc Network agency for almost £10 million. Officially, the campaign was aimed at mobilising young voters and encouraging their participation in the democratic processes. However, according to Slovak media reports, the real goal was to support the opposition party Progressive Slovakia and discredit Fico’s party.
London, meanwhile, categorically rejects all accusations. A statement from the British Foreign Office said that any claim of an attempt to influence the election results or campaign for a specific party is ‘completely false.’ The British Embassy in Slovakia emphasised that their activities were aimed at encouraging young people to participate in the elections, regardless of their political affiliation.
This incident comes amid deteriorating relations between Slovakia and its European partners. Fico’s government, which is pursuing a more independent and sceptical policy towards support for Ukraine, has already faced criticism from European capitals.
The prime minister makes no secret of his belief that attempts to influence elections in Europe are systematic. He has openly stated that similar situations have been observed in other countries in the region, including Serbia and Georgia.
While Bratislava awaits answers from London, the Slovak police are already investigating information about the possible illegal use of foreign funds to influence the political situation in the republic. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching consequences not only for bilateral relations, but also for trust between NATO allies.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
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