(MENAFN) Slovakia’s government has formally summoned the British ambassador as diplomatic strains intensify following Prime Minister Robert Fico’s accusations that the UK interfered in Slovakia’s 2023 parliamentary elections.

In a Tuesday address in Bratislava, Fico alleged that UK officials backed groups seeking to influence the electoral outcome that secured his return 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,” he said.

These comments came on the heels of a Declassified UK investigation revealing that the British Foreign Office had contracted a media agency for £10 million ($13.3 million) in 2021 to engage digital influencers. The initiative reportedly targeted increased youth voter turnout across EU countries, including Slovakia.

The Foreign Office denied the allegations as “completely untrue,” in a statement issued via its embassy in Bratislava. The statement stressed that the UK’s initiatives were focused “at encouraging young people to take part in democratic processes in their countries by participating in elections – regardless of their political affiliation or preferences.”

Slovak media report that the British ambassador will face demands to clarify whether the UK financially supported activists to sway the election results. Fico indicated that Bratislava may escalate the matter further based on the embassy meeting’s findings.

Fico’s Smer party secured victory over the pro-EU Progressive Slovakia party in the 2023 polls, campaigning against multiple EU policies and opposing military aid to Ukraine. Notably, Fico survived an assassination attempt last year by a pro-Ukraine activist opposed to his stance against supplying arms to Kiev. Despite international tensions, Fico continues to nurture relations with Moscow, including discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding energy cooperation and the Ukraine conflict.

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