Protecting Their Own: Brokers and Informality in Real-Life Corrupt Transactions in the Case of Slovak Healthcare

Abstract

The article carries out qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews and focus groups with over 40 participants, to gain insight into the real-life mechanisms underpinning corrupt transactions. The findings show a strong indication that corrupt transactions in this case study of Slovak healthcare are tethered to the practice of brokerage, with the broker becoming a central figure with greater power than previously suggested in corruption brokerage literature. The article suggests a clear cognitive dissonance between the perception of the broker’s services as a friendly favor, as opposed to the illegality of the practice, grounded in cultural idiosyncrasies of the CEE region. 1.