Public procurement scandals and trust in government during COVID-19: a case study for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland

Purpose On average, 14% of GDP is allocated through public procurement, which was also a key tool for purchasing health equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. These procurements were the subjects of malpractice. Most visible malpractices have led to public scandals and have been widely covered by the media. Therefore, our exploratory study focuses on how scandals in public procurement environments during pandemics can affect trust in government. Design/methodology/approach The research design was case studies for selected Central and Eastern European countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland) conducted through desk research and focus groups with representatives from key informants (active politicians, academic and non-profit sector experts, and journalists). The CEE location was chosen because these countries have traditionally faced problems in their public procurement systems with high corruption, dysfunctionalities (such as limited competition and the dominant lowest price-based selection method), and populism. The selected countries have some similarities but also many differences (economical, political, and institutional); therefore, the case studies document the impact of procurement on trust in three specific environments. Findings Our exploratory analysis finds that problems in public procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic can directly and indirectly affect government trust. We identified significant heterogeneity and explained its causes even within the selected small group of countries. Originality/value The current literature lacks a greater focus on the noneconomic effects of PPP problems in areas such as trust in government during the pandemic.