Patriotism for Sale

The heroes are not always those we think of. Presumed heroes of Slovenia’s independence may very well be the main war profiteers. Šurc’s story rightly and sadly illustrates this. In the early 1990s, many high-profile actors took advantage of the confusion brought about by the conflicts in the Balkans. The actual heroes are those who devote their entire life to the quest for the truth to be reveled. Those who resist intimidation attempts and death threats. Those who call for justice to be done.

A rich and telling history of one of east Europes rising stars, but with an ominous twist. Masterfully written by one of Slovenia’s most experienced television journalists, and a former foreign correspondent Matej Šurc, this is a riveting read for anyone seeing the faults of our contemporary political system. Written in accordance with the avid, everyday reader it offers a  masterful insight into the corrupt world of political ambiguity, tax havens, fake corporations, anonymous trust accounts and the seemingly ever-present personal gain of a few. The book itself became an instant best-seller in Slovenia on publication in 2016, and is now offered edited for international readerships in English translation. This major work has been produced in collaboration with distinguished editors Marcus Ferrar, Andrew Feinstein (Corruption Watch) and Eva Joly (EU parliament member, investigative judge). 

 It all starts with the small country of two million people and its courageous fight for independence from the Yugoslav “Goliath” in 1991. Seemingly against all odds, David “slew” Goliath and in doing so precipitated the collapse of Yugoslavia. But the true story of Slovenia’s independence is far more complex. It is a tale of incompetence, inglorious compromises, but above all of corruption involving shady arms deals enriching some of those who considered themselves “heroes” of their country’s liberation. The author describes in detail the courage and cunning which brought Slovenia victory in its war against the occupying Yugoslav Army, as well as the occasional incompetence and wise restraint which prevented it getting out of hand.

 Patriotism for Sale transcends the struggles and tribulations of one nation and deals with problems that might be seen as a symptom of our time. Criminals have taken advantage of the opacity of our financial system and of all tax avoidance possibilities in order to build more and more sophisticated corruption techniques, with an increasing number of intermediaries involved. There are war profiteers; there are also system profiteers. As a result, uncovering the entirety of these complex operations and briberies has become more and more difficult. Transnational and systemic solutions are urgently needed to fight corruption because everything is connected. You cannot stop corruption without addressing illicit financial flows. In the meantime, you cannot put an end to illicit financial flows without changing the current opaque and secretive global financial system.

Hard-hitting and meticulously researched, the book throws a new light on a strategically located country belonging to NATO and the European Union. It gives an alarming insight into the international arms trade. Written in an easily accessible style, this is a shocking account which impresses with its careful attention to accuracy and solid substance.