Due to deference and avoidance, violations continued undetected for a long time.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha, the biggest weakness is the mindset of being respectful, avoiding, and afraid of conflict, so the unit's violations have been going on for a long time without being detected.

Reporter interviewed Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha, former Head of the Department of Grassroots Party Organization, Central Organization Committee, about the gap in Party inspection and supervision work at grassroots levels.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha.

PV:According to the report of the Central Inspection Commission, in the past year, Party committees, Party organizations, and Inspection Commissions at all levels have disciplined nearly 150 Party organizations and more than 12,000 Party members. In the first months of this year, the Commission also issued conclusions and proposed to discipline many high-ranking officials, both incumbent and retired. What do these numbers say, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha: Since the entire Party implemented the Resolution of the 11th Central Committee, Session 4, on a number of urgent issues on Party building at present, through the review of criticism and self-criticism, and consideration at all levels, Party committees and organizations, and Inspection Committees at all levels have also handled disciplinary actions with a very large number, each year higher than the previous year. This shows that the work of inspection, supervision, and enforcement of Party discipline has changed positively.

PV: This result shows the Party's determination in preventing and fighting corruption, erasing the suspicion of "no-go zones" in handling Party discipline. However, the cases were only discovered when the Central Inspection Committee got involved, which also shows that there is a situation of waiting and listening, with determination above but laziness below at some Party committees. Do you agree with this assessment?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha: Public opinion is correct in this assessment. A number of major disciplinary cases recently handled by the Central Inspection Committee and even the Central Secretariat against cadres and party members show that these violations occurred several years ago, not just now. Most of the cadres and party members who were disciplined have retired. This shows that although the Party's inspection and supervision work is being carried out, its effectiveness is low and its quality is very limited.

If we had seriously dealt with these cases when implementing the Resolution 4 of the 11th Central Committee, perhaps we would have discovered them while they were still in office and taken action at that time. I think the statement “resolute above but leisurely below” is correct.

PV: Do you think that in some localities and organizations, the leaders consider themselves little kings, disregard collective opinions and are ready to suppress subordinates when they have opposing opinions?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha:In reality, not all, but in some agencies, units, even localities, the leader shows signs of being autocratic, patriarchal or relying on the collective, but the collective here is just a form; collective democracy is only to implement the opinions and will of the leader. Therefore, how to clearly define the authority and responsibility of the leader. This problem currently exists but is not yet complete and we need to continue to do so.

PV: As you analyze, although this reality is not common, how harmful is it to the Party, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha:The biggest harm is making democracy become formal. When the leader does not show objectivity and impartiality, the biggest harm is to eliminate the motivation of the staff. For example, if you arrange staff incorrectly, it will reduce the motivation and will to strive of dedicated, qualified and capable staff; making the staff work not follow the Party's direction.

PV:Besides the role and responsibility of the leader in criticizing, inspecting and supervising party members, what other gaps do you see when prolonged violations in the unit are not detected and handled promptly, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha:The biggest weakness is the mindset of being respectful, avoiding, afraid of conflict, not defending what is right, not fighting what is wrong. Only by overcoming this weakness can the Party organization become stronger and the Party organization officially fight within itself.

PV:According to you, what is the most important requirement for inspection and supervision work, focusing on prevention and construction?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha: The Resolution of the 12th Central Committee, Session 4, also emphasized one of the major tasks and solutions, which is to strengthen the work of inspection, supervision, and control, including solutions to control the exercise of power by leaders, in order to overcome the situation of abuse of power, overreach of power, and overreach of power. And this time, it is necessary to clearly identify the responsibilities of the collective and individuals in each stage of work resolution.

Second, we must focus on fighting against signs of degradation, namely deference, avoidance, fear of conflict, the idea of ​​“peace is precious”... which are still very common and serious in the Party today. We must overcome these ideas so that each cadre and Party member can see their responsibilities, and the Inspection Committees at all levels can also fulfill their responsibilities.

PV:Do you think that if the Central Inspection Committee intervenes to detect violations, the Inspection Committees at lower levels must also be dealt with, to avoid waiting for everything and leaving everything to the higher levels, which would then have very serious consequences, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha:The problems that existed before have only now been examined and concluded, so it is clear that the Party Committee and the Inspection Committee at that level have not yet fulfilled their responsibilities, leaving the work unfinished. When a new problem arises, if it is checked, supervised, then helped, and reminded to the cadres, the situation will not have become so serious.

PV: In order for the fight against corruption to achieve the expected results, for our Party to be clean, strong, civilized and to eliminate "bad apples" from the Party organization, what do you think are the more synchronous and drastic solutions needed?

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha:In the current situation of the Party, we must especially emphasize the fight, that is, upholding the Party's discipline and the State's laws. We must combine building and fighting, but building is the fundamental long-term strategy, while fighting is an important and urgent task in the immediate future. Focus on upholding the Party's discipline and the State's laws; violations of Party discipline must be handled according to Party discipline, violations of State laws must be handled according to State laws.

PV: Thank you sir./.