Some tax and land-related violations may be subject to criminal prosecution.

(Baonghean.vn) - A representative of the Economic - Budget Committee of Nghe An Provincial People's Council said that some violations of tax, land allocation, land allocation... can be prosecuted.

On the morning of October 24, the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council held a meeting to listen to reports on the results of monitoring the investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of sentences in cases of violations of economic management order in the province organized by the Committee in the past September and October.

ComradePhan Duc Dong - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Committee, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee chaired the meeting. Also attending were Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Standing Committee, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council; representatives of the Provincial People's Committee Office, People's Council committees and branches of the organizing agencies. Photo: Mai Hoa

According to the report of the Provincial Police, in 2015, 2016 and the first 6 months of 2017, the whole province discovered and arrested 2,538 cases of violations of economic management order. Of which, the Police sector prosecuted and investigated 157 cases/249 defendants; the Procuracy handled 123 cases with 188 defendants; the Court tried 159 cases with 248 defendants (including some cases transferred before 2015).

Although the number of economic cases prosecuted in the province compared to the whole country is quite large, many delegates at the meeting were concerned that, through understanding the reality and public opinion, the acts of violating economic management order in the province are much larger.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hong - Deputy Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council said that through monitoring and voter contact activities, it was found that there were some violations in tax, land allocation, land allocation, land leasing... which could also be prosecuted criminally.

For example, through monitoring the management and implementation of a number of urban land projects in the province, it was discovered that a real estate business had collected money from home owners but did not pay it to the budget, with a debt of more than 30 billion VND.

The representative of the Provincial Procuracy stated that the reason for the prolonged processing of information related to economic crimes was that the appraisal of some counterfeit goods, some rare animals, and explosives took a lot of time. Photo: Mai Hoa

Besides the small number of criminal cases prosecuted, another issue of concern is that out of the total 157 cases prosecuted and investigated, the main crimes are illegal production, storage, transportation, and trading of firecrackers, with 120 cases/164 defendants; and violations of regulations on forest exploitation and protection, with 14 cases/42 defendants.

Clarifying the reason why the number of criminal cases prosecuted is low and mainly related to fireworks, according to Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung - Deputy Director of the Provincial Police and Mr. Ho Dinh Trung - Chief Justice of the Provincial Court, it is due to the limited coordination between agencies such as the Inspectorate, Market Management, Forestry, Audit, Tax..., in providing information on organizations and individuals with signs of criminal violations in economic management through their activities to the prosecution agencies.

The Provincial People's Council's Legal Department works with the enforcement agencies and courts at the grassroots level. Photo: Archive

From the practical situation, Mr. Vuong Quang - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, member of the Legal Committee, proposed that there should be a mechanism to protect people who report crimes, or measures to increase information for the investigative, prosecution and trial agencies.

The meeting also spent time clarifying many issues related to the prolonged time for inspection, verification, and handling of reports and violations; the work of receiving, preserving, handling evidence, and enforcing civil judgments in cases of violations of economic management order, etc.

During the remaining time of the meeting, the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council assessed the results of the Committee's activities in the third quarter and deployed tasks for the fourth quarter of 2017. It focused on monitoring and urging all levels and sectors to implement the recommendations and proposals of the Legal Committee through supervision, surveys and recommendations and feedback from voters; and focused on preparing content for the 5th session of the 17th Provincial People's Council, scheduled to take place in mid-December.

Conducting an enforcement action in Hoang Mai Town. Photo: Archive

Based on the opinions received at the meeting, Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council Phan Duc Dong requested that State management agencies at all levels strengthen coordination and provide information to the prosecution agencies to investigate, prosecute and try cases related to economic management. At the same time, pay attention to violations in land management and use; forest exploitation and protection; tax, bank credit, multi-level marketing, fraud, etc.

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