70 senior officials were disciplined and criminally prosecuted in more than 3 years

On the morning of July 26, in Hanoi, the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption (Steering Committee) held its 16th meeting under the chairmanship of General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, Head of the Steering Committee, to review and evaluate the results of activities in the first 6 months of 2019 and set out key tasks for the last months of 2019.

Discipline and criminally prosecute many high-ranking officials

In his concluding remarks at the meeting, the General Secretary, President, and Head of the Steering Committee commended the Standing Agency for being very responsible, carefully, seriously, and thoroughly preparing documents for the meeting.

The General Secretary and President emphasized,In the first 6 months of 2019, along with the country's general achievements, anti-corruption work continued to be maintained and promoted in depth, achieving more comprehensive, synchronous and clearer results.

Notably, we have continued to step up the investigation and handling of cases and lawsuits with greater determination and resoluteness; many cases have been expanded for investigation, proving and clarifying the nature of appropriation and corruption, prosecuting more defendants, including many cases of high-ranking officials under the Central Government's management, thereby continuing to affirm the viewpoint of "no forbidden zones, no exceptions, no matter who the person is" in the fight against corruption.

The competent authorities, especially the prosecution agencies in the Police, Army, Procuracy, Court, Internal Affairs, appraisal and asset valuation agencies, etc. have made efforts, coordinated smoothly and consistently, focused on directing the overcoming of many difficulties and obstacles in appraisal and asset valuation, providing records, documents, evaluating evidence, determining crimes, recovering assets, etc., helping the handling of cases and incidents to have many positive changes, ensuring progress according to the Steering Committee's Plan, with some cases exceeding the set requirements.

Completed verification and resolved 24 cases; expanded investigation, initiated new prosecutions of 5 cases, resumed investigation of 4 cases, prosecuted 26 additional defendants; completed investigation of 3 cases/19 defendants, issued indictments to prosecute 6 cases/27 defendants; tried at first instance 9 cases/21 defendants, and tried on appeal 10 cases/149 defendants.

In particular, four serious and complicated cases that have received public attention have been promptly and strictly tried: The case of "Abuse of position and power to appropriate property" that occurred at Vinashin; The case of "Using the internet to appropriate property, organizing gambling, gambling..." that occurred in Phu Tho and several localities; The case of "Abuse of position and power to appropriate property, intentionally violating State regulations on economic management causing serious consequences, lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" that occurred at Dong A Commercial Joint Stock Bank, Ho Chi Minh City (DAB); The case of "Abuse of position and power while performing official duties; lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" that occurred in Da Nang and several provinces and cities; Expand the investigation, clarify the acts of giving and receiving bribes in the case that occurred at Mobifone Telecommunications Corporation, the cases related to Phan Van Anh Vu, Dinh Ngoc He, initiate investigation into the case that occurred at the project to renovate and expand production phase 2 - Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Company,...

Temporarily detain, seize assets, freeze accounts, prevent transactions and transfer of assets related to cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee with asset value of over 10,000 billion VND.

The work of detecting and handling corruption in localities has made much progress, gradually overcoming the situation of "hot above, cold below" in anti-corruption; the situation of harassment and causing trouble for people and businesses in resolving "petty corruption" work has received attention and direction, creating initial changes in the awareness and actions of cadres and party members.

In the first 6 months of 2019, localities prosecuted 176 cases/425 defendants for corruption and position crimes (an increase of 13.5% in cases and 32.8% in the number of defendants compared to the same period in 2018).

The Prime Minister issued and organized a national conference to implement Directive 10/CT-TTg, dated April 22, 2019, on strengthening the handling and effective prevention of harassment and inconvenience to people and businesses in handling work.

Continue to direct the strengthening of inspection, examination, and auditing work, strictly and promptly handle violations by Party organizations and Party members, tighten discipline and order within the Party, and further consolidate the trust of cadres, Party members, and people.

Since the beginning of the year, Party committees and Inspection Committees at all levels have disciplined 123 Party organizations and 7,923 Party members for violations; of which 256 Party members were disciplined for corruption and intentional violations (an increase of 21 cases compared to the same period in 2018).

The Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Inspection Commission have disciplined one Party organization and 13 Party members under the management of the Politburo and the Secretariat, both incumbent and retired. Since the beginning of the term, Party discipline and criminal proceedings have been carried out on over 70 cadres and Party members under the management of the Politburo and the Secretariat.

The inspection and audit agencies have recommended the recovery and handling of 61,392 billion VND and 142 hectares of land; recommended disciplinary and administrative actions against 692 groups and many individuals; and transferred 46 cases and 73 subjects to the investigation agency for consideration and handling. The Government Inspectorate has focused on inspecting and issuing inspection conclusions on projects and cases according to the Steering Committee's Plan.

Continue to pay attention to directing the development and promulgation of many Party regulations and State laws on Party building, socio-economic management and anti-corruption. Many Party regulations and State laws related to anti-corruption have been developed and promulgated, especially regulations on the inspection and supervision of personnel work; on the responsibility of Party leaders in receiving people and having direct dialogue with people; on strengthening the handling and effective prevention of harassment and trouble for people and businesses in handling work; on the implementation of the Anti-corruption Law, the Denunciation Law, etc.

Directing competent authorities to develop and complete projects: State Audit Law, Law on Cadres and Civil Servants, Law on Public Employees, Law on Judicial Expertise, ... according to the Steering Committee's Plan.Continue to promote more strongly the role of the press, the Fatherland Front and the people in anti-corruption.

The authorities have promptly provided and publicized information on the results of inspections, audits, and handling of corruption cases; the media and press have published many articles reflecting pressing, prominent issues of public concern; fighting against manifestations of corruption, waste, and negativity, especially "petty corruption"; making an important contribution to the results of corruption prevention and control work.

The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee, the members of the Steering Committee, and the Standing Body of the Steering Committee have been very active, responsible, disciplined, and effective; the functional agencies have coordinated smoothly and with high responsibility. In particular, the mechanism of meetings and consultations of the Standing Committee members assigned to direct cases and incidents has been seriously and effectively implemented; the members of the Steering Committee have been proactive in inspecting, supervising, and urging the work of anti-corruption in the areas and fields assigned to monitor and be in charge.

The Standing Body of the Steering Committee is more specific and decisive in advising and directing the handling of cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee; the agencies of the Party, State, National Assembly, and Fatherland Front have made more efforts, attempted, coordinated more smoothly and systematically, and seriously implemented the direction of the Steering Committee and the Standing Body of the Steering Committee.

Handling petty corruption, trying major cases

Regarding the key tasks for the last months of 2019, the General Secretary and President requested to continue to promote, persistently, regularly, continuously with higher and stronger determination, achieving more results in preventing and fighting corruption, contributing to good preparation for Party Congresses at all levels and towards the 13th National Party Congress.

In particular, focus on doing well a number of specific tasks: Directing the handling and effectively preventing the situation of "petty corruption"; creating stronger and more synchronous changes in anti-corruption work in ministries, branches, localities and grassroots levels; resolutely eliminating from the Party and State apparatus in general, and anti-corruption agencies in particular, corrupt and corrupt officials.

Directing to accelerate the progress of building and perfecting institutions on socio-economic management and anti-corruption according to the program of the Steering Committee.

The Party and State leaders requested urgent direction to complete the inspection conclusion of the Ha Bac Fertilizer Plant Expansion Project; thematic inspection of the management and use of health insurance funds, procurement of medicines and medical equipment; audit of construction activities and management and use of investment capital for the Binh Phuoc Ethanol Biofuel Plant Project and the Ninh Binh Fertilizer Plant Project.

Focus on directing the completion of investigations into 28 cases, issuing indictments to prosecute 23 cases, first-instance trials of 25 cases, appeal trials of 4 cases, completion of verification and settlement of 28 cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee, especially completing the first-instance trials of 8 key cases in 2019 according to the Steering Committee's plan. Effectively implementing the Steering Committee's 2019 Inspection and Supervision Plan.

Continue to promote and improve the effectiveness of information, propaganda and education work on anti-corruption; promote the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, member organizations, the press and the people in the fight against anti-corruption; complete the Projects according to the Work Program of the Steering Committee; report on research and propose a number of major policies and orientations on anti-corruption work to serve the development of draft documents for the 13th National Party Congress.

Also at this meeting, the Steering Committee agreed to end the monitoring and direction of 6 cases, 10 cases have been resolved according to the provisions of law; add 1 case of "Violation of regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste" occurring at Saigon Agricultural Corporation (SARGI) to the list of cases monitored and directed by the Steering Committee; report the results of the thematic inspection of the recovery of lost and misappropriated assets in criminal cases of corruption and economics; give opinions on the Project to amend and supplement Regulation No. 163-QD/TW dated February 1, 2013 of the Politburo on the functions, tasks, powers, working regime, and working relations of the Steering Committee to complete and submit to the Politburo./.

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