General Secretary and President: Correcting the 'moderate' mindset in preventing and fighting corruption

On the morning of January 15, in Hanoi, the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption (Steering Committee) held its 17th 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 2019; discuss and give opinions on directions,key tasks of work in 2020.

After listening to the Steering Committee members' comments and concluding remarks at the meeting, the General Secretary, President, and Head of the Steering Committee emphasized that, looking back at 2019 and from the beginning of the 12th Party Congress term until now, the work of preventing and combating corruption (PCTN) has made strong progress, with many breakthrough policies and solutions, going into depth, achieving many very important, comprehensive, synchronous, and more obvious results, which have been agreed upon, responded to, and highly appreciated by cadres, party members, and people.

Corruption has been controlled, gradually prevented and reduced; contributing significantly to maintaining political stability, socio-economic development, and enhancing the prestige and position of our country in the international arena.

The outstanding result is tFocus on directing the promotion of building and perfecting institutions on socio-economic management and anti-corruption, contributing to perfecting a strict prevention mechanism to make "corruption impossible". The Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have issued nearly 30 documents on Party building, the political system, and anti-corruption. The National Assembly has passed 18 laws and 20 resolutions; the Government and the Prime Minister have issued 100 decrees, 119 resolutions, 37 decisions, and 33 directives, helping to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in all areas of social life, contributing to preventing negativity and corruption.

Since the beginning of the term, the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have issued nearly 80 documents to strengthen the work of building the Party, the political system, and anti-corruption; the National Assembly has issued 63 laws, ordinances, and 66 resolutions; the Government and the Prime Minister have issued 611 decrees, 532 resolutions, and 197 decisions, contributing to perfecting a strict prevention mechanism to "make corruption impossible."

The work of inspection, auditing, investigation, prosecution and trial has been directed to be strengthened and deepened, creating a new breakthrough in the work of detecting and handling corruption.

Party committees and inspection committees at all levels have disciplined more than 420 party members for corruption and intentional violations. The Central Inspection Committee has disciplined and recommended that the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat discipline three party organizations directly under the Central Committee and more than 20 officials under the Central Committee's management, including five members of the Party Central Committee and former members of the Party Central Committee.

Since the beginning of the 12th Party Congress term, more than 90 cadres under the Central Committee's management have been disciplined, including 21 Party Central Committee members, former Party Central Committee members (2 Politburo members), and 22 general officers in the armed forces.

Through inspection and audit work, violations were discovered, recommendations were made to recover and handle 135,816 billion VND and over 897 hectares of land; recommendations were made to handle 1,967 collectives and many individuals; 98 cases and 121 subjects were transferred to the investigation agency for handling; and inspection and audit of projects with large losses and losses, of special interest to public opinion, and cases according to the Steering Committee's plan were focused on.

Investigation and handling of corruption and economic cases are increasingly more in-depth and effective; investigating and clarifying the nature of appropriation and corruption, thoroughly recovering assets, prosecuting and trying cases strictly, in accordance with the law, but also very humanely.

In 2019, the Steering Committee monitored and directed the handling of 67 cases and 55 incidents, of which 19 cases were newly prosecuted and re-investigated; 22 cases/132 defendants were completed; 21 cases/108 defendants were prosecuted; 20 cases/85 defendants were tried at first instance; 15 cases/157 defendants were tried at appeal; especially 10 serious and complicated corruption and economic cases that were of special interest to public opinion were brought to first instance trial.

Since the beginning of the 12th Congress term, the Steering Committee has directed the handling of 107 cases and 90 incidents, tried 53 cases/550 defendants at first instance; tried 43 cases/412 defendants at appeal, with strict but also very humane sentences.

Focus on directing the rectification and overcoming of weak, difficult and problematic stages and areas, such as: Directing the removal of difficulties and obstacles, overcoming limitations and weaknesses in the work of appraisal, asset valuation, declassification, provision of records and documents; improving the effectiveness of the recovery of assets appropriated and lost in criminal cases of corruption and economic crimes. More than 35,000 billion VND has been recovered; in the cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee, assets have been temporarily detained, seized, accounts frozen, and transactions of assets worth nearly 24,000 billion VND have been prevented.

Directing the rectification, prevention and handling of harassment, negativity and troubles for people and businesses in handling work (“petty corruption”); strengthening inspection, supervision and urging of anti-corruption work in ministries, branches and localities; contributing to gradually overcoming the situation of “hot above, cold below” in anti-corruption.

There have been many innovations in information, propaganda, dissemination and education on anti-corruption. The authorities have proactively grasped the ideological situation and public opinion, provided orientations for providing and publicizing results and issues of public concern in handling corruption and economic cases and incidents.

The Fatherland Front and its member organizations continue to promote their role in social supervision and criticism; effectively receive and handle information reflecting and denouncing corruption and waste. Media and press agencies have actively promoted propaganda on anti-corruption work with many articles, columns, forums for research, exchange and in-depth analysis on anti-corruption, contributing to strengthening people's trust in the Party and the State.

The Steering Committee, the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee, the members of the Steering Committee and the Standing Body of the Steering Committee continue to innovate, improve work efficiency, be close, decisive, coordinate smoothly, synchronously and with high determination.

The Head of the Steering Committee and Deputy Heads of the Steering Committee have closely and comprehensively directed all aspects of the Steering Committee's activities. Effectively promoting the mechanism of consultation and weekly and monthly meetings of the 3 Deputy Heads of the Steering Committee assigned to direct the handling of a number of cases and cases and of the Standing Committees of the Steering Committee 110 to direct the removal of difficulties and obstacles, and unify policies and guidelines for handling serious and complicated cases and cases.

The members of the Steering Committee have made great efforts, proactively and resolutely directed the implementation of assigned tasks; strengthened inspection, supervision and urging of anti-corruption work at Party committees and organizations assigned to monitor and take charge. The Standing Office of the Steering Committee has actively advised and helped the Steering Committee develop and implement tasks according to the work program; carefully prepared content, well served the meetings of the Steering Committee and the meetings of the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee.

Regarding the key tasks of 2020, the General Secretary, President, and Head of the Steering Committee noted that 2020 is the final year of the term, which is very important in successfully completing the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress; the year to organize Party Congresses at all levels towards the 13th National Party Congress and many important events of the country.

Therefore, the task is extremely heavy, requiring us to absolutely not be subjective, satisfied, or content with the results that have been achieved; the work of anti-corruption needs to continue to be promoted, with higher determination, more drasticness, and more effectiveness.

The General Secretary and President noted the key tasks: continue to focus on promoting the building and improvement of institutions on socio-economic management and anti-corruption, gradually forming a prevention mechanism to prevent corruption according to the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress. Direct the review and synthesis of recommendations for amendments and supplements to mechanisms, policies and laws of the Inspection, Supervision, Inspection and Audit Teams; continue to research and propose major policies and orientations on anti-corruption in the draft documents of the 13th National Party Congress.

Directing the focus on inspection, examination and audit of sensitive areas with many public opinions about negativity and corruption; promptly detecting and strictly handling officials and party members who have committed violations, resolutely not allowing unqualified officials with negative and corrupt manifestations to enter the Party Committee; strengthening inspection and examination of the implementation of responsibilities of heads of Party Committees, Party organizations and authorities in performing anti-corruption tasks; inspecting and supervising personnel work; reviewing, summarizing and evaluating inspection and audit results for projects that cause great losses, prolonged losses, are complicated and of public concern.

In addition, focus on directing the acceleration of progress and the final settlement of serious, complicated corruption and economic cases that are of public concern; pay attention to verifying and investigating acts of corruption and appropriation.

In 2020, focus on directing the completion of investigations of 21 cases, the completion of verification and handling of 21 cases; prosecution of 23 cases; first-instance trials of 29 cases, and appeal trials of 7 cases according to the Steering Committee's plan. In particular, focus on bringing to first-instance trials 10 serious, complicated cases that are of public concern.

Focus on directing the resolute handling of weak links and unfinished work; key areas and fields, creating strong changes and more synchronization in anti-corruption work at the local and grassroots levels; effectively preventing and handling harassment, negativity, and causing trouble for people and businesses in resolving "petty corruption" issues.

The next task is to directStrengthening information, propaganda, dissemination and education on anti-corruption, further promoting the role of the people, the Fatherland Front, member organizations and the press in the fight against anti-corruption. Correcting and fighting against the fear that promoting anti-corruption will "slow down development", "limit creativity, daring to think, daring to do", "discouraging", "doing things moderately", "defensive" among a number of cadres and civil servants, especially leaders and managers at all levels.

At the same time, direct the summary of anti-corruption work during the entire 12th Party Congress term and since the establishment of the Steering Committee up to now; summarize the National Strategy on Anti-Corruption until 2020 and the plan to implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption; review 5 years of implementing Directive No. 50-CT/TW of the Politburo; pay attention to directing to further improve the operational efficiency of agencies and units with anti-corruption functions.

At the meeting, the Steering Committee agreed to end the direction of handling 6 cases, 3 cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee have been resolved according to the provisions of law.