General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Continue to prevent and fight corruption and negativity more drastically and effectively

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Head of the Steering Committee, delivered a speech directing the meeting. Photo: VNA

More synchronized, more efficient

Since the 23rd Session (January 2023) up to now, the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity has continued to be promoted, with many new, positive, synchronous and more effective changes at both the central and local levels. Party committees, party organizations and functional agencies have strengthened coordination in detecting and handling corruption and negativity through inspection, supervision, audit, investigation, prosecution, trial and execution of judgments; focused on directing the removal of difficulties and obstacles, speeding up the investigation and handling of many cases and incidents; handling both acts of corruption and acts of negativity, degradation in political ideology, ethics and lifestyle; strictly handling the responsibility of leaders when corruption and negativity occur in agencies, organizations and units.

The prosecution agencies nationwide have prosecuted and investigated 1,099 cases/2,411 defendants for corruption, position, and economic crimes; newly prosecuted 242 cases/864 defendants for corruption crimes (nearly 2 times higher than the same period in 2022). For the cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee, 4 new cases/24 defendants were prosecuted, 78 additional defendants in 11 cases were prosecuted, 3 cases/88 defendants were investigated, 8 cases/153 defendants were prosecuted, and 6 cases/51 defendants were tried at first instance. In particular, we have proactively detected, resolutely fought, expanded investigations, and prosecuted many new defendants in many large, complicated, systematic, and organized corruption and negative cases involving many ministries, branches, and localities, both in the state and non-state sectors, causing public outrage, such as cases occurring at the Vietnam Register and the Register Centers in some localities; cases occurring at the Consular Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and some related units; cases occurring at Viet A Company and related units and localities; cases related to Van Thinh Phat Group Joint Stock Company; cases and incidents related to AIC Company and related units.

Party committees and Inspection Committees at all levels have disciplined more than 100 party organizations and more than 3,600 party members. Of which, the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Inspection Committee have disciplined 12 party organizations and 26 officials at the level of Department Director and above, including 1 former member of the Party Central Committee, 3 Chairmen and former Chairmen of provincial People's Committees, and 2 generals in the armed forces. Through inspection, audit, and audit, competent authorities have transferred 137 cases with signs of crime to the investigation agency for investigation and handling in accordance with the law; proposed to consider and handle 232 collectives and 1,146 individuals.

Since the beginning of the year, Party committees, Party organizations, and functional agencies have disciplined and criminally handled many violations in this force, typically: Prosecuting and investigating 2 retired Major Generals in the armed forces; 2 People's Court officials and 1 People's Procuracy official; 14 inspection and supervision officials of the agencies: Government Inspectorate, State Bank, State Audit, National Financial Supervision Committee and 12 local inspection officials; disciplining 12 officials who are the Chief Prosecutor, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the District People's Procuracy, Department Head, Chief of Police of some districts and cities of An Giang province;...

Provincial Steering Committees have gradually started operating in an orderly and effective manner; the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity at the local and grassroots levels has seen many clear changes, overcoming the situation of "hot above, cold below". Many localities have prosecuted officials who are Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Committee, members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Directors, Deputy Directors of Departments, Chairmen of District People's Committees such as Cao Bang, Hoa Binh, Quang Ninh, Ha Nam, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, etc.

The above achievements continue to affirm the determination of the Party and State in the fight against corruption and negativity, which has been agreed upon, supported and highly appreciated by public opinion and the people. The launch of the book "Resolutely and persistently fight against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State increasingly clean and strong" by the General Secretary, Head of the Steering Committee (February 2, 2023) was welcomed, interested, received and highly appreciated by many cadres, party members and people, considering it a "handbook" on the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity. The dissemination, research, study and dissemination of the content and core values ​​of the book has created a widespread political and ideological movement throughout the political system. The book has helped cadres, party members, people of all walks of life, and international friends clearly and correctly understand the nature of the fight against corruption and negativity in Vietnam.

Meeting scene. Photo: VNA

No pushing, no avoiding

Concluding the meeting, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that recently, the functional agencies have coordinated more and more effectively, with high unity in action, with practical results, and the people have followed and expressed their agreement. Looking back at the first 5 months of the year, the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity has a large amount of work. Many major cases, which have been pending for a long time, have continued to be handled. The cases were handled strictly but convincingly, humanely, compassionately, with emotion and reason, considering and weighing many aspects, not "crabs rely on their claws, fish rely on their fins" or looking at things one-sidedly.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated that the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity has been carried out in a very methodical, proper manner, in accordance with functions and tasks, cautiously, without any forbidden areas or exceptions, regardless of who it is, ensuring strict implementation of the conclusions of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity; having new forms of handling, both recovering more assets and having a deterrent effect, preventing them from happening is best. The establishment of a provincial Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity is necessary and correct. Many places have done well, not relying on superiors and exemplary implementation, demonstrating unity "top to bottom, consensus, horizontal and vertical communication"; increasingly smooth, tight and effective coordination has truly become an irreversible movement and trend.

Regarding the tasks in the coming time, the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee requested Party committees, Party organizations, and functional agencies to continue to promote the fight against corruption and negativity with the spirit of "resolutely, persistently, without rest, without stopping, without forbidden areas, without exceptions, regardless of who the person is", effectively implementing the tasks of preventing and fighting corruption and negativity according to the Conclusion of the 23rd Session of the General Secretary, Head of the Steering Committee and the 2023 Work Program of the Steering Committee.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong requested that, with the spirit of promoting the results of the first 6 months of the year, the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity needs to be done more actively, strongly, resolutely and effectively, without avoiding, pushing, or blaming objective factors. Agencies must coordinate to do better in inspection and auditing work to proactively prevent, not leave loopholes, not let them be exploited. Propaganda, education and supervision work needs to be further strengthened to avoid being exploited, incited to cause disorder, and internal division; more attention needs to be paid to preventing and combating negativity, degradation of political ideology, moral qualities and lifestyle. Because hidden negativity is much more dangerous, it must be fought.

The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee directed to review, rectify and immediately overcome the manifestations of shirking, avoidance, working half-heartedly, and fear of making mistakes among a number of cadres and party members, especially leaders and managers at all levels. This is a manifestation of negativity, causing many bad consequences, slowing down the socio-economic development of the country, so it is necessary to focus on rectifying and overcoming this situation immediately.

The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee directs the inspection to clarify the responsibilities of collectives, individuals, and leaders in the development and promulgation of mechanisms, policies, and laws that have many loopholes and inadequacies for organizations and individuals to take advantage of; resolutely and strictly handle violations, not allowing "group interests" and "local interests" to be inserted in the promulgation of policies and laws, causing damage to the State and society.

The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee focused on directing the acceleration of investigation, prosecution, and trial of cases, handling of cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee, especially cases occurring at Viet A Company, FLC Group, Tan Hoang Minh, Van Thinh Phat Group, AIC Company, Vietnam Register and provincial and municipal registration centers; urgently bringing 05 cases to first instance trial in the second quarter of 2023: The case of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste; Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" occurred at the Tan Viet Phat 2 commercial service and residential area project, Phu Hai ward, Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan province. The case of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste" occurred at the Traffic Construction Corporation 1 (Cienco1). The case of “Bribery; Receiving bribes; Fraudulent appropriation of property; Abuse of position and power while performing official duties; Bribery brokerage” occurred at the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of related units. The case of “Smuggling; Illegal transportation of currency across the border” occurred at Hamlet 5, Chau Phu An Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province. The case of “Property embezzlement” occurred at the Vietnam Coast Guard Command. At the same time, promptly inspect and promptly and strictly handle party organizations and party members with signs of violations in cases and incidents as required by the Steering Committee.

The Provincial Steering Committee directs relevant agencies to strengthen coordination in inspection, auditing, investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of judgments; focus on inspection, supervision, and examination of specialized fields, closed activities, and areas prone to corruption and negativity, and prominent issues that cause social outrage; strictly and effectively handle the situation of "petty corruption"; direct the acceleration of investigation and handling of corruption and negativity cases, especially those assigned by the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negativity to localities for handling, and those under the supervision and direction of the Provincial Steering Committee.

Also at this meeting, the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee agreed to establish 5 inspection teams of the Steering Committee to inspect the institutionalization of the Party's policies and guidelines on preventing and combating corruption and negativity into State laws at a number of Party committees and organizations directly under the Central Committee; and organize a conference to review 1 year of operation of the Provincial Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity.