Handling violations through complaints and denunciations

Many violations were handled

In 2021, localities promptly led, directed, and coordinated the settlement of citizens' complaints and denunciations (KNTC) as soon as they arose at the grassroots level. Thereby, violations and acts of corruption were promptly detected and handled.

During the year, State administrative agencies resolved 281/316 cases, reaching a rate of 88.9%. Through resolutionresolve complaints and denunciations, citizens' recommendations and reflections discovered 3 cases with signs of violations and transferred them to the police investigation agency.

Defendants Luu Quang Thuong, Nguyen Van Hong, Tran Cong Oanh (from left to right), former officials of Nghi Tien commune, Nghi Loc district, at the trial. Photo: Nhu Binh

In particular, the Nghi Loc District People's Committee discovered two cases with signs of violations. That was the case of citizens denouncing the former Chairman of the Commune People's Committee and a land official of Nghi Tien Commune for abusing their positions and powers to receive illegal aquatic product support money.

Through the settlement of the complaint, the Party Committee of Nghi Tien commune for the 2010-2015 and 2015-2020 terms was disciplined with a warning; 7 individuals were disciplined. The case was prosecuted by the Provincial Police and on November 1, 2021, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened a first-instance criminal trial to try the case of "Abuse of position and power while performing official duties" against Luu Quang Thuong (born in 1954), former Chairman of Nghi Tien commune People's Committee for the period 2004-7/2014; Tran Cong Oanh (born in 1960) - former Chairman of the commune People's Committee for the period September 2014-7/2020 and Nguyen Van Hong (born in 1980) - former agricultural land official, period 2013-9/2020).

The investigation agency determined that the total amount of money caused by the defendants' crimes to the State budget was more than 722 million VND. The People's Court of Nghe An province sentenced defendant Luu Quang Thuong to 12 months of non-custodial reform; Tran Cong Oanh to 24 months in prison; and Nguyen Van Hong to 36 months in prison.

Authorities check documents. Photo: Hong Ngoc

Also in Nghi Tien commune, through resolving the content of the citizen's complaint that the former Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, the land official and the Chairman of the Commune Fatherland Front Committee took advantage of their positions and powers to receive compensation for land acquisition for Road D4 in violation of regulations, and discovered signs of violations, Nghi Loc District People's Committee transferred the case to the Nghi Loc District Police Investigation Agency for investigation and handling.

According to the leaders of Nghi Loc district: In 2021, the rate of handling petitions in the area reached 91%. The district has established 41 inspection teams to inspect and verify petitions, complaints, recommendations and reflections of citizens; and consider the responsibility of 22 individuals with violations mentioned in the inspection conclusion. Of which, 4 officials and civil servants of Nghi Truong commune were subject to disciplinary reprimand. Currently, the District Internal Affairs Department is advising the District People's Committee to review individuals in Nghi Xuan and Nghi Tien communes.

At the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district, the rate of handling petitions in 2021 reached 96%. Through handling petitions and complaints, the People's Committee of the district transferred to the investigation agency of the District Police 1 case related to violations in land management and use in Do Thanh commune.

Mr. Tran Ngoc Tu - Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee reported the results and proposed solutions to the citizens' petitions. Photo courtesy of Pham Bang

In Vinh city, identifying the work of receiving people and resolving complaints as one of the top important tasks to create a stable environment for focused development, the City People's Committee has directed the implementation of many proactive and drastic solutions, such as establishing verification and resolution teams, focusing on dialogue with citizens; strengthening grassroots mediation; proactively reviewing, classifying, and urging to resolve complicated and prolonged cases...

Thanks to that, the number of cases received by citizens decreased by 41%; received petitions decreased by 27%, cases decreased by 29.5% compared to the same period. The whole city resolved 995/1024 cases, reaching 97%, exceeding the target set by the City Congress Resolution (96%). In particular, in the past year, the City People's Committee has conducted a general review, classification, and urging of complicated, pending, and prolonged cases, thereby resolving 35/48 cases, and is continuing to coordinate with relevant departments and branches to resolve the remaining 13 cases, ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, in accordance with the law.

Overview of the dialogue between the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and citizens related to the National Highway 1A expansion and upgrade project. Photo: Pham Bang

In 2021, through complaint settlement, the whole province discovered violations, proposed to recover and return to individuals 38.8 million VND and 120/439 m2 of land; requested competent authorities and proceeded to handle the responsibility of 5 individuals. Through complaint settlement, discovered violations and proposed to recover to the State budget 1,280 million VND, recovered 964 million VND; requested competent authorities to administratively handle 2 collectives, 19 individuals with violations; transferred to the investigation agency 3 cases, 5 subjects.

There are still many difficulties.

Although there have been many changes, some localities in the process of resolving complaints and denunciations of cases under their jurisdiction have not really paid attention to organizing dialogues to listen to citizens' opinions and aspirations, leading to prolonged and complicated case resolution, especially cases related to land.

Regarding this issue, a representative of the Nghe An Department of Natural Resources and Environment said: “Through the work of handling complaints and petitions on natural resources and environment, it can be seen that the classification of petitions for handling at the district and commune levels still confuses complaints with petitions and land disputes, leading to the process of resolving cases not ensuring regulations. The land dispute mediation work of some commune, ward and town authorities is still formal and not very effective. Many cases are resolved by the district People's Committee with slow time, and the verification results of some cases have not clarified the nature of the problem, leading to unfounded conclusions."

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment focuses on developing a plan for allocating and zoning provincial land in the Nghe An Provincial Planning. Photo: Mai Hoa

From the reality of handling complaints and denunciations, Nghi Loc district has also pointed out difficulties and problems such as: The quality of handling some complaints and denunciations at the commune level is not high; some establishments still have the phenomenon of handling the matter carelessly, pushing the matter to higher levels. Some units are slow to respond to citizens, causing citizens to go back and forth many times, causing frustration. Many policies on the regime of meritorious people and land (especially regulations on conditions for re-recognition of residential land limits, compensation for land clearance and site clearance) have many changes that are not suitable to reality and people's hearts, so many complaints have arisen. The propaganda work of legal documents at the commune level is still limited, leading to citizens not understanding the regulations, sending petitions to higher levels, and prolonging.

Some localities have raised the issue of the limited qualifications and capacity of officials receiving citizens and resolving complaints and denunciations, and their persuasiveness to citizens is not high. Some of the contents of handling after inspections and checks and the decisions and conclusions on handling complaints and denunciations are difficult to handle, especially those related to violations in land use management. There are no strict sanctions to effectively prevent cases of abusing the right to complain to cause trouble and violate the law.

It is forecasted that in the coming time, the situation of complaints and denunciations in general will continue to develop complicatedly, concentrated in areas where a lot of land is reclaimed from people to carry out socio-economic development projects.

Therefore, at the recent conference summarizing the work of inspection, handling of complaints and denunciations, comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested all levels, sectors and localities to enhance the responsibility of leaders in receiving citizens, handling complaints and denunciations; increase the quantity and quality of citizen reception, handling complaints and denunciations at all levels and sectors; promptly and thoroughly resolve new cases arising from the grassroots; not to let anger and discontent among the people occur.

The Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested the relevant agencies to continue to inspect, review, and advise on the final settlement of outstanding, complicated, and prolonged complaints and denunciations to avoid the emergence of hot spots. Strengthen the inspection of responsibilities in the work of receiving people, handling complaints and denunciations; urge, inspect, and strictly handle violations of organizations and individuals discovered through the work of handling complaints and denunciations. At the same time, enhance the responsibility and public ethics of cadres and civil servants in performing their duties, especially in areas where violations leading to complaints and denunciations are likely to arise.