General Secretary and President To Lam: Resolutely handle major corruption cases.

General Secretary and President To Lam requested that from now until the end of 2024, focus should be placed on completing the investigation, prosecution, and trial of 30 cases; and completing the verification and resolution of 6 cases under the supervision of the Steering Committee.

General Secretary and President To Lam delivers a speech at the meeting. (Photo: Tri Dung/VNA)

On August 14th, in Hanoi , the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Phenomena (the Steering Committee) held its 26th session to discuss and provide feedback on three issues: a report on the situation and results of the implementation of the work program for the first six months of 2024 and key tasks for the last six months of 2024; a report on the results of directing and handling cases and incidents under the Steering Committee's supervision and direction since the 25th session of the Steering Committee; and a report on the results of the activities of the provincial-level Steering Committees on Anti-Corruption and Negative Phenomena in the first six months of 2024.

General Secretary and President To Lam, Head of the Steering Committee, chaired the meeting.

Handling numerous unprecedented cases.

At the meeting, through discussion, the Steering Committee unanimously agreed that from the beginning of 2024 to the present, despite facing many difficulties and challenges due to unprecedented issues, under the leadership and guidance of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Head of the Steering Committee, and with the high level of unity and consensus throughout the Party, the people, and the armed forces, along with the efforts, close coordination, and effectiveness of functional agencies, the fight against corruption and negative phenomena has continued to be vigorously promoted, making an important contribution to the building and rectification of the Party, maintaining political stability, promoting socio-economic development, and strengthening and consolidating the people's trust.

Notably, many Party regulations and State laws have been amended, supplemented, and newly enacted to directly serve the work of preventing and combating corruption and negative practices.

The Politburo and the Secretariat have issued more than 30 important documents on Party building and rectification, the political system, and the prevention and fight against corruption and negative phenomena. The National Assembly has passed 13 laws, issued 3 resolutions, and considered and commented on 10 draft laws, many of which are directly related to the prevention and fight against corruption and negative phenomena.

The Government and the Prime Minister issued 98 decrees and 207 decisions; ministries and agencies issued more than 300 circulars; in particular, the National Assembly and the Government directed the review and rectification of loopholes, inadequacies, contradictions, overlaps, and obstacles in many legal documents on socio-economic management and the prevention and fight against corruption and negative practices, contributing to the creation of a synchronous, tight, unified, and feasible legal system, limiting conditions that are easily exploited for corruption and negative practices.

Inspection, supervision, investigation, and auditing work continues to be strengthened; violations are dealt with strictly and fairly, linked to holding leaders accountable for their political responsibility, creating a new breakthrough in the fight against corruption and negative practices.

In the first six months of 2024, Party committees and inspection committees at all levels disciplined 308 Party organizations and 11,005 Party members (an increase of 34 Party organizations and 1,055 Party members compared to the same period in 2023). The Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Inspection Committee disciplined 47 officials under central management.

The Inspection and Auditing sector focused on inspecting and auditing areas and localities prone to corruption and negative practices, as well as specific topics and cases as directed by the Steering Committee. Through inspections and audits, recommendations were made to recover and handle financial irregularities totaling 71,431.6 billion VND and 24.9 hectares of land; and recommendations were made to handle administrative violations by 856 collectives and 3,862 individuals (an increase of 72 collectives and 950 individuals compared to the same period in 2023). The coordination mechanism in detecting and handling corruption and negative practices through inspection, auditing, investigation, prosecution, trial, and enforcement of judgments continued to be promoted; functional agencies transferred 269 cases with signs of criminal activity to investigative agencies for investigation and handling in accordance with the law.

The State Audit Office has provided 89 audit files, reports, and related documents to competent authorities to serve investigation, inspection, and supervision work. Since the beginning of the year, competent authorities have considered dismissing, retiring, or reassigning 14 officials under central management and 172 officials under local Party committee management for their responsibility as heads of departments or involvement in corruption and negative cases; including 5 Politburo members, 1 Secretariat member, and 4 Central Committee members.

Investigation, prosecution, and trial work has been directed to be carried out vigorously and decisively. Many particularly serious corruption and negative cases, involving multiple ministries, sectors, and localities, have been directed to be handled strictly in accordance with the motto "handling one case serves as a warning to an entire region and sector," and "no forbidden zones, no exceptions."

In the first six months of 2024, across the country, 2,836 new cases/5,975 defendants were prosecuted and investigated for corruption, economic, and official misconduct crimes (an increase of 841 cases and 1,487 defendants compared to the same period in 2023).

Specifically, for cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee, investigations have been completed, prosecutions have been initiated, and trials have been conducted at the first instance for 8 cases/212 defendants, and at the appellate level for 6 cases/39 defendants.

The Provincial Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption and Negative Practices operates in an increasingly orderly and effective manner, creating many positive changes in the fight against corruption and negative practices at the local level.

In the first six months of 2024, provincial steering committees decided to place 107 cases of corruption and negative practices under their monitoring and guidance for focused handling; local prosecuting agencies initiated new prosecutions in 444 cases/1,003 defendants related to corruption.

Many localities have discovered and severely dealt with numerous cases of corruption that occurred many years ago; prosecuting officials under the management of provincial and city Party committees, as well as leading officials at the departmental and district levels of the localities, notably in Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Thai Binh, Gia Lai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Thuan, An Giang, Bac Ninh, Binh Dinh, and Nghe An.

Authorities have strictly implemented measures to control power and prevent corruption and negative practices in inspection, supervision, auditing, investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of judgments.

In the first six months of 2024, more than 150 cases of corruption and misconduct were detected and handled, including over 50 cases resulting in criminal prosecution.

The work of recovering assets obtained through corruption, and the assessment and valuation of assets, continues to receive attention and guidance, with many positive developments. The prosecuting authorities have proactively applied various measures to verify, track down, and recover misappropriated or lost assets.

Specifically for cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee in the first six months of 2024, civil enforcement agencies recovered nearly 7,750 billion VND, bringing the total amount recovered since the establishment of the Steering Committee to 85,520 billion VND.

Information and communication efforts regarding the prevention and fight against corruption and negative practices have continued to be intensified. Media outlets and newspapers have actively and extensively disseminated information on the prevention and fight against corruption and negative practices; in particular, they have prominently promoted the exemplary revolutionary ethics, simple, upright, and honest lifestyle, dedicated, scientific, thorough, and decisive work style, and the guiding thoughts and viewpoints of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on the prevention and fight against corruption and negative practices.

At the same time, it affirms the determination, continuity, unwavering resolve, and perseverance of General Secretary and President To Lam in the fight against corruption and negative phenomena, creating a widespread impact in society and strengthening the people's trust in the Party and State's determination to combat corruption and negative phenomena.

Prosecuting one case serves as a wake-up call for the entire region and sector.

Concluding the meeting, General Secretary and President To Lam, Head of the Steering Committee, commended the internal affairs, inspection, auditing, police, military, prosecution, court, and judicial agencies for their efforts, close coordination, timely guidance, and resolution of difficulties and obstacles to accelerate the investigation and handling of cases, uncovering many unprecedented incidents.

General Secretary and President To Lam delivers the concluding remarks at the meeting. (Photo: Tri Dung/VNA)

Proactively identify and pinpoint key areas, initiate new prosecutions, expand investigations to clarify the nature of corruption, embezzlement, collusion, and group interests; resolutely handle violations, long-standing unresolved cases, and newly arising cases involving multiple sectors and localities.

The cases were handled with strict but also humane sentences, resolutely addressing political responsibility and holding leaders accountable for corruption and negative practices in their assigned areas, localities, and agencies, as well as violations of exemplary conduct and the prohibitions for Party members.

In the final months of 2024 and the coming period, General Secretary and President To Lam requested that Party committees, Party organizations, and functional agencies absolutely not be complacent or satisfied with the results achieved, but must continue to vigorously and comprehensively implement solutions; resolutely and persistently fight against corruption and negative phenomena according to the motto "continuously, without rest, without forbidden areas, without exceptions, regardless of who the person is; prosecuting one case serves as a warning to the entire region and sector."

The General Secretary and President emphasized that the fight against corruption and negative practices must serve socio-economic development, and that intensifying this work should not negatively impact or hinder socio-economic development.

From now until the end of 2024 and in the years to come, the fight against corruption and negative practices must be linked to the successful organization of Party congresses at all levels and the 14th National Congress of the Party, ensuring that no cases of corruption, negative practices, ideological, political, moral, or lifestyle degradation, violations of Party discipline, or violations of the law are allowed into Party committees.

The fight against corruption and negative practices must meet the requirements of serving socio-economic development well, accelerating towards the goals set by the 13th National Party Congress.

Accelerate the construction and comprehensive completion of the institutional framework for preventing and combating corruption and negative practices, remove bottlenecks and obstacles, and avoid the situation where "officials are afraid to act, are not allowed to act, and are unable to act." Maintain stability for national development, avoid hindering progress, and achieve the dual goals.

Enhance the effectiveness of measures to prevent corruption and negative practices; further improve propaganda and education work; build a culture of integrity and honesty, free from corruption and negative practices; effectively implement political regulations and revolutionary ethical standards for cadres and Party members in the new era; strengthen control and enforcement of power, and strictly and promptly handle violations of corruption and negative practices in agencies with functions to prevent and combat corruption and negative practices; strengthen and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of supervision by elected bodies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, the press, and the people in the work of preventing and combating corruption and negative practices.

Emphasizing that the fight against corruption and negative practices must be implemented down to the grassroots level of Party organizations and branches, and must be supervised by cadres, Party members, and the people, General Secretary and President To Lam proposed that the Party's policies and the fight against corruption and negative practices be included in the regular activities of Party branches and thoroughly understood by each Party member; and that the effectiveness of the Provincial Steering Committee for the Prevention and Combat of Corruption and Negative Practices be further improved, and that the fight against corruption and negative practices be intensified at the local and grassroots levels.

Paying particular attention to the work of preventing and combating negativity, especially the negative manifestations that are the root cause of corruption, General Secretary and President To Lam pointed out that the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity, in which negativity leads to corruption and hinders development, as the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said, is a decline in ideology, politics, morality, and lifestyle that leads to corruption and negativity.

The General Secretary and President requested that leadership and guidance be focused on effectively implementing the tasks outlined in the Steering Committee's 2024 work program and the conclusions of the Steering Committee's and Standing Committee's meetings, with a focus on the following key tasks:

First, Focus on decisively addressing weaknesses and unfinished tasks, especially resolving limitations, difficulties, and obstacles in asset appraisal and valuation, document provision, judicial assistance, and the pursuit and extradition of fugitives; difficulties and obstacles in recovering assets obtained through corruption; and implementing strong measures to overcome petty corruption that causes inconvenience to citizens and businesses. Accelerate the verification and investigation of serious and complex corruption and negative practices that attract public attention.

The goal is to complete the investigation, prosecution, and trial of 30 cases by the end of 2024; and to complete the verification and resolution of 6 cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee.

In particular, focus on investigating and resolving definitively cases and incidents related to AIC Company, Xuyen Viet Oil, Vietnam Electricity Group, Thuan An Group, Phuc Son, Van Thinh Phat, Saigon Dai Ninh project (Lam Dong),... and cases and incidents related to personnel for party congresses at all levels.

Secondly, Directing the continued strengthening and comprehensive improvement of institutions to prevent and combat corruption and negative practices. The focus is on perfecting institutions related to power control, corruption prevention and control; protecting those who fight against corruption and negative practices; controlling assets and income of officials and those in positions of power; handling evidence and assets seized, confiscated, or frozen during the investigation, prosecution, and trial of cases; and cashless payments…

Urgently address the loopholes and shortcomings in mechanisms, policies, and laws as recommended by relevant authorities.

Thirdly , direct the strengthening, synchronization, and effectiveness of inspection, supervision, auditing, and investigation work, focusing on areas prone to corruption and negative practices, and on specific topics and cases as directed by the Steering Committee.

In particular, focus on thoroughly investigating and handling violations by Party organizations and Party members related to cases and incidents occurring at Phuc Son Group, Thuan An Group, AIC Company, etc.

Fourth, Continue to direct efforts to improve the effectiveness of information, propaganda, and education on preventing and combating corruption and negative practices, and persistently build a culture of integrity and freedom from corruption and negative practices among cadres, Party members, and the people.

Strongly promote the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, the press, and the people in the fight against corruption and negative phenomena.

Fifthly, Continue to direct efforts to improve the effectiveness of the Provincial Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption and Negative Phenomena; effectively overcome the problem of "petty corruption," and create even stronger changes in the fight against corruption and negative phenomena at the local level.

Strengthen control over the exercise of power, and promptly and strictly handle violations, corruption, and negative practices in agencies responsible for preventing and combating corruption and negative practices.

Also at this meeting, the Steering Committee unanimously agreed to conclude the handling of 7 cases and 5 incidents under the Steering Committee's supervision and direction, and 11 cases under the Central Internal Affairs Commission's supervision, as the resolution process has been completed in accordance with the law.

Source