Cleaning up the Party: Not only fighting corruption, recovering corrupt assets

After the 13th National Party Congress, the Party's clean-up campaign has seen new moves. In early June 2021, the Secretariat issued Directive 04 on "Strengthening the Party's leadership in the recovery of lost and misappropriated assets in criminal cases of corruption and economic crimes". Recently, the Politburo held a meeting to give opinions on the Project to amend and supplement the functions, tasks and powers of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption by adding the phrase "anti-negativity" to the Steering Committee.

Just a short time after the issuance of Directive No. 04 of the Secretariat (June 2, 2021), the recovery of corrupt assets has shown positive signs.

In the first 6 months of 2021, the prosecution agencies have seized, temporarily detained, attached assets, frozen accounts, and prevented asset transactions in corruption and economic cases worth more than VND 14,400 billion. The civil enforcement agency has recovered more than VND 1,900 billion. Particularly, the cases under the supervision and direction of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption have seized, temporarily detained, attached assets, frozen accounts, and prevented the dissipation of assets worth more than VND 1,467 billion and many other valuable assets. During the enforcement phase, nearly VND 1,900 billion has been recovered.

This is truly a strong change in the work of recovering lost and misappropriated assets in criminal cases of corruption and economic crimes, which has been a limitation in the fight against corruption in recent times.

From the perspective of institutional development, lawyer Vu Tuan (Viet Phong Law Firm, Hanoi Bar Association) commented that Directive 04 of the Secretariat has pointed out the weaknesses or outdated aspects of current regulations. On the other hand, this Directive has a great impact on the role of Party committees, heads of departments, and agencies responsible under the law in the recovery of lost and misappropriated assets in criminal cases of corruption and economic crimes. At the same time, it also promotes the review, amendment, supplementation, construction, and improvement of mechanisms and legal policies on the recovery of lost and misappropriated assets.

In addition, the inspection and strict handling of many corrupt and negative officials in law enforcement agencies and anti-corruption agencies have also been stepped up. Through inspection, examination and internal control, ministries and branches have detected and transferred 125 cases with signs of crime to the investigation agency for investigation and handling according to the law.

In particular, the investigation, prosecution and trial of corruption and economic cases have been focused on, with strong leadership and direction, with many new cases and defendants being prosecuted, including many high-ranking officials, continuing to implement the directive on corruption prevention and control, which is "no forbidden zones" and "no exceptions".

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Trong Phuc - former Director of the Institute of Party History (Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics) affirmed: "Tighten Party discipline, tighten State laws to warn all cadres and Party members at any level to be subject to Party discipline and State laws, "no forbidden zones", "no safe landing". If there are signs of violating Party discipline and State laws, it must continue to be handled, which has educational significance for all current cadres".

The Party's purification campaign has been pushed forward, not only stopping at investigating, prosecuting, and trying corruption and economic cases, and recovering lost assets. Recently, on September 11, the Politburo held a meeting to give opinions on the Project to amend and supplement the functions, tasks, and powers of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Unfairness and agreed on the name of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Unfairness (adding the word "unfairness") to fully cover the functions, tasks, and powers of the Steering Committee.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said that although the work of fighting to prevent and repel the degradation of political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and the manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" has been led and directed resolutely and has had clear changes, there are still many shortcomings and limitations. The degradation of political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and the manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party are still complicated. Therefore, amending and supplementing the functions, tasks, and powers of the Steering Committee to direct the prevention of both corruption and negativity is extremely necessary, contributing to the successful implementation of the 13th National Party Congress.

The Politburo's decision to amend and supplement the functions, tasks and powers of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity continues to affirm the determination of the Party and State in the fight against corruption and negativity, resolutely, continuously, without rest, to clean up the contingent of cadres and party members, to meet the requirements, demands and trust of the people in the leadership role of the Party.

Focusing on preventing and combating corruption, at the same time not overlooking or overlooking negative behaviors of civil servants and public employees, the determination to continuously, without rest, without exception in the fight against corruption in the coming time will certainly continue to be promoted in any circumstances, contributing to building an increasingly clean and strong Party and State, meeting the requirements of national development in the new period and the trust and expectations of the people.

According to VOV