Resolutely handle serious corruption and negative cases

On November 22, at the Party Central Committee headquarters, the Standing Committee of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negativity (Steering Committee) held a meeting to discuss and give opinions on: Results of directing the handling of a number of cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee; Results of directing supervision and clarifying violations and responsibilities of organizations and individuals in the development and promulgation of policies and laws related to the fields of banking, finance, public assets, valuation, financial autonomy, securities, and corporate bonds.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Head of the Steering Committee chaired the meeting.

New prosecution of many defendants in particularly serious cases

Since the 23rd meeting of the Steering Committee (January 2023) up to now, the authorities have made many efforts and attempts to strictly implement the Conclusion of the General Secretary and Head of the Steering Committee. The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity in general, and the work of investigating and handling corruption and negativity cases and incidents in particular, continue to be promoted, resolutely, synchronously and more effectively at both the central and local levels.

The progress of investigation and handling of cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee basically met the requirements of the Steering Committee and the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee, with some cases exceeding the set plan.

Notably, the Steering Committee continued to monitor and direct 68 cases and 45 incidents; initiated new prosecutions of 12 cases/45 defendants, initiated additional prosecutions of 238 defendants in 23 cases; concluded investigations and supplementary investigations of 20 cases/369 defendants; issued indictments to prosecute 15 cases/252 defendants; tried 13 cases/194 defendants at first instance; tried 13 cases/82 defendants at appeal.

Since Session 24, 3 new cases/9 defendants have been prosecuted, 95 additional defendants have been prosecuted in 12 cases; 7 cases/174 defendants have been investigated, 3 cases/21 defendants have been investigated; 5 cases/71 defendants have been prosecuted; 2 cases/38 defendants have been tried at first instance; 5 cases/11 defendants have been tried at appeal.

The authorities have proactively detected, resolutely fought, expanded investigations, and prosecuted many new defendants in large, especially serious, complicated corruption and negativity cases, organized violations, involving many ministries, branches, and localities, both in the state and non-state sectors, causing public outrage, such as the case at Van Thinh Phat Group, SCB Bank, and related units and organizations have expanded investigations, prosecuted 2 more cases, and prosecuted 72 new defendants (of which, 23 defendants are department and bureau level leaders, officials of inspection, auditing, banking inspection and supervision agencies, and leaders of inspection and banking in some localities).

The case occurred in the field of vehicle inspection, so far, 114 cases have been prosecuted, 808 defendants in 49 localities; the investigation has been concluded, and prosecution of cases occurred at Viet A Company, FLC Group, Tan Hoang Minh, Saigon Co.op has been proposed.

Five key cases as planned by the Steering Committee have completed the first-instance trial, including the case that occurred at the Tan Viet Phat 2 Commercial and Residential Area Project, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province; the case that occurred at the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of related units; the case of smuggling and illegal transportation of currency across the border that occurred at Hamlet 5, Chau Phu An Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province; the case that occurred at the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway Project (Phase II); the case that occurred at the Department of Health of Quang Ninh Province, AIC Company and related units.

Party committees and inspection committees at all levels have focused on inspecting and strictly handling party organizations and party members with signs of violations in cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee. Prominent cases, with many public opinions, are related to degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, declaration of assets, income, etc.

Of these, the Central Inspection Committee conducted 9 inspections of party organizations and party members when there were signs of violations related to cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee; directed inspections when there were signs of violations of 76 party organizations related to cases and incidents occurring at FLC Group, Van Thinh Phat Group, and AIC Company.

To date, 3 inspections have been completed. Through the inspections, 26 party organizations and 57 party members have been disciplined, including 7 cadres under the management of the Politburo and Secretariat (including 3 former Provincial Party Secretaries; 4 Chairmen and former Chairmen of the Provincial People's Committee).

Since the beginning of the year, ministries, branches and localities have transferred 480 cases with signs of crime discovered during inspection, supervision, audit and investigation to investigation agencies for investigation and handling according to regulations.

The work of recovering assets in cases under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee continues to have positive changes. Since the beginning of the year, the agencies conducting the proceedings have temporarily detained, seized assets, frozen accounts, and prevented transactions of assets worth over VND 232,000 billion and many other valuable assets. The civil enforcement agencies have recovered over VND 9,000 billion, bringing the total amount recovered in cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Steering Committee to VND 75,800 billion (reaching 49.44%).

Further strengthen the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity

Concluding the meeting, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong assessed that the Standing Office of the Steering Committee had prepared a concise and specific report and proposed many issues. With the spirit of promoting, doing better and more effectively, the fight against corruption and negativity must not stop here, but must continue in the long term, studying laws and policy mechanisms to have the right, effective measures.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity has been increasingly improved, with more experience and lessons learned; it is necessary to build theories on the fight against corruption and negativity in Vietnam.

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 prevention and fight against corruption and negativity, focus on thoroughly handling unfinished tasks, weak stages, serious and complicated corruption and negativity cases and incidents that are of public concern, especially focusing on inspection, supervision, auditing, investigation, and strict handling of violations related to cases and incidents occurring at Viet A Company, AIC Company, FLC Group, Tan Hoang Minh, Van Thinh Phat, etc.

The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee emphasized the effort to complete the verification and handling of 10 cases by the end of 2023; issue indictments to prosecute 5 cases; conduct first-instance trials of 7 cases, and conduct appeal trials of 3 cases. Of these, indictments were issued for prosecution of 2 cases (the case occurred at Van Thinh Phat Group, SCB Bank and related units and organizations; the case occurred at FLC Group Joint Stock Company, BOS Securities Company and related companies); brought to trial 4 key cases at first instance (the case occurred at the Military Medical Academy of the Ministry of National Defense (related to cooperation, research and production of COVID-19 test kits with Viet A Company); the case occurred at Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Hai Duong province and related units and localities; the case occurred at Tan Hoang Minh Hotel Service Trading Company Limited; the case occurred at the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Trading Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op).

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong noted that the review and handling of the situation is slow and stagnant, and it is necessary to find out the cause and take remedial measures. The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity must be done thoroughly and effectively, not just to set an example or do it for the sake of it. It is necessary to extend the implementation period until results are achieved.

The Standing Committee of the Steering Committee requested the Central prosecution agencies to strengthen inspection, promptly direct and guide local authorities to remove difficulties and obstacles in investigating and handling corruption, economic and negative cases, especially cases and incidents under the supervision and direction of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Cases. The Central Internal Affairs Committee monitors and urges; the provincial and municipal Party Committees and the provincial Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Cases direct the handling.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong requested to strengthen coordination and more effective combat cooperation between functional agencies and reiterated that "crabs should not rely on their claws or fish on their fins" or "monks say monks are right, monks say monks are right."

The competent authorities must study, propose, supplement, adjust and amend the law in accordance with reality. The Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity needs to continue to provide specific and detailed guidance on the functions and tasks of the Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity in localities.

At this meeting, the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee requested relevant agencies to urgently and strictly implement the recommendations and proposals in the report on the results of the supervision and direction of the National Assembly Party Delegation; direct the review and clarification of the responsibilities of relevant collectives and individuals, and report the results to the Steering Committee at the 25th Session.