Central anti-corruption committee chalks up missions for 2019

At the meeting, members of the committee agreed that so far, anti-corruption activities have been carried out drastically with comprehensive results.

A number of resolutions, directives, and regulations have been issued to strengthen Party building and purification efforts; as well as fighting against corruption, degradation, “self-evolution”, and “self-transformation”.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly (NA) and the Government have also introduced several legal documents to complete socio-economic institutionalisation, prevent corruption, and fix loopholes in the legal system. Since the beginning of the tenure, the NA has passed 45 laws and 46 resolutions;and the Government, 511 decrees, 413 resolutions, and 160 decisions.

The inspection, auditing, investigation, and prosecution of corruption cases have been conducted effectively, resulting in breakthroughs in handling violations.

Last year, the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission took disciplinary measures on more than 650 Party members, while 38 centrally-managed officials and Party members were also dealt with. Since the 12th Party Congress, more than 60 centrally-managed officials have already received punishments.

In 2018, the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption concluded the investigations into 23 cases with 222 suspects, commencing proceedings on 20 cases with 251 individuals, a rise of 43.75 percent and 66.7 percent respectively in the number of cases. Meanwhile, first hearings were held for 23 cases with 304 defendants, five times higher in the number of cases compared to that in 2017. In particular, 10 major corruption cases drawing the special attention of the public were brought to court.

Addressing the meeting, Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, who is also head of the committee, said that in 2019, the committee will focus on speeding up the building and completion of institutions regarding socio-economic management and anti-corruption, striving to push forward in building a prevention mechanism to ensure there is no room for corruption.

The committee will propose a number of major policies and orientations on anti-corruption to serve the drafting documents of the Party’s 13th Congress, while also keeping a closer watch on areas with signs of negative deeds drawing public attention, strengthening the settlement of corruption and economic cases that are under investigation and prosecution, and uncovering new cases.

This year, the committee aims to issue directions on concluding investigations into 21 cases. Legal proceedings will be conducted on 22 cases, first instance trials on 27 cases, second instance trials on 10 cases, and finalisation on 43 others.

Together with tackling problems in asset evaluation, verification, and reclamation, as well as fixing damage in specific cases, the committee will work to strengthen anti-corruption measures at the local level and promote the role of elected agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-politic organisations, and the media in corruption prevention and control.