Deputy Foreign Minister Tô Anh Dũng. — VNA/VNS Photo

The meeting discussed disciplinary measures against Dũng, member of the Party delegation to and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Nguyễn Quang Linh, Assistant to Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh.

After considering proposals by the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission, the Secretariat concluded that Dũng lacked a sense of responsibility; violated the Party’s regulations and the State’s law while leading, directing, and proposing the organisation of flights repatriating Vietnamese citizens amid the COVID-19 pandemic; and received bribes.

An investigation had been launched into the charge and Dũng was detained in early February.

Meanwhile, Linh abused his position; violated working principles and regulations; violated the Party’s regulations and the State’s law while proposing and seeking permission for businesses to organise repatriation flights amid the pandemic; and also breached the rules on the things the Party members must not commit, according to the Secretariat.

Linh, born in 1974, was arrested by the police later Tuesday on the charge of taking bribery.

The very limited number of flights bringing back Vietnamese citizens allowed into the country during COVID-19 border closures were criticised for being overly expensive and lacking transparency in selection and application procedures.

The Secretariat held that Dũng and Linh had not made self-improvement; shown degraded political thought, morality, and lifestyle; infringed the Party’s regulations and the State’s law on corruption and negative phenomena prevention and control; and violated the rules on the things the Party members must not commit as well as the responsibility for setting good examples, causing “very serious” consequences, stirring public concern, and negatively affecting the Party organisation’s reputation.

Given this, the Secretariat decided to expel Dũng and Linh from the Party and asked relevant agencies to impose administrative discipline on them in line with the Party’s disciplinary action. — VNS