Party Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng presides over the meeting on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Party Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng on Wednesday presided over a meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption, underlining determination and persistence in fighting wrongdoings.

The meeting discussed the handling of several cases under the committee’s responsibility following its 23rd meeting in January, as well as its 2023 inspection plan, and a conference reviewing the operation of the provincial-level anti-corruption committees after a year.

A report presented at the conference shows that anti-corruption work has seen progress at both the central and local levels, with strengthened coordination in detecting and handling violations.

A total of 1,099 cases with 2,411 defendants have been prosecuted for their involvement in corruption and economic cases.

Regarding cases under the responsibility of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption, four new cases alongside 24 defendants were prosecuted, while an additional 78 defendants were also prosecuted in 11 existing cases.

The committee also finished the investigation of three cases and 88 defendants, issued indictments in eight cases and 153 defendants, and opened first-instance trials for six cases and 51 defendants.

More than 100 Party units and 3,600 Party members were also disciplined.

The Party Central Committee, the Political Bureau, the Party Secretariat and the Central Inspection Commission also issued disciplinary measures against 12 Party units and 26 officials at the level of municipal or provincial department director or above.

These include one former member of the Party Central Committee, three chairmen and former chairmen of the provincial-level People’s Committee, and two general-level officers in the armed forces.

Through inspection and audit, authorities have transferred 137 cases suspected of criminal offenses to investigation agencies for handling in accordance with the law.

Administrative penalties were also proposed against 232 organisations and 1,146 individuals.

Investigation and prosecution proceedings were also launched against two retired major generals, two officials of the People’s Court and one of the People’s Procuracy, 14 inspection and supervision officers of the Government Inspectorate, the State Bank, the State Audit Office, the National Financial Supervision Commission, and multiple high-level officials at the local level.

Party Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s book “Resolutely, persistently fighting corruption and negative phenomena to contribute to building a more transparent and stronger Party and State”, which was released in February, is also considered a handbook in anti-corruption work.

Speaking at the meeting, Party Secretary Trọng praised the effective and coherent coordination of the authorities in handling violations with practical results.

He noted that anti-corruption work has been carried out in a methodical manner with no restricted areas or exceptions, ensuring the direction of the steering committee to fight corruption with new measures to discipline wrongdoers and recover assets that have deterrent effects.

The establishment of provincial-level steering committees on anti-corruption is also a necessary step in the right direction, he said.

Regarding the missions for the future, the steering committee asked all levels of the Party organisations and authorities to strengthen anti-corruption work in the spirit of “determination, persistence, with no delay, restricted areas or exceptions, no matter who the person is”, and without dodging responsibilities.

The committee also required inspecting and clarifying the responsibilities of organisations, individuals and management in developing and promulgating policies and regulations that contain loopholes for criminals to take advantage of, thereby strictly handling violations to prevent “group” and “local” interests.

Investigation, prosecution and adjudication progress is also required for cases under the responsibility of the steering committee, particularly the case of Việt Á Company, FLC Group, Tân Hoàng Minh Group, Vạn Thịnh Phát Group, AIC Company, the Vietnam Register and local registration offices, among others.

Five inspection groups of the anti-corruption steering committee will also be established to review the institutionalisation of the Party’s anti-corruption direction in the laws, and to organise a conference reviewing the operation of the provincial-level anti-corruption committees after one year. — VNS