November 27, 2024
HANOI – More than VNĐ26.2 trillion (US$1.03 billion) has been recovered from pursuing corruption cases.
Nguyễn Huy Tiến, Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, revealed the total during the eighth session of the 15th National Assembly on Tuesday morning in Hà Nội.
During the session, presided over by Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), Senior Lieutenant General Trần Quang Phương, the NA deputies heard the Government’s report on anti-corruption efforts this year and the related verification report.
Presenting a report on the work of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, Tiến said in 2024, the agency had strengthened its cooperation with the Ministry of Public Security and the Supreme People’s Court to accelerate investigations, prosecutions and the trial of numerous large-scale corruption and economic cases.
The cases were under the direct supervision and guidance of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Practices.
The process of investigation, prosecution and trial has included measures to ensure the recovery of more than VNĐ26.2 trillion ($1.03 billion).
Also at the session, Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, Lê Minh Trí, said that in 2024, many major economic and corruption cases had been rigorously prosecuted.
The cases included high-profile ones overseen by the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Practices and its provincial counterparts.
Many significant cases, causing public outrage and substantial harm, had also been dealt with.
“The courts have imposed strict penalties on the masterminds and ringleaders, who exploited their positions to appropriate State assets and differentiated the suspects, ensuring that the punishment was both severe and humane, in line with legal requirements,” he said.
In his report on anti-corruption work in 2024, authorised by the Prime Minister, General Inspector of the Government Inspectorate of Việt Nam, Đoàn Hồng Phong, said in 2024, the fight against corruption and negative practices had been consistently prioritised by the leadership of the Party and State, particularly the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Practices.
Ministries, localities and anti-corruption agencies had deployed decisive measures, yielding notable results that resonated positively within society, with widespread support from officials, Party members and the public.
Challenges
However, Phong also pointed out several ongoing challenges, including the slow pace of addressing gaps and shortcomings in mechanisms, policies and laws.
Some preventive measures against corruption had not been comprehensively implemented. Instances of shirking responsibility and reluctance to take action remained and efforts to apprehend fugitives abroad continued to face significant obstacles.
“The value of assets still to be recovered in corruption cases remains substantial,” he said.
Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, Lê Thị Nga, said she agreed with the Government’s report on the state of corruption, acknowledging that in 2024, the anti-corruption work continued to make significant strides both at the central and local levels.
“Several new policies and regulations have been introduced, implemented and enforced effectively,” she said.
However, she added that corruption and negative practices remained severe in certain sectors, with serious issues emerging in areas such as urban planning, construction, energy, bidding, public asset management, land use and natural resource extraction.
“Corruption and negativity in the administrative and public service sectors still occur,” she said.
Causes, recommendations
The corruption scandals of recent years demonstrated a lack of proper oversight and accountability, particularly from heads in State management roles.
The monitoring of the use of power by officials had not received adequate attention and the issue of civil servants avoiding responsibility, lacking capability or fearing mistakes continued to slow progress.
“Many persistent issues in the fight against corruption have been identified for years but remain unresolved,” she said.
Therefore, the judiciary committee urged the Government to comprehensively assesse the challenges, identifie root causes and propose breakthrough solutions to enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts.
The Committee also recommended that the Government, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuracy and the State Audit continue to improve the legal system in accordance with anti-corruption regulations.
The Government should address legal issues concerning the control of assets and income of officials, and improve the management of confiscated property during investigations and trials.
Moreover, the Government should intensify inspections and audits, particularly in areas prone to corruption, such as land management, construction, public asset management and natural resource extraction.
The quality and effectiveness of efforts to detect and prosecute corruption should be further improved, focusing on solving issues with asset valuation and enhancing the professionalism of public servants.
The judiciary committee also called for measures to eliminate delays and the avoidance of responsibility within the civil service and urged further efforts to tackle corruption at all levels.
Agenda for 2025
Talking about the tasks of next year, Phong outlined the Government’s priorities for the 2025 anti-corruption agenda, focusing on effectively implementing the 2025 programme of the the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Practices and adhering to the resolutions, conclusions and directives from the Party, National Assembly, Government and Prime Minister.
He emphasised increasing accountability among leaders at all levels and addressing the issues, which has hindered progress in the fight against corruption.
The focus for 2025 would also be on strengthening the legal framework, accelerating inspections and audits in vulnerable sectors, and promptly addressing any allegations of corruption and misconduct related to personnel in Party congresses at all levels.
Investigations into complex corruption cases that attract public attention would continue, alongside efforts to curb petty corruption and ensure a more effective anti-corruption efforts at the local level.