In 2017, the Committee has stepped up efforts to prosecute serious cases of economic violations and corruption involving high-ranking public officials, which has become the subject of public attention, said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
PetroVietnam is in the focus this year with the most high profile corruption case this year.
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“Trials have been more open with aim toward democracy and transparency whilst respecting the law. Moreover, harsh sentences are given out but still ensure its humane factor”.
Recently, the government has issued new regulations with regards to inspection, decentralization, the appointment and transferring of public officials, with an aim to prevent and tackle cases of violation and corruption.
However, Trong requested better co-operation and co-ordination between administrative agencies on preventing criminals from fleeing the country. Moreover, the inspection process remains slow, while some anti-corruption measures have not been efficient.
While 2017 was a successful year in the fight against corruption, Trong stressed there remains work to do in 2018. Anti-corruption authorities brought 12 cases with 172 suspects, 73 of whom were convicted. The most serious cases drew three death sentences and three life sentences.
Authorities also managed to complete investigations into 16 more cases involving 216 suspects.
In 2018, the Committee will focus on prosecuting 21 cases of corruption and open investigations into a further 21 incidents.
The Committee will also work on finalizing economic management and corruption prevention frameworks, as well as political and legal tools to fight corruption. Authorities will also try and raise awareness of the law to make the fight against corruption more effective at the local level.
Trong asked authorities to focus on preventing day-to-day corruption and to remove corrupt officials from the system, starting with the departments tasked with fighting corruption. Meanwhile, it is important to speed up the process of inspecting and dealing with loss-making projects.
“The Committee needs to prioritize dealing with major corruption cases and cases that have attracted public interests, while intensifying investigation and auditing in fields with high risks of corruption,” Trong requested.
