The Finance sector has intensified anti-corruption work to increase transparency and publicity in operations.

The Ministry of Finance has strictly followed regulations on publicity
and transparency in its operations. Photo: Thuy Linh.

Seriously handling harassment and negativity

The Ministry of Finance has strictly followed regulations on publicity and transparency in its operations, focusing on sensitive areas that are prone to corruption such as: Tax, Customs, personnel organization, procurement, management and use of public assets, estimation and settlement of annual budget, public debt data, inspection and audit.

Legal documents and administrative procedures under the management of the Ministry of Finance are promptly updated on the portal of the Ministry of Finance and other units in the sectors to help people access, search and follow information conveniently.

For example, for the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund established by the Prime Minister on May 26, 2021, the Ministry of Finance quickly issued Circular 41/2021 to guide the organization, operation, management, use and accounting, settlement and financial disclosure of the fund to ensure publicity, transparency and efficiency.

As the agency in charge of the fund, the State Treasury has summarized and widely publicized the amount of donated money.

In addition, agencies, organizations and units under the Ministry of Finance have all developed and strictly abided by codes of conduct and professional ethics in order to help cadres and civil servants strictly comply with regulations on performance and anti-corruption work and negativity prevention.

In particular, the General Department of Customs deployed a surveillance camera system and an online customs supervision room to allow people to monitor the process of customs clearance for imported and exported goods, entry and exit vehicles and control and prevent negative behavior of customs officers in a timely manner; established a hotline to receive feedback on troublesome and negative expressions of customs officers to take appropriate measures.

The General Department of Taxation has also strengthened discipline in the duty of the whole tax sector.

According to a report of the Ministry of Finance, in the past nine months of 2021, the entire Finance sector inspected the implementation of the codes of conduct of cadres and civil servants at 970 units. As a result, all cadres and civil servants strictly abide by the regulations in their duties and do not have an authoritarian attitude towards businesses.

Raising responsibility

The Ministry of Finance said the anti-corruption work of the finance sector has made positive changes in the actions and perceptions of cadres and civil servants, and has obtained important results such as preventing and repelling corruption, negative and wasteful acts; promptly and effectively responding to the requirements of the Government in the promulgation of norms, standards, regimes and reform of administrative procedures; contributing to strict implementation of measures to strengthen the prevention, control and response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the foreseeable future, the Ministry of Finance will strengthen handling harassment and trouble for people and businesses in duty to improve the effectiveness of the fight against corruption.

The ministry will effectively manage assets and income and regulations on declaration and disclosure of assets, income, and explanation of illegal income; clarify, and promptly handle those who commit acts of corruption and negativity.

The ministry will also review, amend, supplement and perfect financial management mechanisms and policies to ensure strictness, publicity and transparency to meet the requirements of anti-corruption work and anti-wastefulness, especially the norms, standards and regimes on management and use of the state budget, land, official residence houses, corporate finance, and regimes on gift giving and receiving in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Law.

Moreover, the ministry will enhance inspection and supervision of the head of the unit in the performance of assigned tasks, the implementation of conclusions, rectification after inspection, the implementation of regulations on the personnel organization, especially in the recruitment, receipt, appointment and rotation of cadres to promptly detect and strictly handle violations.