The Politburo for the first time ever issued a regulation on keeping power in check in personnel work and fighting the use of money or influence to gain positions and power.

Former official Trinh Xuan Thanh (middle) was expelled from the Party
for “serious violations causing public discontent and bring the Party
and the Government into disrepute.” (Photo: VNA) 

It is not accidental that Regulation 205/QD-TW was promulgated at a time when preparations are underway for all-level Party congresses towards the 13th National Party Congress.

Officials, Party members and the public have shown their approval of the new regulations, saying that it is a timely move meeting the needs in personnel preparation for the new term, ensuring that only capable and prestigious persons are selected for the Party leadership.

In reality there have been many cases when officials use the power of their positions to form interest groups or put their relatives in positions in public agencies, which is a serious violation of the principle of centralized democracy, working regulations and rules on personnel work of the Party and the State.

Even some high-ranking officials of the Party and the State committed such violations. One such example is Le Phuoc Thanh, who was stripped of the position as Secretary of the Party Committee of Quang Nam province in 2010-2015 tenure for promoting his son who did not have all the required qualifications. Another case is former standing vice chairman of the steering committee for southwest region Nguyen Phong Quang, who signed decisions to appoint more than 30 officials not following regulations. He was later stripped of all positions in the Party by the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat.

Those are just two among many cases of violations of personnel rules that have been detected and punished strictly in the recent past. The abuse of power has become a serious problem, affecting the working desire of many capable officials and causing disunity.

The identification of the bad practice of paying for promotion or job assignment in Regulation 205 serves as the foundation for functional agencies to handle such practice and for officials, Party members, the public, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other agencies and mass organisations to detect and denounce such negative acts.

Regulation 205 also stipulates additional punishments for violators. Besides disciplinary measures against Party members committing violations such as warning, reprimanding and dismissing as said in the Politburo’s Regulation 102-QD/TW, those who engage in or cover up acts relating to the use of power or money to get promotion or positions can also be removed from the personnel plan for certain periods, or be excluded from positions in organization, personnel and inspection work. Those who are expelled from Party for such violations can be dismissed from their jobs or have their working contracts end. Those who give or receive bribes, or commit violations to a certain extent will be subject to criminal liability and handed over to relevant agencies for investigations and punishment in accordance with the law.