Former government office head warned by prime minister

The decision to discipline Dung was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on behalf of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 9.

Dung had first been disciplined on January 14 of this year, when the Communist Party Secretariat warned him for negligence and irresponsibility in the organization of Covid-19 repatriation flights

The Secretariat found that as head of the government office, Dung had allowed certain people from the office to give and accept bribes.

Dung’s violations have “caused severe consequences and affected the reputation of the Party and the state’s administrative entities,” said the Secretariat.

Dung, 64, has been a member of the Party Central Committee, chairman of the Ha Nam Province People’s Committee and the Party Secretary of the northern province. From April 2016 to April 2021, he was the head of the government office, before retiring from his post.

The first repatriation flights were conducted during Dung’s term as head of the government office.

An ongoing investigation into the Covid-19 flight repatriation bribery scandal has resulted in the arrest of more than 40 officials and businesspeople over the past year.

The list includes high-ranking officials like former deputy foreign minister To Anh Dung, for either accepting bribes, giving bribes, committing fraud or abuse of power.

The Ministry of Public Security reported that it has confiscated a total of around VND80 billion (US$3.4 million) from the accused.