More than 1,000 flights have been operated, bringing home 240,000 Vietnamese from 60 countries and territories safely. (Photo: VNA) She noted that it is also a very important and unprecedented task assigned to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, relevant ministries, agencies and localities, and Vietnamese offices in foreign countries, when speaking at the ministry’s regular press conference on February 17.
Asked to share her views on the case that some individuals of the Consular Department under the Foreign Ministry were prosecuted and detained for “taking bribes” in connection with the repatriation of Vietnamese abroad, the spokesperson stressed that in the context of fighting an unprecedented pandemic with limited medical capacity, Vietnam is one of the very few countries in the world that have continuously conducted repatriation flights, which has been appreciated by Vietnamese at home and abroad and the international community.
Since the first flight carrying Vietnamese citizens in China’s Wuhan city back to Vietnam in early February 2020, more than 1,000 similar flights have been operated, bringing home 240,000 Vietnamese from 60 countries and territories safely, Hang said, stressing that the case of some individuals abusing their position for personal gains, therefore, cannot negate such efforts and results.
She also emphasised the Foreign Ministry’s consistent view on zero tolerance to any wrongdoing, and all violations of law must be handled in line with legal regulations.
The ministry has closely coordinated with competent agencies to investigate the case, and has suspended the officials involved from their positions to serve the investigation, she added.
The ministry has also asked domestic agencies and Vietnamese representative offices abroad to quickly review their working procedures and make any necessary changes to ensure efficiency and transparency, enhance administrative disciplines and work ethics, conduct serious and regular inspections and supervision, especially those on administrative procedures, consular affairs and citizen protection, and promptly prevent as well as strictly handle any signs of degradation in political ideology, morality, lifestyle, self-evolution and self-transformation, and acts that abuse position and power for personal gain, according to the spokesperson./.
VNA
