This circular was issued in the context of more than a year after the Ministry of Finance issued Circular 04/2023/TT-BTC, guiding the management and financial collection for the organization of festivals and offerings, donations for relics, and festival activities.
This circular is considered an important legal document, contributing to the transparent management of offerings and donations, but not hindering religious and spiritual activities.
Previously, the management and use of offerings were almost not transparent, leading to many scandalous cases.
However, the lack of transparency led to the emergence of colloquial concepts such as "temple money" or "temple goods."
However, after more than a year of implementing Circular 04, according to the Prime Minister's Circular, "the state management of offerings and donations still has some limitations."
The reported figures for collecting and disbursing offerings and donations from relics, including national special relics, only reflect a part, not a complete picture. Some historical and cultural relic sites have not reported on time or in full the management of offerings and donations; they have not installed cameras to monitor at points of receipt and counting of offerings and donations."
The circular does not specify "some relics" but according to the Ministry of Finance's 2023 report, the total amount of offerings and donations collected from relics nationwide in the year is 4,100 billion dong. However, there are approximately 31% (equivalent to 1,771 relic sites) in localities without reporting.
In the circular, the Prime Minister emphasized that some sites have not installed cameras to monitor at points of receipt and counting of offerings and donations. Requiring 100% of relic sites to install cameras to manage transparently and openly the amount of money collected is necessary.
However, more importantly, in addition to installing cameras, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, along with localities, need to "supplement their responsibilities" more specifically in managing offerings, according to the Prime Minister's latest requirements.
At the same time, when discovering irregularities, they must correct and strictly punish organizations and individuals violating the law.
For example, the Investigation Police Agency of the Vietnam Trì City Police Department has arrested and temporarily detained Mr. Lê Trường Giang, Director of the Hùng Temple Historical Site, for abusing his position and using his assigned functions to contravene the regulations on financial management of the Hùng Temple Historical Site.
The people often call it "temple money" or "temple goods." But the people also have a very meaningful saying: "Eating temple rice chokes the throat!"
