The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Security Agency has just issued a supplementary investigation conclusion on the case of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties; Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" occurring at the Ministry of Industry and Trade and provinces and cities.
During his time as Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. Hoang Quoc Vuong was assigned to be in charge of the Department of Electricity and Renewable Energy, directly directing the advice on drafting Decision No. 13/2020/QD-TTG on specific policy mechanisms.
Accordingly, "grid-connected solar power projects and connection infrastructure with a capacity of 2,000 MW approved for implementation by the Prime Minister" will enjoy the electricity price policy according to Decision 11/2017/QD-TTg until the end of 2020. These are projects approved for additional planning before August 31, 2018.
Mr. Hoang Quoc Vuong, with the position of Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, took advantage of his position and authority to change the wording for his own purposes.
Mr. Hoang Quoc Vuong has directed the Electricity and Renewable Energy Department to draft the Prime Minister's decision to expand the scope of subjects entitled to preferential electricity prices to "grid-connected solar power projects included in the power development plans at all levels". Thus, projects approved after August 31, 2018 will enjoy preferential electricity prices.
By simply correcting the wording, Deputy Minister Hoang Quoc Vuong created a mechanism for the Trung Nam - Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant Project to enjoy a preferential electricity price of 9.35 US cents/kWh, instead of 7.09 US cents/kWh.
Using Mr. Hoang Quoc Vuong's "magic" technique of words, Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) paid Trung Nam - Thuan Nam Power Plant a total of 3,122 billion VND to buy more than 1.3 million kWh of electricity at the price of 9.35 US cents/kWh.
By correcting those few sentences, Mr. Vuong declared that he had received 1.5 billion VND from Trung Nam Construction Investment Joint Stock Company. If we temporarily believe this figure, then for only 1.5 billion VND, Mr. Vuong caused a loss of 937 billion VND.
This is the most frightening thing - unfortunately very common - that many officials and officials are willing to accept bribes from businesses regardless of the damage to the state. Receiving one bribe can lead to hundreds or thousands of losses, but they still do it.
In the Xuyen Viet Oil case, the owner Mai Thi Hong Hanh gave bribes to 8 individuals with a total amount of more than 1.3 million USD, but caused a loss of 1,463 billion VND of state assets.
Returning to the case related to the Trung Nam - Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant Project, the former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade was proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties", but is receiving 1.5 billion VND from Trung Nam Construction Investment Joint Stock Company considered an act of "receiving bribes" or not?
