| Government Inspectorate pointed out many violations in petroleum management and administration. (Photo: Industry and Trade Newspaper) |
Conclusion: The Chinh Inspector pointed out many violations of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in petroleum management: lack of inspection, loose management, failure to promptly detect violations…
Illegal price discrepancies
According to Decree 83/2014, the condition to be licensed as a petroleum business is to have a warehouse, a petroleum tank or to rent from another unit for 5 years or more. This leads to the fact that businesses and distribution traders rent warehouses seasonally to obtain licenses. This is one of the reasons leading to licensing violations by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
In fact, after being licensed, many key traders were unable to ensure a petroleum distribution system. Many warehouse and tank rental contracts do not involve shipping or liquidating contracts… affecting the market supply.
Regarding the cause of supply disruption in 2022, the Government Inspectorate pointed out that due to loose management by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, for nearly 3 years (from 2017 to September 2022), some distributors sold illegally providing about 828,963 m3 to illegal distributors and price differences. In addition, the focal enterprise did not create sources according to regulations, affecting the market supply of petroleum.
“As of June 30, 2022, the national petroleum reserve only reached about 7 days, not meeting the petroleum reserve level in Decision 2091/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the development strategy The national reserve until 2020 is 10 days,” the inspection conclusion stated.
In August 2022, the market lacked supply, a series of gas stations posted out-of-stock signs due to prolonged losses due to the fact that their discounts were cut to 0 VND.
The loose management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade has led to complicated developments in petroleum business, with many illegal trading acts, breaking the principles of Decree 83/2014. For example, Dong Thap Petroleum and Trading Joint Stock Company authorizes the purchase and sale of petroleum to businesses that are not subsidiaries and are not qualified to be distributors.
In addition, Vietnam Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) authorized its subsidiaries to sign contracts to buy and sell gasoline with other key traders and sell and re-export gasoline, with an output of more than 4.46 million m3. Subsidiaries of Long Hung Trading and Services Co., Ltd. sell gasoline to the parent company, buy gasoline from other focal points and distributors…
In addition to licensing violations, the management and use of the Petroleum Price Stabilization Fund also has many inadequacies leading to its appropriation by businesses. The inspection conclusion shows that, for more than 5 years, the joint Ministry of Industry and Trade – Finance spent from the Price Stabilization Fund when fuel prices had not increased, an amount of nearly 1,143 billion VND, and the stabilization expenditure was higher than the price increase. more than 318 billion.
During 1.5 years (from the operating period January 1, 2017 to April 23, 2018), the price management document of the management agency was unclear, leading to 19 key enterprises incorrectly appropriating the Equalization Fund. stabilize gasoline with RON 95 gasoline more than 1,013 billion VND. These businesses also spent nearly 680 billion from the fund incorrectly.
According to regulations, the Price Stabilization Fund is only used in urgent cases, when unusually high prices affect people’s lives, but in reality, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Finance uses this fund continuously during the period. long period of time, when there are no price fluctuations.
Transfer documents to the Ministry of Public Security
The Government Inspectorate also pointed out that the State Bank has not issued documents instructing commercial banks to manage the Stabilization Fund, leading to 7 businesses using the fund for the wrong purpose of price stabilization, worth more than 7,927 billion VND. This amount of money has been left in the payment account by the enterprise for many periods and has not been transferred to the fund account. Among them, 3 businesses have appropriated and spent using the Stabilization Fund with the volume of petroleum exceeding their books, leading to incorrect appropriation of nearly 4.8 billion VND and incorrect expenditure from this fund of nearly 22.6 billion. One enterprise under-appropriated more than 3 billion VND to the fund, and a unit incorrectly implemented accounting principles to adjust the amount of money to the fund, nearly 10.3 billion VND.
However, the management agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade, Finance) does not clearly understand the beginning balance, the amount of appropriation, use or interest of this fund at some enterprises when for three consecutive years, the focal enterprises and the commercial bank where they opened the Petroleum Stabilization Fund account did not send statements.
Faced with these violations, the Government Inspectorate recommended that the Prime Minister review and handle responsibilities with relevant organizations and individuals at the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance for management violations that led to gasoline shortages. oil, as well as the responsibility for coordinating management and supervision of the Stabilization Fund, leading to misappropriation and misuse by business traders.
The inspection agency also transferred documents to the investigation agency and the Ministry of Public Security to consider and handle violations of the law in using the Petroleum Stabilization Fund and declaring and paying environmental protection taxes at 3 enterprises. , including: Thien Minh Duc Group Joint Stock Company, Xuyen Viet Oil Transport Trading and Tourism Company Limited, Hai Ha Waterway Transport Company Limited.
Documents related to Dong Thap Petroleum Trading Company Limited contributing capital to establish Phuoc Khanh Petrochemical Joint Stock Company showing signs of loss of state assets were also transferred by the inspection agency to the Ministry of Public Security. consider and process.
The Government Inspectorate also transferred the conclusions to the Central Inspection Committee to consider and handle according to its authority officials from the Politburo and the Management Secretariat related to the shortcomings and violations.