Quang Ninh vice chairman resigns after Covid test kit bidding scandal

Quang Ninh Vice Chairman Pham Van Thanh has stepped down following the provincial Party leaders' approval Friday per his wish, three months after he was disciplined for violations in a Covid test kit bidding scam.

Thanh, 44, was Party chief and chairman of Quang Ninh's Dong Trieu town before being elected vice chairman of the northern province in June 2021.

In June, Quang Ninh's Inspection Committee disciplined many officials in Dong Trieu town for violations related to bidding on Viet A Company's Covid test kits. They were found to have signed bidding documents in violation of the law, causing losses to the state budget.

In August, Pham Van Thanh received a warning from the provincial Party Committee for his violations in the Covid-19 fight and bidding in Dong Trieu.

One month later, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh signed a decision to warn Thanh for the violations.

Lieutenant General To An Xo, chief of staff and spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, had told a government meeting in June that Viet A earned up to VND4,000 billion ($172.47 million) illicitly, of which VND800 billion was spent on bribes.

At a recent meeting with voters in Hanoi, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said the Party Central Committee has a policy of encouraging cadres who commit violations to voluntarily resign.