Transparency is the universal measure of value of human beings, the target and the momentum of development. Any society and any country that actually highlights transparency has already developed or will develop towards civilization. The countries that reject it or just speak of transparency are all in the circle of poverty, injustice and backwardness.

The value of transparency

Vietnam is looking forward to a modern and civilized world. Some products of development and democracy as the concept of jurisdiction, freedom of speech, democracy, accountability, and transparency cannot just be “imported” concepts, but they must enter the lives of Vietnamese people.

We must also see that nothing is "free" and any country in its development journey must pay the price in order to enjoy these civilized values. The price, high or low, depends on the perception and the stuff of each country, especially the thinking and courage of leaders.

In developed countries, except for the issues related to national security, the government must help people to learn about the policy-making process. In the cause of anti-corruption, transparency is a weapon, because once officials are forced to explain and publicize his work and his property income, which are accompanied with sanctions, it is very difficult for them to become corrupt.

Transparency of information is one of the basic characteristics of a democratic political institution. Only information transparency can help gain the trust of people with power institutions. And only a strong institution and strong rule of law are able to build information transparency and vice versa.

In fact there is no absolute transparency of information. The state built on democratic political institutions tries to reach maximum information transparency in order to build trust with the people, especially in corruption.

In many countries, people take privacy very seriously. Yet when one becomes a politician, he is immediately judged in every detail. Countries always have state secrets, but they have to make public national welfare policies and the policies on the people’s livelihood.

Transparency and trust

The slogan "People know, people discuss, people do and people check" is a profound symbol of absolute transparency. A government by the people and for the people must have transparency of behaviour with the people.

Discussing the transparency of information, trust must come first. Trust is a psychological factor, of course, on a bilateral foundation. There is no confidence that is unilateral. If the trust is unilateral, it is superstition. To be able to trust each other absolutely, nothing is better than transparency.

Therefore, to have transparency of information, a precondition is to change the law and the current regulations on this issue.

Transparency must be social institutions. Transparency is not only to clarify the rules, plans, processes and actions, but also lets the people know why, how, what and the level of action of the State and people's rights.

The Party and State target the goal of a political regime for the country and for the people so transparency is not only a binding responsibility, but also a sharp weapon to train themselves, and also is a very important means to promote the power of the entire people in the cause of construction and defence of the country.

To Van Truong