Nearly half of Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had to pay bribes to officials when operating their business in 2015, according to a survey.
The report released on November 9 by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) found that as many as 42.7% surveyed SMEs were forced to pay bribes in order to facilitate their business, with most predicting that the amount of ‘unofficial fees’ they have to pay would continue to rise in the future.
The survey interviewed over 2,600 non-state SMEs in ten cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
18.75% interviewed enterprises said they paid bribes in order to even access public services; 24.1% paid to deal with tax issues; while 35-38% others to obtain permits and licensing, and handle customs.
58% enterprises who admitted paying bribes in 2013 survey continued to do that in 2015, and 30% who didn't do in 2013 survey did it in 2015, the report said.
As many as 41.2% of respondents said that the amount of unofficial fees would rise in the future due to difficulties in access to credit from formal channels and increasing competition.
Vice chairman of CIEM, Phan Duc Hieu, said that the findings were really worrying.
"Although the business environment in the country has been much improved in recent years, but the survey showed that local enterprises are still facing lots of challenges following the government's regulations and competing with others in their industry," Hieu said.
