(VOVworld) – National Assembly deputies today continued their discussion of a draft law on countering the harmful effects of  tobacco at the ongoing third session of the 13^th National Assembly. Most agreed that it is essential to establish a fund to mitigate tobacco’s effects, to define the responsibilities of tobacco companies and tobacco users, and to broaden the fight against tobacco.

Earlier, the National Assembly focused on economic restructuring which is considered an urgent task. Nguyen Duc Kien, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Economic Committee, said there is a need to work out specific plans for financial market restructuring. Mr. Kien said of the Government’s 1.4 billion USD package to support enterprises, the key will be distributing and using this fund effectively: "We will support enterprises but not by every means. The State will promulgate a policy for applying the fund. Meanwhile, enterprises themselves must reform their operation and restructure their production with State support".

During the afternoon, the NA debated the draft law to combat money laundering, which deals with the detection, prevention and the arrest and punishment of offenders, international cooperation to prevent money laundering and supporting terrors.

Many deputies stressed on the urgent need to issue a law  to combat money laundering. Some said that a clearer definition of illegal operations is necessary to lay the foundation for introducing measures to prevent money laundering. The deputies said that the previous regulations are inappropriate and unrealistic when they stipulated that all cash transactions worth 10,000 USD or over should be reported to the Prime Minister. Cao Sy Khiem, a deputy from Thai Binh province, said: “I agree to add the concept of assets raised from money laundering and to clarify what is banned in the law. These points are necessary as they correspond to common practice, international convention and reflect Vietnam’s reality. I don’t agree that the Prime Minister should deal with suspected transactions. It’s better for the banks to do this”.