(VOVWORLD) - The 15th National Assembly’s first extraordinary meeting concluded on Tuesday. It adopted major policies for national development at a time when Vietnam is striving to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
 National Assembly Secretary General Bui Van Cuong speaks at a press briefing on the result of the National Assembly’s extraordinary meeting on January 11, 2022. (Photo: VOV) |
The National Assembly’s extraordinary meeting discussed and approved emergency socio-economic, financial, and budget policies to support the National Program on COVID-19 Prevention and Control and Socio-economic Recovery and Development.
Implications for 2021-2025 period
The resolution on fiscal and monetary policy to support socio-economic recovery and development approved at the NA’s extraordinary meeting complements the socio-economic development plan, the financial plan, the public borrowing and debt payment plan, and the mid-term public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period.
The Socio-economic Recovery and Development Program, with a budget of 15 billion USD, will support pandemic prevention and control and sustainable socio-economic development and will be implemented throughout 2022 and 2023, focusing on healthcare and COVID-19 prevention and control, social welfare, labor and employment, support for businesses, cooperatives, and household traders, transport infrastructure, digital transformation, climate change adaptation, and natural disaster recovery.
In order to achieve a growth rate of 6.5-7% and other socio-economic targets of 2021-2025, the National Assembly allowed some specific mechanisms and policies for selection of investors, decentralization, and authorization of national projects on transport and health. To fund the program, the National Assembly decided to increase state deficit spending in 2022 and 2023 by an average of 1-1.2% of the annual GDP.
The National Assembly considers the development of transport infrastructure an important task. The construction of the Eastern North-South Expressway project for 2021-2025 is of practical importance, promoting disbursement of public investment capital, contributing to economic recovery and growth, and strengthening regional economic connectivity.
The National Assembly deputies discussed the necessity of the project for socio-economic development – its scope, scale, technology, land clearance plan, investment, preliminary investment, capital resources, and specific mechanisms and policies for project investment implementation.
Dang Quoc Huu, a voter in Yen Bai city, said: “The meeting was successful. Voters believe in the National Assembly’s decisions as well as national development when the pandemic is contained. The meeting has resolved obstacles for economic recovery and development.”
Promoting collective wisdom
The extraordinary meeting was held online, connecting the deputies of 63 provinces and cities nationwide, who clarified and contributed ideas to various issues.
National Assembly Secretary General Bui Van Cuong said: “The 15th National Assembly has renovated itself to meet the demand of national development and ensure the Party’s leadership in institutionalizing policies and resolutions.”
The result of the National Assembly’s extraordinary meeting illustrates its high sense of responsibility to the nation and people’s aspirations. The National Assembly always listens to voters’ opinions and quickly handles problems for socio-economic development and recovery.