Hoang Quoc Viet, Head of the Sub-Department of Land Management, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Yen Bai province

The draft revised Land Law will gather comments and opinions from all classes of Vietnamese people in Vietnam and overseas, state agencies at all levels, the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s committees, organizations, enterprises, cooperatives, business households, research institutes, universities, experts, and scientists.

People’s will, aspirations, and interests are reflected

The contents in the draft revised Land Law to be considered by the public include: land use planning; land acquisition and compensation policies; resettlement support policies; land reserve development; land allocation; land lease; change of land use purpose; land registration, certification and administrative procedures; land information; financial mechanisms and policies; land prices; management and use of different types of land; decentralization, supervision and control in land management; and regulations on household management of land use.

After nearly two months, the collection of people's opinions has obtained many enthusiastic opinions, showing a sense of responsibility for land issues, on the part of organizations and individuals. Most of the comments say the contents of the draft law are quite reasonable and realistic and align with the interests and aspirations of the majority of people.

Hoang Quoc Viet, Head of the Sub-Department of Land Management, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Yen Bai province, said: "Appropriate land policy is very important to our country and Yen Bai province in particular. We need to address shortcomings of the previous Land Law, improve the planning, stipulate more specific regulations on types of land and real estate market, implement land compensation, reclaimation, and resettlement to harmonize thee interests of the state, businesses and people, particularly in land expropriation."

Most people support and agree with the provisions of the draft revised Land Law. They praise the correctness of the draft law and agree it is for the benefit of the people. They express confidence in the guidelines and policies of the Party and State of Vietnam. In their comments, the public hope for consensus in revising and implementing the land law, harmoniously settling the relationship of the State, investors and land users, and ensuring the legitimate rights of people when enforcing the Law.

Mai Van Thach, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Lai Chau province

Mai Van Thach, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Lai Chau province, said: "We need to improve the land law in coordination with other laws and legal documents and regulation. We need to ensure coordination between localities to facilitate the implementation of the law. The revision of the Land Law needs to focus on issues of public concern. We need to strengthen inspection and auditing and consider localities’ proposals to make sure that the revised land law addresses difficulties and obstacles at the grassroots level."

Promoting the people's right to mastery in law-making

While many positive comments have been made in a constructive spirit in order to perfect the draft Land Law (amended), some people have taken advantage by giving comments that distort, cause trouble, or deliberately "aggravate" sensitive and complicated issues related to land in order to sabotage the Party and the State of Vietnam. They inaccurately stated that "the Vietnamese State is amending the Land Law to manipulate the land market and benefit certain individuals or interest groups instead of benefitting the people”. These people implied that collecting comments on this draft law is an act of demagoguery of Vietnam deliberately misrepresenting the purpose of amending the Land Law and other laws.

Collecting opinions on the draft revised Land Law is very important. The Land Law is an important and complex law that plays a pivotal role in the legal system, and influences other legislation. Land issues are affected by many other laws, so it is vital to mobilize the intellectual contributions of all classes of people to perfect the draft law. Participating in the legislative process means exercising the people's right to mastery, mobilizing their intelligence and enthusiasm, and revealing their will and aspirations. This creates unity and consensus on Party guidelines and State land policies and laws, ensures the coordination, unity and feasibility of the legal system and meets the development requirements of Vietnam in the new period.

For years, hostile forces have been attacking the ideological foundation of the Party, and opposing the Party guidelines and State policies and laws, including democratic activities like collecting people's opinions for the formulation of Laws and Codes. Collecting opinions on the draft revised Land Law is more than half completed and has been productive. This good result is a strong response to hostile distortions and promotes democracy in building laws of the Party and State of Vietnam.