The 8th session of the 13th NA has done many important works

The 8^th session of the 13^th NA adopted a number of important bills, set socio-economic targets for 2015, and outlined measures to achieve them. Worthy of note were the second round of votes of confidence for 50 officials elected or approved by the NA.

Fine tuning the legal system in line with the 2013 Constitution

High on the agenda of the 8^th session was to review and adopt 18 draft laws and debate 12 others. Among those were laws concerning the economy and the government apparatus, including revised Laws on the Organization of the NA and Government and laws to specify human rights and the basic rights and obligations of citizens in accordance with the 2013 Constitution such as the revised Laws on Housing and Real Estate Business. The deputies also debated Laws to stimulate investment, production, and trading such as the revised Laws on Investment and Enterprises. Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh comments on the revision of the Investment Law: “The revised Law will generate momentum for national investment and trade and the development of enterprises. It will benefit the private sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, and start-up businesses.”

The NA approved a resolution to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Socio-economic targets set for 2015

Deciding important national issues is one of the NA’s tasks in addition to legislation and oversight. The deputies approved a resolution on next year’s socio-economic development which sets a higher growth rate than this year. Specifically, the GDP will be 6.2%; the CPI will increase 5%; the poverty rate will decrease between 1.7 and 2%; and 1.6 million jobs will be generated. Deputy Head of the NA’s Committee for Economic Affairs Nguyen Van Phuc said: “We’ll continue to implement drastic and effective measures of economic reform consistent with restructuring the growth model and improving the competitiveness of enterprises and the national economy. We need to reform administrative procedures, especially in investment, construction, land, customs, and banking credit. We urgently need to resolve bad debts and restructure credit organizations to reduce the bad debt rate below 3% next year, while improving the efficiency of public investment and holding public debt and foreign debt within acceptable limits.”  

During the 8^th session, NA deputies monitored economic reform in public investment, state-owned enterprises, and the banking system and held Q&A sessions with the Prime Minister and 4 Ministers. 

The successful votes of confidence

The public paid special attention to votes of confidence for 50 officials elected or approved by the NA. This was the 2^nd round of votes of confidence for government officials. National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said the NA carried out these votes in accordance with regulations and legal procedures. The deputies exercised their political and legal responsibility in a careful, objective, and precise manner. Chu Son Ha, a deputy from Hanoi, said: “This was the second round of votes of confidence since the 6^th session last year. Voters have acknowledged the votes of confidence as a good oversight mechanism of the NA.”

Vo Ai Dan is former Head of the National Assembly’s Office for Southern Affairs: “The votes of confidence reflect an improvement. The voting has been reformed and the deputies have shown a strong sense of responsibility. I believe the next votes of confidence will be even more efficient.”

Decisions made at the 8^th session of the 13^th NA will be implemented soon to secure socio-economic goals and national development.