NA Standing Committee reviews preparations for first session of 16th legislature

The first session of the new legislature is expected to focus on decisions regarding the organisational structure of the state apparatus, high-ranking personnel work, legislative tasks, and key socio-economic issues.

Presenting the draft agenda, NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Le Quang Manh said the preparatory sitting is scheduled for the afternoon of April 5 with the opening ceremony to take place on April 6 and the closing on April 25.

The session will be divided into two phases. The first phase, from April 6 to 11, will centre on personnel matters and discussion of several draft laws. The second, from April 20 to 25, will focus on debating and adopting laws and socio-economic resolutions. An eight-day recess from April 12 to 19 will allow agencies to revise and finalise draft documents.

Tightening legislative discipline, renewing personnel procedures

During discussions, NA tanding Committee members proposed measures to enhance the quality and efficiency of the session.

Regarding logistics, NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh urged early completion of procedures to certify deputies’ eligibility, expected by late March, so that certificates can be granted and heads of delegations and Party groups elected before the opening.

The NA Office was also asked to promptly prepare tablets, install the “Parliament 2.0” software, and organise thorough training for newly elected deputies.

On a proposal to apply a shortened procedure for personnel work, Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the Committee for People's Aspirations and Supervision Le Thi Nga and Chairwoman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Nguyen Thanh Hai suggested careful consideration and preparation of different scenarios for the NA to decide at the preparatory sitting.

Concerning legislative work, Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Social Affairs Nguyen Dac Vinh and Chairman of the Committee for Legal and Judicial Affairs Hoang Thanh Tung highlighted delays in the submission of dossiers. Tung proposed resolutely postponing to the year-end session any projects that fail to meet documentation deadlines, in order to ensure discipline and quality in law-making.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung, representing the Government, proposed adding several items to the agenda, including draft amendments to the Law on the State Bank of Vietnam and the Law on Anti-Money Laundering, along with reports on the North–South high-speed railway project, the Lao Cai–Ha Noi–Hai Phong railway, urban railway development in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the five-year public debt borrowing and repayment plan.

Concluding the meeting, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man commended agencies for their proactive preparations and basically agreed with the proposed agenda.

On personnel procedures, he consented to submitting two options to the NA - either a shortened or traditional process - for consideration and voting at the preparatory sitting. Notably, the first session will be broadcast live from the moment draft resolutions on the election of key leaders, including the NA Chairman, State President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, are presented, prior to the oath-taking ceremony. He also stressed that there will be no duplicate oath-taking to save time and costs.

Chairman Man requested competent agencies to strictly and promptly finalise dossiers for draft laws and resolutions, firmly postponing projects failing to submit sufficient documentation.

Amid complex global developments, particularly ongoing tensions in the Middle East, he urged the Government to proactively prepare flexible socio-economic governance scenarios for submission to the NA, ensuring the achievement of growth targets set for the coming period.