Strong movement
Through six meetings from the beginning of the 14th NA, a new development, with truly democratic and publicised atmosphere in the activities of the NA and NA Standing Committee’s meetings, has been created. The results of such sessions show that the NA’s activities are increasingly closely associated with the people, gaining attention from them and also being monitored by voters and the people.
Following the experience and valuable lessons from the previous tenures, the NA in this term has further promoted the spirit of solidarity, innovation, intelligence and high responsibility. That helps generate power for the NA to progress and meet the requirements and tasks in the new situation. In particular, it can be clearly seen from the flexible arrangement and administration of working programmes, or in the way of questioning and answering questions at the NA’s sessions that are widely recognised and praised by voters and public opinion.
It can be affirmed that a series of issues debated at the NA’s discussions focused on the issues related to national development and the livelihoods of the people, stemming from the close and urgent need of life. To effectively carry out their work, the NA, its agencies and each NA deputy are imbued with the advice of President Ho Chi Minh, which is to consider the people as the root, to be close to the people, to understand the people, to listen to the people and to serve the people during their activities. From the close and intimate connection with voters and the people, the NA will understand their aspirations, thus promptly taking major decisions to catch up with real life.
Voters and people last year saw the NA’s activities turn in a more and more democratic, open and transparent manner, reflected in the way of organising its activities and increasing the time of live broadcasting of the discussions of NA deputies on hot issues. The NA became close and more intimate with the people, and its operation was not as distinguished as the "private affairs" of the NA itself. In other words, there is no "dark corner" or "hidden corner" in the operation of the State or in the work of the NA.
From the constitutional and legislative operation, to deciding the critical issues and carrying out supreme supervision, the NA has timely institutionalised the Party’s political platform, guidelines and resolutions. From the legislative achievements over recent years, the spirit of obeying the Constitution and laws has been highly promoted, becoming a regular cultural lifestyle of every citizen and every social community.
In order to bring the spirit and content of the 2013 Constitution into life, the NA, its agencies and NA deputies, through their assigned tasks, have actively joined hands to implement and protect the Constitution, while constantly innovating law-building activities to further concretise the provisions of the Constitution in the laws. For its part, the Government has also been proactive in timely issuing adequate legal documents to implement the Constitution, laws and resolutions of the NA, as well as ordinances and resolutions of the NA Standing Committee.
Looking back at the nation’s history and studying the core values of the country's Constitution, there is a milestone in 1919, in which in his list of claims sent to the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, President Ho Chi Minh’s seventh petition proposed a rule of law Constitution to be issued. That claim was expressed by Uncle Ho in the words: "Seventh petition is to call for the Constitution to be issued/Among hundreds of things, the first must be the rule of law." His thoughts about the rule of law are a priceless legacy, even valuable for today’s issues!
During the implementation of the 12th National Party Congress’s Resolution, the building of a socialist rule of law state in Vietnam has been portrayed with multiple new, vivid and bright features. Many voters who are senior officials have commented that the new vividness has been seen in the operation of the NA, the highest representative body of the people and the highest authority of the State. The strong reforms from the NA in implementing its legislative function and supreme supervision are remarkable and respectful. The NA in the recent sessions has actively promoted its legislative function to concretise the Constitution's provisions into law provisions, covering all areas of socio-political, economic and cultural life.
Accompanying the Government
One of the most prominent features in the NA’s operation that voters and people have expressed their most impression for are the Q&A sessions. The NA deputies have shown their bravery and clear and straightforward opinions, while also speaking with a high sense of responsibility and in a constructive manner.
Voters have repeatedly witnessed democratic debates among NA deputies, sometimes the discussions became drastic, but there was absolutely no tension. Although the argument may be different, above all, each NA deputy closely follows the reality of life. All are for the sake of the country and for the benefit of the people. The parliamentary activities through each meeting became attractive, attracting public interest and drawing social discussions among the people and voters who closely follow each NA’s session. The changes should be resulted from the "echoes" in the social reality coming into meeting rooms of Dien Hong and Tan Trao, going into the agenda of the NA and the NA Standing Committee! For many years, voters and the people have had the right to assess and give comments on the quality and performance of the NA, in addition to supervising and commenting on NA deputies, as well as evaluating the Government and each cabinet member. Happily, many NA deputies have left a very good impression on the voters and won their support.
It is noticeable that the NA is always accompanying the Government, through the recognition of the NA Standing Committee’s sessions. The role of chairing the sessions, as well as direction and regulation has been maximised by the NA Standing Committee, thus ensuring the progress and quality of contents submitted to the NA. From issues in various areas, the NA Standing Committee has given its clear opinions, expressing unity with the Government in deciding important issues for the country. The members of the NA Standing Committee also pointed out inadequacies, “bottlenecks", "overlapping lines" and "legal gaps" in the relevant projects and then allowed the Government to continue to improve its policies toward better serving the people.
Through this, the voters also recognise and praise the role of the chairpersons through their scientific, skillful, flexible and creative management. The proper management has helped create a democratic, healthy and progressive parliamentary environment, encouraging NA deputies to develop their intelligence and abilities to go deeper into the issues to deal with them. On the other hand, the chairs also actively lead NA deputies to focus on key contents.
As Tet and the spring arrive, the line of ban (bauhinia) trees next to the NA’s main hall is in bloom for the first time in the campus of the historic Ba Dinh Square. The 40 bauhinia flower trees are from Tay Trang land, where the most beautiful bauhinia flowers are found. They are precious gifts from the Dien Bien province authorities and people offering to President Ho Chi Minh with all their love. They are also the sentiments, respect and expectation from the people and voters sent to the NA and NA deputies on good impressions ahead of the New Year!
