The 28th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed 19 important contents.

On the morning of December 13, at the National Assembly House, chaired by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, the National Assembly Standing Committee opened the 28th Session.

In his opening speech, the National Assembly Chairman said that the session is expected to last for 3 days and will be divided into 2 sessions (December 13-14 and December 18). Accordingly, the National Assembly Standing Committee will consider 19 important contents, focusing on 5 groups.

Specifically, first, the National Assembly Standing Committee will summarize and draw lessons from the 6th Session and give opinions on preparations for the upcoming session of the National Assembly. The 6th Session ended on November 29. According to tradition, at this session, the National Assembly Standing Committee will make comments, assessments, and summaries based on the opinions of National Assembly deputies, National Assembly delegations, and reports synthesizing public opinion from the people and voters to have a comprehensive assessment. The National Assembly Standing Committee will also give preliminary opinions on preparations for the 7th Session, scheduled for May 2024.

In addition, at the last session, the National Assembly decided not to approve two important draft laws, namely the Land Law (amended) and the Real Estate Business Law (amended), in order to have more time to prepare and complete them, both to meet urgent immediate requirements and to ensure the quality of these draft laws.

In addition, there are some other very important contents such as the National Power Space Planning; the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on piloting the application of some specific mechanisms and policies to implement 3 National Target Programs; the remaining financial-budgetary contents under the authority of the National Assembly...

The National Assembly Chairman emphasized the need to consider the possibility that from now until the 7th Session, a special session can be held to resolve outstanding and urgent issues.

Second, the National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed and approved the work programs for the coming year, including: the 2024 work program of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the 2024 foreign affairs and international cooperation program of the National Assembly Standing Committee; gave opinions on the foreign affairs and international cooperation programs of the Council of Nationalities, the National Assembly Committees, the National Assembly Secretary General, the Parliamentary Friendship Groups, the agencies of the National Assembly Standing Committee, and the National Assembly Office.

Third, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Ordinance on Litigation Costs; considered the proposal to add a number of draft laws to the 2024 Law and Ordinance Development Program; considered and approved the draft Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee guiding the organization of explanation activities at the meetings of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council and Committees.

Regarding the Draft Ordinance on Litigation Costs, the National Assembly Chairman stated that this is the fifth draft Ordinance that the National Assembly Standing Committee has considered since the beginning of the term and is part of the legislative agenda for the entire term. Due to its importance, it is expected to be considered and approved following the process of two National Assembly sessions.

Some draft laws proposed to be added to the 2024 Law and Ordinance Development Program include the Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking (amended); Law on Teachers; Law on Value Added Tax (amended); Law on Chemicals (amended); Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Supporting Tools (amended)... Emphasizing that this is a very important legislative content that needs to be carefully prepared, the National Assembly Chairman requested that the National Assembly Standing Committee pay attention to giving opinions on this issue.

The National Assembly Chairman also emphasized the direction of strengthening supervision work and forms of explanation at the meetings of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council and Committees.

Currently, there are no specific procedures or regulations on this content, so there needs to be a guiding document to facilitate and unify the implementation process; improve the quality of accountability activities at meetings of the Nationalities Council and the National Assembly Committees in a clear, proactive, responsible, in-depth, and sensitive manner.

Fourth, the National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed and commented on 11 important contents on finance-budget, administrative boundaries, and personnel. Of which, there are 9 contents related to finance-budget such as the allocation of the central budget estimate for 2023; additional funding for science, technology, and environmental protection; adjustment of 2023 re-borrowed capital of localities; additional funding for purchasing national reserve rice; consideration and decision on environmental protection tax rates for gasoline, oil, and lubricants in 2004; allocation and adjustment of the central budget capital investment plan for 2023 among ministries, central agencies, and localities; assignment of capital plans for the socio-economic recovery and development program, adjustment and supplementation of the medium-term public investment plan for central budget capital, etc.

Regarding administrative boundaries, the National Assembly Standing Committee will consider and decide on the establishment of Viet Yen town and wards of Viet Yen town, Bac Giang province; the merger of Thieu Phu commune into Thieu Hoa town and the establishment of Hau Hien town in Thieu Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province.

Also at this session, the National Assembly Standing Committee will consider and approve the Prime Minister's proposal on the appointment and dismissal of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Fifth, the National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed the National Assembly's Report on People's Aspirations in October and November 2023; gave opinions and made written decisions according to its authority on the draft Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the allocation of operating expenses of National Assembly delegations in 2024.

Emphasizing that the meeting was held in a short time, divided into two sessions, with a huge workload, the National Assembly Chairman asked members of the National Assembly Standing Committee to focus on their work to ensure the highest quality.

The National Assembly Chairman also requested relevant agencies to promptly complete the work to submit for certification a number of draft laws approved by the National Assembly at the 6th Session, submit to the President for signing the promulgation order according to the provisions of law, and at the same time, prepare draft laws expected to be approved at the Special Session and the 7th Session.