Why are some citizens denied admission?

In 2023, state administrative agencies at all levels in Hai Duong received 6,583 citizens coming to make complaints, denunciations, recommendations, and reflections. The heads of provincial and district Party committees and authorities have focused on citizen reception. The work of receiving citizens and handling complaints and denunciations at all levels, sectors, and localities has had many changes. Cases of reflection and recommendations sent directly or indirectly by citizens to state agencies are inspected and resolved within their authority, ensuring compliance with regulations.

However, many citizens, despite having their opinions and petitions resolved in accordance with regulations, continue to come to the citizen reception office, submit petitions and complaints for a long time. Some citizens in the province have been refused access.

Recently, 8 citizens in Cam Che commune (Thanh Ha) have petitioned and denounced the procedures for investment, construction, and land acquisition to implement the Residential Area Project in the North of Thanh Ha town. This content has been inspected, reviewed, and responded to in writing by the People's Committee of Thanh Ha district and related departments and branches according to the citizens' petitions and dialogues and guidance have been held, but these 8 citizens still have opinions. To ensure the rights of citizens and implement the direction of the Provincial Party Secretary Tran Duc Thang, on June 13, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Chairman of the Thanh Ha District People's Committee to preside over, organize meetings, and guide the citizens according to regulations, but the 8 citizens did not comply. Based on the regulations, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee refused to receive and respond to the above contents of the 8 citizens.

In fact, most of the previously rejected cases have been received and resolved correctly and fully according to regulations. Those who were rejected have been clearly explained by the competent provincial and district authorities the reasons for the further rejection according to the provisions of Circular No. 04/2021/TT-TTCP dated October 1, 2021 of the Government Inspectorate regulating the process of receiving citizens and according to the Law on Reception of Citizens 2013.

However, after being informed by the citizen reception staff about the refusal to receive citizens, some citizens still come to the provincial and district Citizen Reception Committee to make requests and reflect the same content with the expectation that the more they come, the more their requests will be resolved as desired. This causes many difficulties for the citizen reception staff, although they are very sympathetic to the people.

The fact that dozens of citizens have been refused access to public services in recent times shows that some citizens have limited legal knowledge about the Law on Citizen Reception, circulars and decrees related to complaints and denunciations. The work of disseminating, popularizing and educating the law on citizen reception and handling complaints and denunciations has had some results, but at times and in some places, the effectiveness is not high, especially at the grassroots level.

To limit the above situation, all levels and functional sectors need to do a good job of publicizing and posting the results of citizen receptions and notifying refusals to receive citizens. In particular, it is necessary to be public, transparent, and accountable in state management and public service performance, especially in areas that directly deal with the people, areas where violations often occur and many complaints and denunciations arise.

District and commune levels need to promptly, reasonably and emotionally resolve complaints and denunciations right at the grassroots level, where the incident arises, avoiding pushing or avoiding people to put pressure on higher levels. Contents that citizens do not understand need to be clearly and convincingly explained. For civil disputes, mediation at all levels is required; otherwise, lawsuits should be filed with the People's Court according to regulations.

For complicated cases, agencies, units and localities can invite the Provincial Bar Association and the Provincial Lawyers Association to receive citizens. As a third party, lawyers can directly answer and explain laws and regulations to citizens, which will be effective. At the grassroots level, people with knowledge and experience in mediation can be invited to participate in receiving citizens. Citizens need to proactively learn the law, understand the regulations related to the Law on Citizen Reception, and the steps to make complaints and denunciations in accordance with the correct order and procedures.