New National Assembly to convene today

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The 14th National Assembly will convene its first session in Hà Nội from July 20 to 29, Vice Secretary General of the NA, Lê Minh Thông, told a press conference in the capital yesterday. — Photo vtv.vn.

Legislators will spend six days discussing and deciding on the appointments to the State’s top posts.

The NA will elect its Chairperson and Vice Chairs, members of the NA Standing Committee, the Chair of the NA Ethnic Council, the heads of the NA committees, and the NA Secretary General. Lawmakers will also elect the State President and Vice President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court and the State Auditor General.

They will also approve the appointment of Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and other government members, Vice Chairs and members of the National Defence and Security Council.

The NA will also hear the National Election Council’s report on the outcome of the election of deputies to the 14th NA and the People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021.

The remaining two days will be spent on key issues, including the government’s report on socio-economic development and State budget for the first half of this year, the socio-economic development and State budget for the second half of this year, approval of the State budget estimate and the NA’s resolutions on laws and ordinances, the NA’s supervision programme for 2017 and the establishment of specialised inspection groups.

Clarifying the recent disapproval of Trịnh Xuân Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of southern Hậu Giang province, and of Nguyễn Thị Nguyệt Hường, NA Secretary General Nguyễn Hạnh Phúc said all members of the National Election Council cast ballots disapproving of Thanh’s position over his violations of the law.

Hường, who was a deputy in the 12th and 13th NA and a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, was found to have violated the Law on Vietnamese Nationality.

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Regarding the delayed enforcement of the Criminal Code, Phúc said the legislature was willing to take responsibility for the issue. In the foreseeable future, the NA would consider the responsibility of relevant agencies and inpiduals for the issue, he said. Phúc also answered reporters’ queries regarding the rituals of being sworn-in to the top posts and law-making, among others.