Third session of the 15th National Assembly to open on May 23

NA chairman Vương Đình Huệ chairs the NA Standing Committee’s meeting on the preparation for the next NA meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo

The third session of the 15 National Assembly of Việt Nam will open on May 23 with in-person meetings at National Assembly in Hà Nội, announced Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Office Bùi Văn Cường.

Speaking at a meeting of the NA Standing Committee on the preparations for the next meeting on Tuesday, Cường said that because the COVID-19 pandemic was gradually being controlled nationwide, it was recommended that the next NA gathering would be in-person, with a backup plan for online meetings if needed.

The session is planned to last 20 days with a preparatory meeting and opening ceremony on May 23. The session will close on June 17, 2022.

There would be no meetings on the weekends, giving agencies time to collect opinions, reply to concerns, discuss, revise and complete proposals, before submitting them to the National Assembly for approval, Cường said.

Cường also announced that the bill on amended Land Law would not be included in the NA’s agenda next month, as the Government proposed to delay the submission of the bill due to new arising issues that require more time to study.

Cường said that until now, the NA Office had strengthened its directing work, actively coordinated with relevant agencies, actively reviewed and, completed preparations for the NA gathering, particularly for the organisations of group/hall discussion, press and communication, technical facilities, accommodations for NA deputies and COVID-19 prevention and control.

Chairing the NA Standing Committee’s meeting on the preparation for the next NA meeting, NA chairman Vương Đình Huệ said that the committee agreed with the plan to organise the next meeting.

However, the closing date would depend on the discussions required, he said.

The NA Standing Committee asked the NA Secretary-General and relevant agencies to review and arrange time and orders for each discussion, as well as reports of the Government, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy, the State Auditor General and other agencies.

Regarding the proposal to use slide shows and videos to illustrate reports at the session, the NA Standing Committee welcomed and requested that the implementation must help optimise reporting time and improve the quality of the meeting.

Huệ noted that it was necessary to review the contents to be discussed on the NA’s agenda.

“Any contents without throughout preparations or with controversial opinions should be left to submit to the NA later or the NA Standing Committee,” Huệ said.

He also emphasised that the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic still had complicated developments, which required agencies to pay sufficient attention to disease prevention and control.

Also on Tuesday morning, the NA Standing Committee approved the number of members of the Procuracy Committee of the Supreme People's Procuracy. Accordingly, the committee has 15 members, including six permanent members, who are the Prosecutor General and Deputy Prosecutors General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy. Nine outstanding Prosecutors of the Supreme People's Procuracy, who have good moral qualities and high professional qualifications, have been selected to join the procuracy committee.

The second session of the 15th NA took place in October and November last year, amid the complex developments of COVID-19 in Việt Nam. The meeting was held both in-person and online. Legislators met virtually from October 20 to 30, and then joined in-person discussions from November 8 to 13.