The Ministry of Interior denies rumors of mergers leaving 16 provinces.

The "reorganization of the country" aims for long-term stability.

Speaking with a newspaper reporter.Dan TriAccording to Phan Trung Tuan, Director of the Department of Local Government, Ministry of Interior, the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government currently have no intention of continuing the restructuring of cities or commune-level administrative units.

"The information that the number of provinces and cities will be reduced from 34 to 16 in the near future is completely inaccurate," Mr. Phan Trung Tuan affirmed.

The decision to "reorganize the country" is a historic step with strategic significance, marking a new stage of development in perfecting the state administrative apparatus, perfecting the institutions and organization of a synchronized, streamlined, effective, and efficient political system, aiming towards perfecting a modern, people-oriented, and people-serving administration, so that all benefits belong to the people.

In addition to the goals of streamlining the organizational structure, reducing staffing levels, and cutting budget expenditures for the administrative apparatus; and opening up new opportunities and development space for localities, Mr. Phan Trung Tuan said that the revolution in rearranging administrative units at all levels, to be implemented in early 2025, also aims at "long-term stability of the administrative unit system".

This major policy has been thoroughly researched and considered by the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government before being implemented.

"With the decisive involvement of the entire political system, from July 1st, the two-tiered local government model (including provincial and commune/ward levels) has officially been operational in all provinces and cities. There are 34 provinces/cities and 3,321 communes, wards, and special zones nationwide," the Director of the Department of Local Government reiterated.

Earlier, on the morning of June 12th, the National Assembly voted to approve the Resolution on the reorganization of provincial-level administrative units in 2025. Accordingly, the country will have 34 provincial-level administrative units, including 28 provinces and 6 cities.

Of these, 19 provinces and 4 cities were formed after the reorganization stipulated in this resolution, including: Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Ca Mau, An Giang; and 11 provinces and cities that did not undergo reorganization: Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Ha Tinh, Lai Chau, Lang Son, Nghe An, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Son La, and Hanoi and Hue.

Along with the reorganization of administrative units, from July 1st, the two-tiered local government model (consisting only of the provincial and commune/ward levels) officially came into operation in all provinces and cities.

Next, the policy of strongly promoting decentralization and delegation of power between the central and local governments, and between provincial and commune-level governments, will be implemented according to the motto: "Local authorities decide, local authorities act, and local authorities are responsible."

The information being spread is completely false.

At the same time, Mr. Phan Trung Tuan added that the Ministry of Interior is currently drafting a Decree guiding the process of soliciting public opinion on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, boundary adjustment, and renaming of administrative units, in order to replace Decree No. 54/2018/ND-CP and Decree No. 66/2023/ND-CP.

Accordingly, the draft decree does not include an appendix listing the reorganization and merger of 34 provinces and cities down to 16, as is being circulated on social media.

"The drafting of this decree is in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 72/2025/QH15 on the Organization of Local Government and Decision No. 1589/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister promulgating the Plan for the implementation of Law No. 72/2025/QH15 on the Organization of Local Government," Mr. Tuan emphasized.

Mr. Tuan informed that this law has undergone fundamental changes, such as the provision that our country's administrative units are organized into two levels: provinces and centrally-administered cities (provincial level); and communes, wards, and special zones under the provincial level (commune level).

Accordingly, the administrative system no longer includes district-level administrative units, and a new type of "special zone" (commune level) has been established. However, Decree No. 54/2018/ND-CP and Decree No. 66/2023/ND-CP mentioned above are being designed to guide the process of soliciting voter opinions on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, and adjustment of administrative boundaries according to the three-level model (provincial level - district level - commune level).

Accordingly, the Director General stated that it is necessary to issue a new government decree to provide specific guidance on implementation. The purpose of drafting and submitting this decree to the Government for promulgation is to guide the process of soliciting voter opinions in ordinary cases regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, and adjustment of administrative boundaries of administrative units.

Specifically, Mr. Phan Trung Tuan cited examples such as the establishment of wards on the basis of rural communes when the communes meet the standards and conditions for upgrading to wards (urban areas); and the adjustment of administrative boundaries in cases where it is truly necessary due to changes in geology, topography, or the impact of socio-economic development that requires adjustments to suit practical management, and not for the purpose of rearranging or merging administrative units at different levels as misleading information has been circulating on social media recently.