'Blocking the way' of retired leaders forming associations, asking for houses and cars

Citing the reality that many professional associations invite retired ministry leaders to take charge, then ask for headquarters, vehicles, funding, etc., the National Assembly Chairman emphasized the principle: The organization and operation of the association must cover its own expenses.National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan frankly pointed this out when giving her opinion on a report on a number of major issues with different opinions in the draft Law on Meetings submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee on the morning of September 22.

On September 22, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its opinion on the draft Law on Associations. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan pointed out the reality that many professional associations were established by inviting retired leaders to take charge of the association, then asking for everything from headquarters, vehicles, to operating funds.

"Many ministers told me that they are very worried because so many associations keep asking for money," Ms. Ngan said and requested that when this Law is issued, it must ensure the principle: The organization and operation of associations must be self-sufficient.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan requested that when the Law on Associations is promulgated, the situation of associations not being self-sufficient in operating expenses must be ended. Photo: VPQH

The representative of the drafting agency, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Tran Anh Tuan admitted that "it is true that many comrades who are about to retire join the campaign committee to establish an Association". According to Mr. Tuan, because "this is a lot of things", in the draft Law on Associations, the drafting committee has set out regulations for cadres and civil servants at the department level and above, after 5 years of retirement, they can participate in establishing, founding, and joining the leadership board of the association.

Mr. Tuan also said that at the recent conference of full-time National Assembly deputies, many opinions suggested clarifying the participation of officials and civil servants in establishing associations to avoid "both playing football and blowing the whistle", taking advantage of their influence in the field they are in charge of to bring personal benefits. Thereby, it is also to overcome the situation where many officials become presidents of associations as soon as they are about to retire.

Officers are only allowed to participate in the association as assigned.

According to the draft Law, cases of restricted right to association include: Cadres, civil servants, and those working in agencies and units of the People's Army and People's Police.

Chairman of the Law Committee Nguyen Khac Dinh explained that the above subjects are only allowed to found associations, register to establish associations, lead and manage the activities of associations (with registration) when assigned by competent authorities.

"That means that for unregistered associations, established voluntarily, self-managed, self-funded, self-responsible such as hometown associations, schoolmates associations, bonsai lover associations..., no one is banned from participating," Mr. Dinh said.

The Chairman of the Law Committee said that there were opinions suggesting a "complete ban" instead of the above-mentioned restriction because it could affect the independence and objectivity in the work. However, in reality, in associations established at the request of the Party and the State, there are still high-ranking officials assigned to participate in leading and managing the association. Therefore, the level of restriction here is understood to mean that if there is no assignment, officials, civil servants and people in the army and police are not allowed to participate in leading, managing and founding associations.

Concluding the session, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said that the draft Law was qualified to be submitted to the National Assembly for discussion and comments at the second session next October.

According to VNE