Completing the Draft Government Report on Constitutional Amendments

On the afternoon of March 25, the Government's Steering Committee for the Summary of the Implementation of the 1992 Constitution held a workshop to contribute ideas to the Draft Government Report on the results of collecting opinions on the Draft Amendments to the 1992 Constitution with the participation of representatives of leaders of ministries, branches, agencies of the National Assembly, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, a number of provinces and cities and many experts and researchers.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Head of the Steering Committee chaired the workshop.

According to the Draft Report of the Steering Committee for the Summary of the Implementation of the 1992 Constitution of the Government, as of March 25, the Ministry of Justice has received 29/30 reports on the results of collecting opinions from ministries and branches; 59/63 reports on the results of collecting opinions from localities with a total of 88 reports, estimated at about 5,000 pages. The summary results show that ministries, branches and localities have organized 28,014 seminars and conferences to collect opinions and received about 15 million comments from agencies, organizations and individuals on the contents of the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution.

Basically, the consultation and submission of the report to the Ministry of Justice were carried out on time. However, there were still some ministries and local agencies that submitted their reports late or even did not submit their reports at all.

According to the Steering Committee's assessment, in general, many reports were elaborately and methodically prepared, with a high number of comments; among them, many comments were of high quality and enthusiasm, but there were also some reports that were sketchy, with comments mainly being technical.

Most comments said that the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution closely followed the viewpoints and orientations for studying the amendment of the Constitution as determined in the Party's Resolutions; institutionalized the Platform for national construction in the transitional period to socialism, in accordance with the new situation of the country. The Draft clearly recorded a number of principles and foundations; clearly identified the agencies implementing legislative, executive and judicial powers; demonstrated new thinking in the provisions on human rights, basic rights and obligations of citizens; and supplemented independent constitutional institutions.

The Draft Government Report proposes many points to absorb and revise the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution. The recommendations and proposals mainly refer to the group of regulations on the Government and Local Government: Clearly defining the position and legal status of the Government as the agency exercising executive power and the highest State administrative agency; enhancing the personal responsibility of the Prime Minister and Ministers; the tasks and powers of the Government must clearly demonstrate the relationship of division of labor, coordination and control of power. The Draft Report also proposes to add the right of the Government to propose to the National Assembly to review the Draft Law that does not ensure feasibility; adding the reporting regime of the Minister to the people on important issues under the management responsibility.

Regarding local authorities, the Draft Report also recommends that the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution only generally stipulates that the Administrative Committee is responsible to the People's Council and the superior State administrative agency for the performance of assigned tasks and powers according to law.

At the workshop, experts, scientists, and state management officials contributed many opinions related to groups of issues on functions, tasks, as well as the position and role of the Government in the state apparatus system; creating breakthroughs to perfect the Government model in a more proactive and flexible direction with sufficient authority to manage and operate all areas of socio-economic life. Some experts suggested not to stipulate "The Government is the executive body of the National Assembly" because the executive function of the Government already includes the content of execution; adding a number of tasks and powers of the Prime Minister to proactively run the country in unusual situations such as: Natural disasters, epidemics.

Some opinions suggest that the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution should more clearly demonstrate the principle of division, coordination and control of power among State agencies in the exercise of legislative, executive and judicial powers; clearly stipulate the principle of decentralization between the central and local governments to ensure increased autonomy and self-responsibility of localities.

Delegates also contributed ideas to complete the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution on land ownership and management; protection and exploitation of national resources; citizens' property rights and the purchase, requisition and recovery with compensation when the property is land use rights.

Assessing the overall draft of the Government's report on the results of collecting comments on the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stated that, in general, the Steering Committee has successfully organized the collection of public comments on the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution in the past time. The draft report was carefully prepared; the comments were compiled honestly, fully, and objectively in accordance with Instruction No. 239 of the Committee for Drafting Amendments to the 1992 Constitution.

Acknowledging and appreciating the contributions of people from all walks of life, agencies and organizations expressed in the Draft Report as well as the opinions of experts at the workshop, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the contributions were very profound, specific, high quality, demonstrating a scientific and systematic process of research, analysis and proposal. The Steering Committee will receive and synthesize to complete the Draft Report, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed.

Praising the efforts of the Steering Committee members in overcoming difficulties in a short time, organizing the synthesis, analysis, and development of a comprehensive and tight Draft Report, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the Government will organize a thematic meeting to comprehensively and objectively review and discuss and approve this important Draft.

Respecting and welcoming the comments at the workshop that contribute to building an increasingly perfect Government model, strong enough to manage the country's socio-economy, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested experts, scientists, and managers to continue to add and contribute more quality comments to help complete the Draft Report./.

According to (TTXVN) - LT