National Workshop on Judicial Reform to Build and Perfect the Rule of Law State
On the morning of January 17, in Da Nang, the Steering Committee for developing the Project "Strategy for building and perfecting the Socialist Rule of Law State of Vietnam until 2030, with a vision to 2045" held a national workshop with the theme: "Continuing to promote and improve the effectiveness of judicial reform to meet the requirements of building and perfecting the Socialist Rule of Law State of Vietnam until 2030, with a vision to 2045".
This is the 2nd National Workshop of the Steering Committee, following the 1st Workshop held in December 2021 with the theme: "Theoretical and practical issues on the Socialist Rule of Law State of Vietnam".
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| President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other Party and State leaders chaired the conference. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
Politburo members: President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Head of the Steering Committee; Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee; National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee; Phan Dinh Trac, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Internal Affairs Committee, Permanent Deputy Head of the Steering Committee; Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council; Nguyen Hoa Binh, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court co-chaired the Workshop. Also attending were members of the Steering Committee, leaders, former leaders of a number of departments, ministries, branches, experts, and scientists.
In his opening speech, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that, implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, relevant agencies and organizations have been very active and proactive in developing the Project to submit to the Politburo and the Central Committee; in which, developing a judicial reform strategy is one of the key contents of the Project, an urgent issue in the current period.
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| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue delivered the opening speech at the workshop. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
The National Assembly Chairman stated that the summary of 15 years of implementing Resolution 49 of the Politburo on the Judicial Reform Strategy to 2020 has shown that judicial reform has achieved many very important results. Our country's judiciary has made great strides in protecting justice, protecting human rights, citizens' rights, the interests of the State and the legitimate interests of organizations. The work of building and perfecting basic laws has institutionalized the Party's policies on judicial reform, the specific principles of judicial organization and activities as civilized values in the modern rule of law State have been recognized, institutionalized and implemented. The organization of the apparatus, functions, tasks and powers of judicial agencies have been improved and the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of judicial activities have been improved.
The National Assembly Chairman also pointed out that, in addition to the achieved results, judicial reform work in recent times still has many limitations and shortcomings. In terms of awareness, there is still a lack of unified understanding of judicial content, judicial power, judicial agencies, judicial independence, control of judicial power, etc. In terms of practical activities, a number of tasks and solutions for judicial reform set out in Resolution 49 of the Politburo are still considered correct but have not been implemented or have been implemented but not really effectively, especially in reforming the organizational apparatus of judicial agencies, etc. In addition, the strong impact of the 4th industrial revolution and the trend of deep and comprehensive international integration of the country require judicial reform to continue to be promoted to better meet the requirements of the new situation.
At the workshop, many opinions suggested that in the context of globalization, international integration, digital economy, digital society and the fourth industrial revolution that are taking place strongly, deeply impacting all aspects of social life, there is an urgent need to continue to strongly reform the Vietnamese judiciary. Therefore, judicial reform needs to be further promoted and raised to a new level.
In his speech summarizing the main contents of the Workshop, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that regarding the group of contents focusing on judicial reform, opinions were unanimous in recognizing that judicial reform is one of the focuses of the Project on building and perfecting the Socialist Rule of Law State of Vietnam. However, this is also an issue with different perceptions, viewpoints and opinions.
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| President Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired the conference. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
Regarding the focus of judicial reform, some opinions believe that in the new Judicial Reform Strategy, it is necessary to continue to choose Court reform as a breakthrough in judicial reform. Because, in the judicial system, the Court has a particularly important role, is the agency that implements the judicial power as stipulated in the Constitution, is the symbol of justice, fairness, and reason, and is the place that most clearly demonstrates the nature of the rule of law State.
Regarding the innovation of the organizational model of judicial agencies, in general, opinions are unanimous in the view that it is necessary to continue reforming the organization of the judicial system and have a suitable roadmap to ensure that the organization and operation of agencies implementing judicial power and agencies participating in judicial activities are placed in a comprehensive system, ensuring the effective division, coordination and control of power in judicial activities. Reforming judicial support agencies and organizations is an inseparable part of judicial reform to attract and strongly promote social resources to participate in judicial support activities, while still ensuring the effectiveness of State management.
Other issues of judicial reform such as criminal and civil law policies; building a team of judicial and judicial support staff; strengthening supervision of elected bodies and promoting people's mastery over judicial activities; enhancing international cooperation on justice; ensuring material facilities for judicial activities, etc. also received many important comments from delegates, contributing to ensuring the consistency of tasks and solutions on judicial reform in the upcoming Project to be submitted to the Central Committee.
Regarding the content group on the goals, viewpoints and orientations of judicial reform, the President highly appreciated the opinions of many delegates suggesting to continue to carefully study and scientifically inherit the goals, viewpoints and orientations of judicial reform of Resolution No. 49, combining and creatively applying the advances of the world's judiciary to the specific conditions of Vietnam to successfully implement the policies and guidelines of judicial reform stated in the Documents of the 13th National Party Congress. These are very dedicated and highly appreciated opinions.
From that, the President, Head of the Steering Committee concluded that, through discussion, the Workshop basically agreed that judicial reform must be placed under the comprehensive and close leadership of the Party, firmly maintaining the nature of the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people, for the people, led by the Party; must have high political determination to overcome challenges, eliminate prejudices, cognitive barriers and local ideology, resolutely and persistently reform for a fair, just judiciary serving the people.
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| Delegates attending the workshop. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
Judicial reform must be carried out synchronously with innovation in legislative work and administrative reform to ensure the principle of unified State power, with division, coordination and control among State agencies in the exercise of legislative, executive and judicial powers.
Judicial reform aims to ensure judicial independence to better protect and ensure democracy, fairness, justice, human rights, civil rights, legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals, the rule of law, and prevent improper impacts on judicial activities.
Along with that, judicial reform must inherit the achievements of the socialist Vietnamese judiciary, selectively absorb progressive values and valuable experiences from other countries, suitable to Vietnam's conditions and international integration requirements, in line with the world's development trends.
Judicial reform must be carried out urgently, synchronously and comprehensively; key and key contents must be clearly identified; appropriate reform programs, plans and roadmaps must be developed; and the authority and responsibility of each agency, organization and individual in implementing judicial reform must be clearly defined.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his firm belief that under the Party's leadership, the implementation of the new Judicial Reform Strategy in the coming time will create positive changes for Vietnam's judiciary, develop in the right direction, in line with the trend of the times, better protect and ensure fairness, justice, human rights, citizen rights, the socialist regime, the interests of the State, and the legitimate and legal rights and interests of organizations and individuals, contributing to affirming the nature of the rule of law and serving the people of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The President requested the Project Editorial Team to fully synthesize and absorb the opinions of all delegates to complete the Project. According to the plan, in the coming time, the Steering Committee will continue to organize the third Workshop on new and breakthrough issues in building and perfecting the Socialist Rule of Law State of Vietnam and a number of in-depth discussions to complete this important Project.
