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(Baonghean) - Although it does not have the function of handling citizens' complaints and denunciations, the innovation in the work of receiving citizens and urging competent authorities to handle them by the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An is really effective, creating trust among the people.

Place of trust

Innovation in the work of receiving people and handling complaints and denunciations of citizens has always been a concern of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An since the beginning of the term (2011 - 2016) until now. Because this is one of the practical activities to strengthen the relationship, consolidate the people's trust in the elected bodies, and at the same time demonstrate the role of representing the will, aspirations and legitimate rights and interests of the people.

Since the first citizen reception session on October 10, 2011, every month on the 10th, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An have regularly organized a citizen reception schedule according to the Project "Receiving citizens and handling complaints and denunciations of citizens" issued by the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council in coordination with the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An on September 16, 2011 (later changed to the 15th of each month after the citizen reception schedule of the Provincial People's Committee). Accordingly, there were 27 citizen reception sessions at the Office of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation, with over 1,500 citizens received and more than 700 complaints and denunciations of citizens received by the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation and forwarded to the relevant agencies for settlement.

Receiving people at the Office of the National Assembly Delegation and Provincial People's Council.

Mr. Tran Van Mao - Standing Member of the Provincial People's Council shared: To create trust for citizens when coming to the Office of the National Assembly Delegation and the Provincial People's Council, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the leaders of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation chaired the citizen reception sessions with the participation of members of the Provincial People's Council committees, representatives of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee and a number of related departments and branches who truly understand the law and have a deep understanding of the cases and the process of resolving each case. Each citizen who comes is directly presented, submits a petition and related files and documents; is explained, guided, advised and concluded by members of the citizen reception council on how to handle the case. For cases that have been resolved by competent authorities in accordance with the law, they are clearly explained to the people and asked to strictly comply. Immediately after the citizen reception sessions, the Standing Committee of the People's Council or the leader of the provincial National Assembly Delegation will issue a notice concluding the citizen reception session, with directions for handling and resolving each citizen and specific case in accordance with the principles of "publicity, transparency, and compliance with the law".

Directly following a number of citizen receptions at the offices of the National Assembly Delegation and the Provincial People's Council, our general observation is that the exchanges are open, democratic, and frank. Citizens are able to frankly discuss their concerns; the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation guide and assist citizens in exercising their right to complain and denounce, and at the same time receive citizens' petitions and letters to forward to competent agencies, organizations, and individuals for resolution. Through this activity, many citizens have more clearly identified the "path and steps" in exercising their right to complain and denounce, and at the same time identified the correct address to send their complaints, denunciations, and petitions; clearly identified the exact content of their complaints, denunciations, and petitions, avoiding going around in circles and going back and forth many times due to incorrect petition content and incorrect authority of the settlement agency.

On the other hand, through citizen reception sessions, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation also explained and disseminated the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's laws, thereby contributing to improving people's understanding and knowledge of the law. At the same time, they received and recorded citizens' opinions, recommendations and feedback on issues related to the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws, and the activities of elected bodies, state management agencies, organizations, agencies and units. From there, they discovered existing problems and limitations in sectors and levels of government, obstacles in the implementation of mechanisms and policies and other information related to the activities of state agencies in the province...

In addition to regular citizen receptions, the Office of the National Assembly Delegation and the Provincial People's Council also arranges full-time representatives to regularly receive citizens during working days at the Office; assigns people to participate in receiving citizens at the monthly citizen reception sessions of the Provincial People's Committee, thereby strengthening relationships and enhancing the responsibility of elected agencies in receiving citizens and resolving complaints and denunciations of citizens.

Timely resolution of petitions

Along with receiving citizens, receiving complaints and denunciations from citizens to forward to competent agencies for resolution, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council has also clearly demonstrated its responsibility in urging and supervising the resolution of citizens' complaints by all levels and sectors. The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council has selected long-standing and complicated cases to conduct surveys and work directly with relevant parties to thoroughly consider where the cases are stuck, thereby urging, recommending, and enhancing the responsibility of competent agencies, organizations, and individuals in resolving citizens' complaints and denunciations. Accordingly, many surveys were conducted by the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council in Vinh City, Nghia Dan, Hung Nguyen, Tan Ky, Thai Hoa Town... and the departments of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, Culture - Sports - Tourism, Natural Resources - Environment.... Typically, the survey on the settlement of citizens' petitions related to land at the Black Bridge project, Hung Loi commune (Hung Nguyen) and the final settlement results of the competent authorities were clearly answered to citizens, avoiding repeated complaints and denunciations.

Or, surveying and working directly with the Department of Labor - Invalids - Social Affairs and the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen district on the complaint of Mr. Ngo Ba Nhuong against Hung Linh commune in resolving policies for meritorious people, it has clarified the responsibilities of each level, each sector and the problems that are arising, and at the same time, there is a written recommendation to the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs to continue adjusting the regulations on records, procedures, and conditions for enjoying policies closer to the reality in Nghe An, avoiding the situation where people who have truly meritorious people do not enjoy policies. Most recently, in January 2014, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council conducted a survey on the complaints and recommendations of citizens related to the dissolution and handover of Huu Nghi Private High School.

Through the survey, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council directly listened to the relevant parties discuss "three sides and one word" about the reason why the initial appraisal result of the assets on the land was agreed upon by the parties and signed as 2.2 billion VND, but then the Department of Culture - Sports - Tourism sent it to the Department of Finance for appraisal, and submitted it to the Provincial People's Committee for decision as 1.965 billion VND. Currently, this amount is being transferred by the Department of Finance to the account of the Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism - the State management agency responsible for purchasing and taking over the assets of Huu Nghi Private High School. The conclusion of the survey team was agreed upon by all parties, when the Board of Directors of Huu Nghi Private High School submitted a report agreeing on the account address, and at the same time had a plan, specific source allocation items, the Department of Culture - Sports - Tourism transferred the money in the first quarter of 2014, ensuring the rights of the relevant parties.

Although not the agency directly handling and responding to citizens' complaints and denunciations or directing competent state agencies to handle them, after receiving citizens' complaints and denunciations, the Standing Committee of the People's Council and the Provincial National Assembly Delegation will be responsible for studying the content and forwarding them to competent agencies and organizations for consideration; at the same time, monitoring, supervising and urging competent agencies to promptly handle and protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens. In particular, through the survey and exchange activities between representatives of citizens making complaints and denunciations and relevant competent agencies, practical results have been achieved, removing long-standing difficulties and obstacles for competent agencies and citizens. Although not fully satisfying the requirements of citizens making complaints, most of the long-standing backlog cases have been suggested and untied. There are petitions from citizens that have been satisfactorily and legally resolved by competent authorities, but citizens still continue to complain and denounce. The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council also fully explains and guides that if citizens do not agree, they have the right to file a lawsuit in court, and at the same time clearly shows a resolute attitude that they will no longer accept this type of petition.

Mr. Tran Van Mao said: The process of monitoring the settlement of citizens' complaints and denunciations shows that there are still some cases where competent authorities are slow to resolve them, or shirk responsibility, leading to citizens' frustration due to having to wait or go back and forth many times. Therefore, first of all, all levels, sectors, agencies and especially the leaders need to further enhance their responsibility in settling citizens' complaints and denunciations. Focus on democratic, public and transparent dialogue, combined with explanation, advocacy, persuasion and strengthening legal discipline. On the part of the Standing Committee of the People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation, continue to innovate the work of receiving citizens and settling citizens' complaints and denunciations by strengthening surveys and supervision of the settlement of complaints and denunciations at all levels and sectors. The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council has included in the 2014 supervision program thematic supervision of the work of receiving citizens and settling citizens' complaints and denunciations. To carry out this work, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and the National Assembly Delegation need to continue to improve the effectiveness of coordination in receiving citizens with the Provincial People's Reception Council, the Provincial People's Committee, the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee and relevant agencies to promote the combined strength to better perform these functions and activities in the elected body.

Minh Chi