Vietnam-Cuba exchange experiences in amending the Constitution

On October 16, at the National Assembly Headquarters, the Vietnamese National Assembly delegation led by Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Vice Chairman of the Constitutional Amendment Drafting Committee Uong Chu Luu worked with the Cuban State Council Secretariat delegation led by Mr. Homero Acosta Alvarez, Secretary of the State Council, Coordinator of the Cuban Constitutional Reform Research Working Group.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu received Mr. Homero Acosta Alvarez, Secretary of the Cuban Council of State. (Photo: An Dang/VNA)

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu highly appreciated the delegation's visit and work, which has significantly contributed to strengthening solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, making it increasingly deep and practical.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu emphasized that Vietnam is willing to share experiences and hopes to receive contributions from Cuba on existing shortcomings and limitations in the process of judicial reform and constitutional amendment.

Exchanging information on amending the Constitution, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu said that the requirement to amend the 1992 Constitution in Vietnam is to continue to affirm and clarify the basic contents stipulated in the 1992 Constitution on promoting socialist democracy; Ensuring the leadership of the Party, developing a socialist-oriented market economy, building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people and for the people; Timely institutionalizing major viewpoints and policies stated in the Platform and other documents of the Party; Perfecting constitutional techniques, ensuring that the Constitution is truly a fundamental law, with stability and longevity...

The Secretary of the Cuban State Council expressed his belief that the cooperation between the two countries will continuously achieve new achievements in all fields, contributing to fostering the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two peoples to further develop in the future.

The Secretary of the Cuban State Council also hopes that the two sides will exchange and share valuable practical experiences in the process of judicial innovation and reform, especially issues related to amending the Constitution.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed constitutional reform and legal reorganization in the process of economic renovation. The role of the State in education, culture, health and sports, state legal regulations and the main scope of management; the role of National Assembly deputies and the relationship with voters.

The two sides also discussed the major contents of the current Constitutional amendments that the people are most interested in after implementing the collection of public opinions on the draft Constitution, specifically, such as clearly showing that state power belongs to the people, strengthening the form of direct democracy, people participating in state affairs, and innovating the election work. The Constitution includes human rights in the core content of the Constitution and further clarifies the content and mechanism to ensure citizens' rights in the Constitution; and supports the socialist-oriented market economy.

The two sides shared concerns about the issue of land ownership of the entire people, especially how to respect and protect the people's land use rights, and the issue of land recovery, confiscation, and requisition. Improving the state apparatus to make the National Assembly truly the highest state power agency, the authority of the National Assembly and regulations on controlling state power. The local government model, how to organize the government reasonably, effectively, and compactly, with unified power throughout the territory while ensuring autonomy and self-responsibility of localities./.