Overcoming difficulties and actively contributing to the socio-economic development of the province.

(Baonghean) - On August 28, 1945, the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam issued a declaration announcing the list of the unified national cabinet with 13 ministers, chaired by President Ho Chi Minh, including Minister of Justice Vu Trong Khanh. The judicial system of the new regime was established from that time, and according to Decision No. 715/TTg, dated November 7, 1995, of the Prime Minister, August 28 is annually designated as the "Traditional Day of the Judicial Sector".

Throughout its 70-year journey of striving, building, and maturing, the Justice sector has continuously developed, overcoming all difficulties and challenges, striving to excel, and successfully fulfilling its assigned tasks in various revolutionary periods. It has made significant contributions to the victory of the cause of building and protecting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Inheriting and developing these achievements and traditions, the Justice sector of Nghe Tinh (now Nghe An) is increasingly consolidated and strengthened in terms of organization, quantity, and quality of personnel; discipline and order, serving the cause of national renewal, industrialization, and modernization in accordance with the policies of the Party and the State.

Officials from the Department of Justice guide citizens through the civil registration process. Photo: PV

Since 1972, according to Government Decree No. 190/CP, along with the establishment of a system of legal agencies nationwide, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Administrative Committee was established. By 1981, the Department of Justice and other judicial agencies of Nghe Tinh province were established and built into a system according to Decree 143-HĐBT dated November 22, 1981, of the Council of Ministers (now the Government). Following the separation of Nghe Tinh into two provinces, Nghe An and Ha Tinh (in 1991), along with the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution and the policy of consolidating and strengthening the organization and operation of the Justice sector, paying particular attention to building and consolidating local Justice agencies from the provincial to the grassroots level, and implementing Directive 266/TTg of the Prime Minister on taking over civil enforcement work from the People's Courts, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued a Decision to re-establish all Justice Departments under the People's Committees at the district level to assist the People's Committees at all levels in managing state affairs related to civil enforcement work.

Awards of commendation were presented to individuals and groups at the 2014 Conference of Mediators.

Subsequently, in response to the demands for administrative and judicial reform, the building of a socialist rule of law state in Vietnam, and the trend of regional and international integration, the Government issued Decree No. 171/2004/ND-CP and Decree No. 172/2004/ND-CP dated September 29, 2004. The Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 05/2005/QD.UB and Decision No. 06/2005/QD.UB dated January 11, 2005, on the organization of specialized agencies under the Provincial People's Committee and the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns, including the Department of Justice and the Justice Offices. Accordingly, the Department of Justice was reorganized and its personnel strengthened; the Justice Offices at the district level were re-established and their staff increased; and the specialized Justice and Civil Registry officers at the commune level were assigned to stable and standardized positions, with increasingly higher quality of personnel.

From 2010 to the present, the implementation of Resolution No. 49-NQ/TW dated June 2, 2005, of the Politburo on the strategy for judicial reform until 2020 has aimed at building a clean, strong, democratic, and rigorous judicial system that protects justice, is progressively modernized, serves the people, and serves the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. Based on the assigned functions and tasks, and to ensure order and cohesion in work, and to make judicial work more effective, on December 22, 2014, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior issued Joint Circular No. 23/2014/TTLT-BTP-BNV guiding the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Department of Justice under the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities, and the Department of Justice under the People's Committee of districts, towns, and cities under provinces, replacing Joint Circular No. 01/2009/TTLT-BTP-BNV dated April 28, 2009. Accordingly, the Nghe An Department of Justice was consolidated and restructured with 8 specialized departments and 4 affiliated public service units. The total number of staff, including officials and employees, is currently 86, of which: the number of staff with postgraduate qualifications is 5, accounting for 5.8%. The number of staff with university degrees is 82, accounting for 95.3%; the number of staff with bachelor's degrees and advanced political theory qualifications is 7, accounting for 8.1%; the number of staff with intermediate political theory qualifications is 1, accounting for 1.16%; the number of staff with advanced state management qualifications is 1, accounting for 1.16%; and the number of senior specialists is 7, accounting for 8.1%.

The Justice Departments of districts, cities, and towns, as well as the Justice and Civil Registry officials at the commune level, have been strengthened in terms of both quantity and quality to carry out their assigned tasks. Currently, the province has 17 districts, 1 city, and 3 towns, corresponding to 21 Justice Departments, with 86 officials and civil servants, all holding university or postgraduate degrees. The total number of Justice and Civil Registry officials at the commune level is 770 people across 480 communes. Thus, to date, almost every commune, ward, and town has assigned two Justice and Civil Registry officials. These officials are gradually being standardized in terms of training qualifications through competitive examinations or by attracting university graduates with good or excellent academic records, in accordance with the province's policy (currently, the number with university degrees is 383 people, accounting for 49.7%). The majority of Justice and Civil Registry officials at the commune level have received professional training in grassroots justice work.

Alongside strengthening the organizational and development work of the sector, many aspects of work have become more in-depth, systematic, and of higher quality, contributing to the successful implementation of the locality's political tasks. The work of drafting and reviewing legal documents has been carried out effectively, fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Ministry of Justice, the National Assembly delegation, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee in providing feedback on draft laws and sub-laws. The review of legal documents is conducted annually or by thematic and sectoral review in coordination with the Provincial People's Committee Office and other relevant departments. At the district and commune levels, programs for drafting legal documents have been issued, and active coordination with relevant departments and agencies is maintained in drafting and appraising draft legal documents, contributing to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management at the respective levels. The work of disseminating and educating about the law has been consistently led and directed by Party and State agencies and political organizations from the central to local levels, resulting in positive changes. As the Standing Agency of the Council, the Department of Justice, the Justice Office, and the Justice Departments at the commune level have effectively played their advisory role in developing and implementing annual programs and plans for disseminating and educating about the law.

Monitoring the implementation of laws, managing the enforcement of laws regarding administrative violations, and controlling administrative procedures are new tasks but have gradually become more systematic and effective. Judicial administration and the management of auxiliary judicial organizations have been identified as key tasks, and in recent years, areas such as civil registration and management from the provincial to the district and commune levels have been well-implemented, in accordance with the law. The activities of auxiliary judicial organizations (forensic experts, lawyers, notaries, asset auctioneers, bailiffs, etc.) have ensured practical effectiveness, creating favorable conditions and bringing direct benefits to the people. Currently, the province has 3 public forensic examination organizations and 7 organizations that conduct examinations on a case-by-case basis, 29 law firms, 8 professional auction organizations (including 1 auction organization that is a public service unit under the Department of Justice), 30 notary offices (including 2 notary offices that are public service units under the Department of Justice), 2 legal consulting offices, and 2 bailiff organizations. The free legal aid program for the poor and policy beneficiaries, implemented since 1997 according to Decision No. 734/TTg dated September 6, 1997, of the Prime Minister, has truly contributed to raising people's understanding and awareness of the law, especially in rural, remote, and disadvantaged areas. Inspection, examination, and complaint resolution work has received special attention and been carried out effectively under the leadership and direction of the Party Committee, the People's Committee, and the guidance of the Ministry of Justice.

The achievements and results obtained in the organization and operation of the Justice sector of Nghe An province over the past years have been recognized by the Party and the State. Many collectives and individuals throughout the sector have been awarded many high titles such as: the Government's rotating flag, the Second-Class Labor Medal, the Third-Class Labor Medal, and many other prestigious awards. With the goal of: "Consensus, overcoming difficulties, and striving to excellently fulfill assigned political tasks," building on the achievements already attained, cadres, civil servants, and employees of the Justice sector of Nghe An province will continue to strive to excellently fulfill their tasks, contributing to promoting economic development, maintaining political stability, and social order and security in the province.

Hoang Quoc Hao

Director of the Department of Justice of Nghe An Province