Proposal to establish a cultural heritage inspection agency

Accordingly, the cultural heritage inspection agency is established at the state management agency of cultural heritage at the central level. This agency is responsible for specialized inspection, checking, handling violations of the law in the field of cultural heritage and other tasks and powers according to the provisions of the law on inspection.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education Nguyen Dac Vinh reported on the reception and revision of the draft Law on Cultural Heritage (amended) on the afternoon of October 23.

On the afternoon of October 23, continuing the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, reporting on the reception and revision of the draft Law on Cultural Heritage (amended), Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Education Nguyen Dac Vinh said that during the discussion, there were opinions that the regulations on cultural heritage inspection have been stipulated in the Law on Inspection and other relevant legal regulations, so if the regulations are as in the draft law, it will lead to overlap.

To receive this opinion, the National Assembly Standing Committee has sent a document to the Government with comments and proposals on the necessity of establishing a cultural heritage inspectorate in the draft law or regulations in the decree on the agency performing the specialized inspection function, if a specialized inspectorate for cultural heritage is established.

On October 22, the National Assembly Standing Committee received a written response from the Government. Accordingly, the Government believes that the field of state management of cultural heritage is a large, complex, and important field for cultural, economic, and social development.

In fact, some violations in the field of cultural heritage have occurred but have not been handled or have not been handled properly; there are still cases of lost relics and antiquities; heritage is violated and distorted; archaeological sites are not protected.

The construction of works serving socio-economic development in the relic area has a negative impact on the original elements, natural landscape and ecological environment of the relic. Therefore, the Government proposes to stipulate the inspection of cultural heritage in the draft Law on Cultural Heritage (amended).

Based on the Government's opinion, Mr. Vinh said, the National Assembly Standing Committee has directed the revision and adoption of regulations on cultural heritage inspection as in the draft law.

Article 18 of the Law on Inspection stipulates that the General Department and Department Inspectorate are established to perform specialized inspection tasks within the scope of state management that the General Department and Department are decentralized to manage. For cultural heritage, it is the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

However, in Decree No. 03/2024 of the Government regulating the agency performing specialized inspection functions and the activities of the agency assigned to perform specialized inspection functions, the field of cultural heritage does not have specialized inspection functions.

However, when drafting the Law on Cultural Heritage (amended), both the drafting agency and the reviewing agency believed that the field of state management of cultural heritage is a large, complex, and important field for cultural, economic, and social development. The establishment of a specialized inspectorate for cultural heritage is necessary. Therefore, it is proposed to establish a cultural heritage inspection agency.

Should we consider establishing a cultural heritage inspectorate?

Commenting on this issue, delegate Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap delegation) suggested considering the establishment of a specialized inspection agency for cultural heritage.

According to the Dong Thap delegate, the reason for proposing the establishment of a specialized inspection agency for cultural heritage is that in the past, many violations have not been handled or have not been handled properly, and there are still cases of lost relics, antiques, and damage to cultural heritage.

"Will the establishment of an inspection agency protect antiquities and prevent them from being stolen or damaged as in the past? The loss and damage of antiquities in the past was due to lax management by inspection agencies, authorities, and state management agencies. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism already has an inspection agency of the ministry, which needs to be promoted to effectively implement. It is not necessary to establish an additional agency to inspect cultural heritage," said delegate Hoa, adding that the establishment of an additional inspection agency would increase staffing.

"It should be left to the Government. If the Government deems it necessary, it will regulate it. If not, it will not regulate it. It should not be recorded in the law," Mr. Hoa suggested.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/de-xuat-thanh-lap-co-quan-thanh-tra-di-san-van-hoa-185241023145626032.htm