Speaking at the reception of the draft Law on Organization of Local Government Amendments on the morning of February 15, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra explained that the agency in charge of reviewing and drafting agreed to keep the current local government model "to ensure the overall stability of the entire political system".
"If we make immediate adjustments, there will be a gap in the operation of the organization system and the local government model. Therefore, the model will remain the same for now and we ask delegates to support this option," she said, adding that this is also appropriate in the context that the whole country is restructuring its apparatus.
She said the Ministry of Home Affairs has coordinated with the Central Organizing Committee to evaluate and study the overall organizational model, including the local government organization. Urban governments still follow the resolutions of the National Assembly. Centrally-run cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Can Tho or Hue City can propose adjustments.
According to the Minister of Home Affairs, the amendment of the Law on Local Government aims to create a tight legal corridor, implementing the principles of decentralization, delegation of power and authorization between the Government and localities.
"The government is moving towards fundamental and comprehensive reforms, but there are still issues that need to be stabilized immediately to ensure the smooth operation of local governments in streamlining the apparatus," she said, emphasizing that "adjusting this issue or that issue will not ensure the connection and unity to streamline the apparatus."
Speaking earlier, Head of the Propaganda Department of Tra Vinh Provincial Party Committee Tran Quoc Tuan expressed concern that the local government organization model in the draft "has no innovation, going against the current trend of streamlining the apparatus".
He emphasized that the Party's policy through many congresses has directed the need to innovate the organization and operation of local governments in accordance with urban, rural and island characteristics. Practice also shows that after amending the Law on Organization of Local Government in 2019, Da Nang City, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong City were allowed by the National Assembly to implement one-level urban governments and brought about efficiency.
"We are implementing a revolution to streamline the organizational apparatus, so the local government organization also needs to be redesigned to suit the characteristics of urban and rural areas," said Mr. Tuan, arguing that this is not contrary to the Constitution.
Delegates from Tra Vinh province proposed that while the organization of local government in rural areas has not been innovated, it is necessary to strongly innovate the organization of local government in urban areas to promote development.
Meanwhile, Vice President of the Dong Thap Province Bar Association Pham Van Hoa agreed with the local government model as in the draft law, which includes both the People's Council and the People's Committee. The delegate emphasized that "it is impossible not to have a People's Council at the commune level".
However, the pilot urban government model has had certain successes, so he suggested studying this model so that it can be implemented nationwide.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man previously affirmed that "it is impossible to abolish People's Councils at the commune level at present". Some localities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hai Phong have piloted not organizing People's Councils at the district, ward, and commune levels. Those with pilot plans will continue to implement the model, then summarize it for consideration of expansion. However, if this model is expanded, the Constitution must be amended.
According to Mr. Man, the implementation of the people's mastery at the local level is at the People's Council. "If the People's Council is abolished, where will the people be the masters?", he said, adding that through the People's Council, the people exercise their mastery and supervise the activities of the government.
In the draft in mid-January, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed not to organize People's Councils at district and ward levels nationwide. However, the draft submitted to this session has dropped the above proposal, keeping the local government model as in the current law; except for specific cases that the National Assembly stipulates are not local government levels.
The draft law states that Vietnam's administrative units include provincial level (including provinces and centrally run cities), district level (county, district, town, provincial city, centrally run city), commune level (commune, ward, town) and special administrative-economic units.
Depending on geographical conditions, population, socio-economic development requirements, and national defense and security, islands and archipelagos that are district-level administrative units may not organize commune-level administrative units. Local authorities at provincial, district and commune-level administrative units include People's Councils and People's Committees; except in specific cases where the National Assembly stipulates that they are not local authorities. The National Assembly stipulates the organization of local authorities at special administrative and economic units upon their establishment.
The National Assembly will pass this draft law on February 19.
University (according to VnExpress)Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/giu-mo-hinh-chinh-quyen-dia-phuong-de-tranh-hut-hang-405283.html
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