Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman N💧guyen Thi Kim Ngan said high resolve and drastic and breakthrough measures are needed to achieve socio-economic development targets and create a momentum for following year𒈔s in the context of numerous difficulties and challenges facing the country.

   In her speech opening the second session of the 14th National Assembly, the top legislator stressed that the session convenes at a time when the central region has just been devastated by floods. “The NA sympathises with the losses suffered by people in the central region and appreciates the strong leadership of the Government as well as the efforts of Party organisations, administrations, armed forces and communities in affected localities in responding to the natural disaster,” Chairwoman Ngan said. She called on the entire nation, including overseas Vietnamese, to continue offering support both material and spiritual to flood victims. Ngan noted that 2016 is the first year the nation implements the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress. With high resolve, the entire political system and the people as well as the business community have achieved important outcomes in carrying out the year’s socio-economic development plan, the five-year development plan for 2016-2020. The Chairwoman said the national economy recorded a fair growth rate, which is lower than the set target but higher than the rates seen in the region and the world. The macro-economy remains stable while inflation is under control; social security and major balances of the economy are basically ensured. Positive results were made in external relation policy, helping enhance the country’s prestige and status in the international arena. National defence and security has been maintained. At the same time, Ngan pointed to a range of difficulties both inside and outside the country. Since early this year, prolonged droughts affected south central and Central Highlands provinces; the Mekong Delta suffered from droughts and salt water intrusion; while a serious environmental incident and floods happened in several central regions, all of which made serious impacts on agricultural production and local people’s life. At the same time, the world economy saw a slow recovery with many unpredictable risks; the prices of crude oil dropped strongly and remained at lower-than-expected levels, thus affecting budget revenue and macro-economic balances. “In such context, we need to have high resolve and take drastic and breakthrough measures to restructure the national economy, shift the growth model, control public debt, settle bad debt, restructure the State budget as well as the banking system, improve the business and investment environment towards the goal of stabilising macro-economy, sustaining a reasonable growth rate, ensuring social security, maintaining political stability, strengthening national defence and security, protecting social order and safety, thus creating momentum for development in the years to come,” Ngan said. The NA leader underlined the key issues to be considered at the second NA session. First of all, the NA will approve several laws and a resolution, and give opinions on 12 other bills, including important laws regulating fields of great public interest. Several reports will be submitted to the NA during the session, which assess the implementation of socio-economic development plan and State budget in 2016; socio-economic development plan and the State budget estimates and allocation plan for 2017; the economic restructuring plan for 2016-2020; the five-year financial plan; the mid-term public investment plan for 2016-2020; and the goals and orientations for mobilizing loans and public debt management in 2016-2020. The session is also expected to scrutinize reports on the performance of the Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court and the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy; along with the Government’s reports on the fight against crimes and corruption, among others. The NA will assess the implementation of the national target programme on building new-style rural areas in 2010-2015 in combination with agricultural restructuring. A resolution on the outcomes of this national target programme is expected to be tabled for discussion and approval. The Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee will submit a report summing up opinions and recommendations of voters and people. The NA Standing Committee is to report to the NA the outcomes of its supervision of the settlement of voters’ petitions sent to the 11th session of the 13th legislature. Hearings will also be an important part on the working agenda of the NA’s second session. During the opening ceremony, Party and State leaders and NA deputies each donated at least one day’s wage to help flood victims in the central region.-VNA