Amended constitution to clearly define authorities

The amendments of Constitution 1992 must clearly define responsibilities and authority of the office of President.

Delegates emphasised the necessity to clearly define the people’s power in the revised constitution

This is among seven major orientations for amendments and supplements to the 1992 Constitution proposed by the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee at the 13th National Assembly. The proposals were declared by the Chairman of the NA Law Committee Phan Trung Ly at the NA’s discussion on the constitution amendments on August 4.
According to the NA Standing Committee, the amended and supplemented constitution should cover the political regime; economic regulations; culture, education, science and technology; protection of socialist Vietnamese Fatherland; human rights, citizen rights and obligations; organisation of State apparatus; and techniques to formulate regulations of the Constitution.
The amended constitution should also specifically clarify roles, authority and responsibility of each state agency as well as gradually design and put into practice system for the inspection and supervision of legislative, executive and judicial agencies.
Most of NA delegates agreed that the amendments should focus on the organisation of State apparatus. Delegate Nguyen Dinh Quyen, from Hanoi, said the new constitution must clarify what it means by expressing that State power belongs to the people.
Delegate Tran Du Lich from Ho Chi Minh City said the constitution revision must also consider which rights are intrinsic to people and which are delegated to the NA, adding that the people have the right to have their opinions heard when it comes to amending the constitution.
Lich noted that the balance of power remains unclear, and, for that reason, the constitution amending board must make a careful study in order to create a stable and clear balance of power.
According to Delegate Truong Trong Nghia from Ho Chi Minh City, the supervising role of the NA agencies should also be clearly defined.
The constitution amending committee is expected to have 27 members, including NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and a NA Deputy Chairman.
As planned, the implementation of the 1992 Constitution will be reviewed from August 2011 to March 2012. The draft of the amended Constitution will be presented to the NA for approval in October 2013.

Constitution amendments and supplements is among key tasks of the 13th NA