Brian Jeffrey
The Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project will move forward, as the National Assembly has given its approval for the continuation alongside an increase in the civil servants’ base salary to 2.34 million VND ($92) per month in the 2024 budget.
This decision was unanimously passed as part of a resolution during the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly on November 30.
The Assembly endorsed the government’s plan to keep investing in the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project. The government has been assigned the duty to allocate necessary resources, update pertinent laws such as the Atomic Energy Law, and expedite the project’s implementation in line with approved directives.
Additionally, a substantial amount of 55 trillion VND ($2.17 billion) from central budget savings has been earmarked for salary enhancements. This funding is meant to facilitate the adjustment of civil servants’ base salaries to 2.34 million VND per month in 2024, as detailed in Government Decree No. 73.
Some of the funds will specifically increase salaries for personnel in the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security. The rest of the allocation, along with an extra 2.98 trillion VND ($117.6 million) from the state budget, will support wage reforms across various ministries, central agencies, and local governments.
Furthermore, modifications to the Long Thanh International Airport project were approved, with Phase 1 encompassing the building of two northern runways and a passenger terminal capable of handling 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo a year, aiming for operational status by December 31, 2026.
Measures were authorized to assist Vietnam Airlines in issuing more shares to current shareholders to raise up to 22 trillion VND ($868 million). Pacific Airlines was also granted relief from penalties on overdue tax payments but must ensure all unpaid tax debts are settled.
During this session, the National Assembly enacted 18 laws and 21 resolutions, while also reviewing 10 draft laws. It stressed the importance of reforming the processes for drafting and approving legal documents, advising against the reactive approach of banning when faced with management challenges.
Agencies have been directed to evaluate and amend overlapping or outdated regulations in sectors vulnerable to corruption and inefficiencies, including land, minerals, finance, and energy.
Additionally, the National Assembly called for strict measures against crime, particularly drug trafficking, tax evasion, online fraud, and child abuse. Emphasis was placed on boosting asset recovery processes related to corruption and refining asset appraisal and valuation regulations.
