Proposing the Government and ministries and branches to focus on removing difficulties for businesses

BTO-On the morning of May 23, 2024, the National Assembly Delegation of Binh Thuan province participated in the discussion at Group 15 (including the delegations: Binh Thuan, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Binh Phuoc). At the discussion, Mr. Dang Hong Sy - National Assembly Delegate of Binh Thuan province contributed comments to the draft report assessing the socio-economic situation in 2023 and the first months of 2024.

Mr. Dang Hong Sy - National Assembly Delegate of Binh Thuan province participated in giving comments.

Positive results…

Delegate Dang Hong Sy agreed and highly agreed with the draft report assessing the socio-economic situation in 2023 (supplementary) and the first months of 2024 of the Government, as well as the Verification Reports of the Economic Committee of the National Assembly. In the context of many difficulties in the country, the world and the region, but under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the participation and companionship of the National Assembly with the Government and the Government's drastic direction, the economic, political and defense situation in 2023 and the first four months of 2024 has achieved many impressive results, notably: the economic growth rate in 2023 reached 5.05% (higher than some countries in the region and the world) ; budget revenue reached more than 1.75 million billion VND, exceeding 8.2%, an increase of 133.4 thousand billion VND compared to the forecast; Total export turnover reached 681.1 billion USD, trade surplus reached about 28.35 billion USD; disbursement of public investment capital was over 93%. In particular, putting into operation the North-South expressway created very good conditions for economic development; the fields of culture, society, health,education and training continued to receive attention; national security and defense were maintained and the results achieved were specifically stated in the report.

But there are still many difficulties…

In addition, there are still some difficulties and problems that have emerged, such as: The economic growth rate has not reached the target, only reaching 5.05/6.5%, while the target for the 2021-2025 period is 6.5% to 7%, so it is possible that in this period we will not reach the target of the period (because in 2021 it reached 2.56%, in 2022 it reached 8.12%) . According to delegate Dang Hong Sy, to achieve the target of 6.5% of the period, in 2024 and 2025 the economic growth rate must reach 8.5%; GDP per capita has not yet reached the target (only reaching 4,284 USD/4,400 USD compared to the target).

Although budget revenue targets have increased, production and business activities of enterprises still face many difficulties. Many enterprises cannot access capital, leading to no orders, labor cuts, and thus unemployment increases; the situation of one-time withdrawal of social insurance not only does not decrease but also increases.
In particular, unemployment in industrial zones is increasing. Agriculture in general will be more prosperous in 2023 and the first months of 2024 due to relatively stable agricultural product prices and increases in many commodities; conditions for businesses to access capital are still difficult, although banks have reduced interest rates, they are still high, in addition, conditions for banks to lend are more cautious and strict... so it is very difficult for businesses to access capital.

According to the report, in 2023, 172.6 thousand enterprises withdrew from the market and in the first months of 2024, 86 thousand enterprises withdrew from the market (an increase of 12.2% compared to 2023 ); from there, we also need to analyze the reasons why, although bank interest rates have decreased, businesses still have difficulty accessing capital, but according to the report, commercial banks make very large profits... Therefore, we need to analyze and clarify further.
Another problem is that the stock market, bond market, and real estate market are still facing many difficulties. Although the Government has actively directed to remove difficulties and establish teams to remove obstacles for large projects nationwide, there has not been much change. The biggest problem is the current way of calculating land prices. Although the decree has been amended and supplemented, most localities cannot calculate land prices to allocate to projects and to carry out the next steps.

According to delegate Dang Hong Sy, in reality, not only is it difficult to manage the state, but it is also very difficult to find valuation companies. Valuation units (currently carrying out valuation of projects) also face many difficulties, and many of these units have even asked to withdraw from valuation (and not request a refund of the costs they have spent). This issue has been discussed many times but has not been implemented this year, leading to the consequence of wasting land resources and losing budget revenue.

Another problem is that although the economic growth rate has increased, in general, people's lives still face many difficulties. In addition, in the first months of 2024, people in the Central region, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta have had to face drought, lack of water for production and daily life, leading to many crops dying, this situation also occurred in some localities (including some localities in Binh Thuan province) .
Another problem that is also very slow to be resolved, as stated in the report, is that a number of cadres, civil servants, and public employees have shown signs of shirking responsibility, avoiding responsibility, and not daring to do it because they are afraid of making mistakes and taking responsibility. So what is the reason why we cannot overcome it? The Prime Minister has issued many documents and telegrams of direction and the Minister of Home Affairs has also actively directed this issue, but it has not been overcome and is becoming more and more difficult. In the context that we have issued Decree 73 to protect cadres who dare to think, dare to do, are dynamic, and creative for the common good, but almost all localities have not achieved results in implementing it. So what is the reason? We need to clarify this to avoid making difficulties even more difficult.

Fundamental solutions are needed from the Government and the National Assembly.

From the general advantages and difficulties of the economy, Delegate Dang Hong Sy proposed to focus on the following solutions: It is recommended that the Government and ministries focus on removing difficulties for businesses, in which the National Assembly must participate. To remove difficulties in the real estate sector, if the Land Law and guiding documents are issued promptly and with sufficient conditions, they should be applied early from July 1, 2024 and in which it is necessary to pay attention to guiding the easy-to-implement land price calculation, so that cadres, civil servants and public employees in agencies and units advising on this work are convenient in their work. In fact, now that the incident has occurred, almost all agencies have stepped in to investigate and inspect, and the members of the Price Council, even the Price Council's Support Team, are also under investigation and some of them have been arrested, and according to current regulations, there must be a consulting company to do it, the consulting company must go survey, collect data, and the Price Council only re-evaluates whether the procedures are in accordance with regulations, the Chairman of the Council and the members of the Council do not have the skills or expertise in price appraisal, but only rely on data, statistical reports, and summaries of the price appraisal consulting unit, but when errors occur in the price appraisal, all responsibility is placed on the price appraisal members .
Regarding this issue, in Binh Thuan province, the investigation agency of the Ministry of Public Security has just investigated and prosecuted two cases in the first phase, but has prosecuted and temporarily detained many officials in the valuation council (including many officials who are key leaders of the province) , even comrades in the Secretariat assisting the Valuation Council only draft documents, prepare files and documents for the Council under investigation... thereby greatly affecting the ideology and responsibility in advising and proposing. Therefore, if there is no full and thorough guidance on the provisions of the Land Law, it will be very difficult to overcome the delay in the following years. Second, to support businesses, it is necessary to have a policy to reduce loan interest rates and create favorable conditions for businesses to easily access loan sources; have a policy to defer, extend loan debt and defer debt, reduce tax for businesses.

Overcoming the fear of making mistakes and shirking responsibility among civil servants, as delegate Sy said: The Prime Minister has issued four telegrams, the Minister of Home Affairs has actively directed but has not created any change, so why is that? Delegate Sy raised the question: "Is it because in the process of fighting against negativity and corruption, we have taken action and achieved very good results, but at the same time, it has led to some officials being afraid of responsibility?" Delegate Dang Hong Sy reiterated that many opinions of National Assembly deputies, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Procuracy, have proposed to consider revising Article 219 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017) on the crime of violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste. Accordingly, anyone who is assigned to manage and use state assets but violates the asset management and use regime, causing loss or waste from 100 million VND to under 300 million VND or under 100 million VND but has been disciplined or administratively sanctioned for this act and still violates, will be subject to non-custodial reform for up to 3 years or imprisonment from 1 to 5 years. The amount from 300 million to under 1 billion is subject to imprisonment from 3 to 12 years; over 1 billion is from 10 to 20 years. Therefore, the delegate suggested that it should be classified and clarified soon, the law needs to supplement elements with signs of negativity and corruption.

Delegate Dang Hong Sy cited the case of land price calculation, Binh Thuan had a case where the land price was initially calculated differently but only after the 4th calculation, and this was done by the Central agencies. A criminal case was just initiated, initially from a loss of more than 3,000 billion VND, it was only left with more than 670 billion VND...

From the above issues, Delegate Dang Hong Sy proposed that the handling process must classify and evaluate which cases have negative effects and which cases of corruption must be strictly handled. In cases where there may be errors in the calculation process and there is no profit motive, "we should consider handling them more reasonably. Only then will officials and civil servants be more courageous. Like in epidemic prevention, classify those who may have done wrong but have no profit motive and then handle them administratively. Those who have negative effects and corruption must be handled criminally. Only by doing so can we overcome the situation where officials and civil servants shirk responsibility and do not dare to do it. Otherwise, Decree 73 will not be implemented in practice.

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