During the 5th Session of the 15th National Assembly, in the questioning of Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang, many pressing issues related to the application of the Law on Investment under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) method in projects within the national transport network were raised by National Assembly deputies in the parliamentary chamber.
Speaking at the questioning session, Representative Tran Anh Tuan ( from Ho Chi Minh City delegation) stated that currently, some projects have been approved in principle under the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model, but have subsequently been switched to public investment. These projects have not yet been implemented but require adjustments to the investment policy, prolonging the project preparation time and potentially affecting future project implementation plans. The representative requested the Minister to propose solutions to address this issue in the future.
Representative Tran Anh Tuan (from Ho Chi Minh City delegation) participated in the questioning session.
Sharing this concern, Representative Trinh Xuan An ( Dong Nai delegation) stated that many issues surrounding BOT projects lack specific deadlines for resolution, despite the National Assembly Standing Committee having already issued a conclusion on this matter. The representative requested that the Minister make concrete commitments to reassure investors, the public, and businesses.
Regarding the issue of mobilizing resources for transportation, Representative Trinh Xuan An argued that in developing transportation infrastructure, not everything can be funded by the state budget. Given the recent situation where many projects have shifted from PPP investment to public investment, the Representative emphasized that without a truly fundamental measure to mobilize resources for transportation infrastructure development, national development will be very difficult.
According to Representative Trinh Xuan An, in addition to investment promotion and communication solutions, it is necessary to address obstacles related to institutions and policies, especially the regulations on the percentage of state capital in the PPP Law, and the regulations of the Budget Law, the Construction Law, and the Road Transport Law related to budget expenditures at the central and local levels.
Representative Trinh Xuan An (from Dong Nai province) participated in the questioning session in the assembly hall.
The delegates requested that the Minister summarize, evaluate, and advise the Government to report to the competent authorities, especially on institutional issues, in order to unleash the resources truly needed for transportation development in the coming period.
Responding to questions from National Assembly deputies, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang stated that the transition from PPP projects to public investment is a matter of great concern for the transport sector. Since the enactment of the PPP Law, we have not been able to attract many businesses to invest in infrastructure projects under the PPP model. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport is researching and preparing proposals for several solutions to strongly attract PPP investment capital.
According to the Minister, our infrastructure investment needs for the period 2021-2025 alone amount to 462,000 billion VND, but only 66% has been allocated so far. There is a great need for socialized capital to participate in transportation infrastructure development. The Minister emphasized the need for a comprehensive system of solutions, adjusting the institutional framework appropriately to build trust and ensure equality for businesses.
Specifically, although the law stipulates that if revenue increases by more than 125% compared to projections, businesses must share the burden with the State, or if revenue decreases below 75%, the State must compensate. However, how this compensation will be provided, where it will come from, and from what source remains unclear. The law also states that once a business signs a contract, the contract clearly specifies when fees can be increased. But from 2019 to the present, due to issues related to macroeconomic stability, we have not implemented the fee increases stipulated in the contract, leading to unmet revenue targets and negative consequences for banks, including overdue debts.
Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang answers questions.
The Minister stated that the Ministry of Transport acknowledges the opinions of National Assembly deputies and will coordinate with localities to organize investment promotion conferences to attract domestic and international businesses. In addition, the Ministry will advise the Government and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and other ministries and agencies to resolve difficulties and obstacles, especially regarding the mobilization of foreign businesses to participate in investment in transport infrastructure.
To thoroughly remove the obstacles and difficulties with BOT projects, the Minister stated that the Ministry of Transport is very determined and resolute in submitting this content to the National Assembly during this session. However, during the preparation process for seeking opinions, the National Assembly directed that the review and evaluation should not only focus on the 8 BOT projects but also coordinate with localities to assess all BOT projects nationwide, including those of the central government and those of the localities, in order to have a comprehensive picture and from there propose measures and solutions.
Currently, the Ministry has compiled all the opinions from localities, identified the issues, and resubmitted the dossiers for the 8 BOT projects that need to be addressed first. The entire dossier has been submitted to the Government, and is currently undergoing consultation with ministries and agencies for further processing and submission to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the National Assembly. The Ministry of Transport will continue to closely monitor this issue.
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