NA deputies propose giving PM more power in COVID-19 fight

Deputy To Van Tam of Kon Tum province agreed that the legislative body should consider and remove difficulties and obstacles, creating a legal corridor for the Government to apply a number of special measures that have never been seen in the legal system to make disease prevention more effective.

Deputy Nguyen Truong Giang of Dak Nong province shared Tam’s view, noting that the fresh outbreak, starting in late April, has made a negative impact on business production and people’s life, and the implementation of social distancing rules in many localities will certainly affect the realization of the government’s dual goal of epidemic prevention and economic recovery.  

The deputy, who is also vice chairman of the NA Committee for Legal Affairs, proposed that the NA grant the Prime Minister the power to decide on measures which are yet to be prescribed within the law or different from current regulations, in order to proactively, flexibly and promptly respond to the current outbreak.

Deputy Vu Thi Luu Mai of Hanoi agreed to the proposal, saying special COVID-19 measures should be adopted given the the complex evolution of the current pandemic. In her opinion, parts of the measures may not be consistent with the Law on State Budget, but fighting COVID-19 needs flexibility in execution.

However, she reminded that such proposed measures should only be applicable to the COVID-19 fight to avoid losses to State budget in other cases.

Voicing his support for the proposal, deputy Tran Van Lam of Bac Giang province emphasized the need to bring the fresh outbreak under control as soon as possible.

“Losses will be huge if we respond late,” said the deputy.

Also at the plenary session, NA deputies raised VND500 million in support of the ongoing fight against COVID-19.