Hanoi (VNA) – Legislators, at their August 23 sitting during the 16th National Assembly (NA)’s first extraordinary session, passed three laws related to national defence, security and State compensation, strengthening the legal framework for preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, building a streamlined and modern military, and protecting the rights of those seeking State compensation.
With 473 of 474 participating deputies voting in favour, or 94.6%, the NA passed the Law on Prevention and Combating the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The 36-article law, comprising four chapters, will take effect on July 1, 2027.
Presenting the Government’s report, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang said the law institutionalises the Party’s policy of safeguarding the nation early and from afar, while creating a comprehensive and consistent legal framework for preventing and combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and fulfilling Vietnam’s international commitments.
The law also clarifies grounds, conditions, subjects, scope, authority and duration for measures affecting the lawful rights and interests of organisations and individuals, as well as mechanisms for review, termination, complaints, lawsuits and compensation.
It avoids overlapping management, licensing, declaration, reporting, inspection and supervision procedures by building on existing specialised legislation and using available information and data.
The law also incorporates relevant obligations under international treaties to which Vietnam is a party and resolutions of the UN Security Council. It provides for mechanisms to identify customers, monitor transactions, report and retain records, with the State Bank of Vietnam serving as the focal point for receiving reports on suspicious transactions and sharing information with relevant agencies.
With 472 of 474 participating deputies voting in favour, or 94.4%, the NA also passed the Law amending and supplementing several articles of nine laws on military and national defence, which cover national defence; officers of the Vietnam People’s Army; professional military personnel, defence workers and public employees; military service; border guard; people’s air defence; reserve force; civil defence; and militia and self-defence force.
The legislation aims to align these laws with the two-tier local administration model and requirements for building a revolutionary, regular, elite, streamlined and modern military.
It strengthens decentralisation and delegation of authority, particularly to provincial Military Commands and commune-level Military Commands, while requiring appropriate inspection, supervision and accountability mechanisms.
The law contains 10 articles and will take effect on September 1, 2026.
The same day afternoon, lawmakers also passed the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on State Compensation Liability, with 470 of 471 participating deputies voting in favour. The three-article law will take effect on March 1, 2027.
The revised law clarifies the scope of State compensation liability, ensuring that any expansion beyond existing provisions can only be decided by the NA and remains within the three areas covered by the law: administrative management, legal proceedings and enforcement of judgments.
Regarding tax administration, the Government proposed retaining the existing scope of State compensation liability pending further careful study, as the issue remains complex and has drawn differing views.
The amendments also simplify documentation requirements for compensation claims, revise provisions on verification of damage and negotiation of compensation, and add grounds for issuing compensation decisions when negotiations do not take place.
They further provide for cases eligible for reduced or waived reimbursement, aiming to ensure consistency with Party policies and related legislation, while strengthening protections for claimants and public officials whose unlawful acts cause damage./.
VNA
