Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Sinh Hung commenced the 34th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee yesterday in Ha Noi.

During the three-day meeting, deputies will discuss a number of important laws such as the Law on NA Supervisory Activities, Law on Local Government Organisation and Law on Labour Safety and Hygiene. The committee will also listen to deputies' opinions on amended laws including the Law on Government Organisation, Law on Military Service and Veterinary Law.

In the morning session, lawmakers discussed the amended Law on Military Service and Veterinary Law.

Regarding the country's military service, lawmakers suggested that citizens working as forest rangers, coast guards, defence workers and other professionals accepting posts in remote and isolated areas and islands should be considered as having fulfilled their duties. Some recommended that citizens who had not fulfilled their duties be required to participate in social work programmes or pay financial penalties.

Most deputies agreed that students enrolled in universities and colleges should be able to postpone military service until after they graduated or the age of 27. Lawmakers said this would provide the army with soldiers with higher education, which was essential to build a modern army.

The session continued in the afternoon with a discussion on the amended Veterinary Law, which focuses on improving healthcare for livestock, disease prevention and control and environmental protection.

Also on the agenda are preparations for the upcoming Inter-Parliamentary Union 132nd meeting (IPU132), which will take place in Ha Noi in March.

VNS