The National Assembly has approved the continuation of the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project and additional budget allocations for 2024, including a raise in the base salary for civil servants to 2.34 million VND ($92) per month.

The decisions were part of a resolution passed unanimously on November 30 during the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly.

The National Assembly confirmed the government’s directive to continue investing in the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project. The government has been tasked with allocating resources, updating relevant laws - including the Atomic Energy Law - and accelerating implementation per authorized conclusions.

The National Assembly approved a 55 trillion VND ($2.17 billion) allocation from central budget savings to fund wage reforms. This includes adjusting the base salary for civil servants to 2.34 million VND per month in 2024 as stipulated by Government Decree No. 73.

A portion of the allocation will be used to increase salaries for the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security. The remaining funds, along with an additional 2.98 trillion VND ($117.6 million) from the state budget balance, will support wage reforms across ministries, central agencies, and local governments.

The National Assembly also approved modifications to the Long Thanh International Airport project. Phase 1 now includes the construction of two northern runways and one passenger terminal, with a capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo annually. The project must be operational by December 31, 2026.

The National Assembly authorized measures to address challenges faced by Vietnam Airlines, allowing it to issue additional shares to existing shareholders to raise up to 22 trillion VND ($868 million). Similarly, Pacific Airlines was granted relief from late payment penalties on overdue taxes but must repay all outstanding tax debts.

The National Assembly passed 18 laws and 21 resolutions, while reviewing 10 draft laws. It emphasized the need to reform the drafting and approval of legal documents, urging the government and relevant bodies to abandon the "if you can't manage it, ban it" mindset.

Agencies were instructed to review, revise, or propose amendments to overlapping or outdated regulations in areas prone to corruption and inefficiencies, such as land, minerals, finance, and energy.

The 22 trillion VND Assembly called for intensified measures to combat crime, particularly in areas such as drug trafficking, tax evasion, online fraud, and child exploitation. It also emphasized strengthening asset recovery mechanisms for corruption cases and improving regulations on asset appraisal and valuation.

Thu Hang