VietNamNet Bridge – The amended Government Organization Law, released by the Office of the President on July 17, has assigned more power and specific responsibilities to the Prime Minister.

The amended law was announced at a press conference on July 17.

The amended law has two new articles, including one on the responsibility of the PM and one on the Deputy PM.

The PM has the right to appoint ministers or heads of ministerial-level agencies at the request of the Minister of Home Affairs during the time the National Assembly is not convened.

The PM also has the additional right of appointing provincial chairs at the request of the Minister of Home Affairs during the time between the two meetings of the provincial people’s councils.

The PM also has the power to appoint and dismiss the head and deputy head of government agencies and the chair and vice chair of provinces.

With more power, the PM also gets more responsibility. The PM must take responsibility before the National Assembly for the Government’s administrative system from the central to local levels, regarding decisions and the results of his decisions.

The PM is responsible to report, explain and answer questions before the National Assembly, and the National Assembly Standing Committee and can only authorize the Deputy PM in the case of absence.

The PM has to report to people through the mass media on important issues under jurisdiction of the Government and the PM.

The law specifies that the number of vice-ministers and deputy heads of ministerial-level agencies of ministries shall not exceed five persons and not more than six for the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Public Security, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Similarly, the number of deputies in ministerial agencies is limited to three, and for general departments, to four.

The new regulations will come into effect from January 1, 2016.

The new law will overcome the limitations of the existing law. Specifically, the PM has not become an effective institution to solve specific and newly arisen problems in the operation of government; the mission, competence and responsibility of the PM and ministers are not specified.

The relationship between the Government and local authorities is not specifically identified, particularly the leadership, direction and administration of the PM for local governments.

Dan Tri