“Right Person, Clear Task”: Unraveling Project and Land Issues in Inspection Conclusions and Court Judgments.

The task force is led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, with the following deputy heads: the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the Minister of Justice, the Government Inspector General, and the leaders of several ministries, sectors, and central agencies, as well as 5 provinces/cities (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Khanh Hoa, and Long An).

Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the government’s plan to implement the Politburo’s directives on schemes and solutions to address difficulties and obstacles regarding projects and land issues mentioned in inspection and audit conclusions and court verdicts in several provinces and cities (the Plan) has assigned specific tasks to each ministry, sector, and locality.

“The most crucial aspect is to identify the right people and assign clear tasks in implementing the directions of the Politburo and carrying out the plans and schemes issued by the Prime Minister,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

During the meeting, the members of the Task Force, along with the leaders of several National Assembly committees and the People’s Committees of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Khanh Hoa, and Long An provinces/cities, engaged in discussions and exchanges regarding the task of drafting a resolution to be submitted to the National Assembly at the 8th session (15th tenure) via an expedited procedure. This resolution will pertain to special mechanisms and policies aimed at resolving difficulties and obstacles related to projects and land issues mentioned in inspection and audit conclusions and court verdicts. It will also cover mechanisms for determining land prices for projects signed under the Build-Transfer (BT) contracts, along with challenges and obstacles under the authority of ministries and sectors, such as land valuation, planning, bidding, auctioning, citation, and application of case law.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Minh Ngan affirmed that the ministry would promptly draft a resolution of the National Assembly to address difficulties and obstacles in handling violations related to land use duration, land allocation, and land leasing without auctions or bidding, as well as land price determination and financial obligations related to land. This will be done in a “swift, timely, and high-quality” manner.

Government Inspector General Doan Hong Phong reminded the ministries, sectors, and localities to closely follow the timelines outlined in the government’s plan to implement the Politburo’s directives on schemes and solutions to address difficulties and obstacles regarding projects and land issues mentioned in inspection and audit conclusions and court verdicts in several provinces and cities.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Phan Van Mai, stated that the city had issued a plan to implement the resolution immediately after the National Assembly and the government issued the resolution and decree within their respective competencies. He also emphasized close coordination with ministries, sectors, and judicial agencies, aiming for a “clear and thorough resolution of obstacles.”

Concluding the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to closely follow the assigned tasks, identifying any legal obstacles related to the drafting of the National Assembly’s resolution. He emphasized the need to ensure comprehensiveness and avoid omitting issues or including matters that fall under the authority of laws of lower hierarchy.

The Deputy Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Justice and the Government Office to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to appraise and finalize the draft resolution for reporting and seeking opinions from the Government and the Prime Minister. He also requested following the expedited procedure for the National Assembly’s approval at the 8th session (15th tenure).

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in developing and submitting to the Prime Minister for consideration and issuance of mechanisms and policies to address difficulties and obstacles in land price calculation for projects signed under BT contracts. This task should be completed by October 2024.

The Deputy Prime Minister instructed the ministries and sectors to complete the review, proposal, and report to the Task Force and the Prime Minister regarding the mechanisms and policies that need to be amended and supplemented during the resolution of the aforementioned projects and land issues mentioned in inspection and audit conclusions and court verdicts.

The Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the localities identify the issues that require guidance from the ministries and sectors for implementation. He also requested them to review the remaining projects with similar obstacles and report to the competent authorities in the first quarter of 2025.