Deputy PM: No Proposal to Terminate BOT Projects Due to ‘Fault’ of Businesses

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has requested the Ministry of Transport to comprehensively review and evaluate BOT traffic projects; resolutely not proposing to handle projects caused by subjective factors of enterprises and investors.

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The Ministry of Transport will conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of all BOT transport projects.

The Government Office issued Announcement No. 190/TB-VPCP on May 3, 2024, summarizing the conclusions of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on solutions to address difficulties and obstacles in several infrastructure projects implemented under the BOT contract form.

The Announcement states: The Government has submitted to the National Assembly solutions to address difficulties and obstacles in several infrastructure projects under the BOT form in Document No. 402/TTr-CP dated October 11, 2022, which has been directed by the National Assembly Standing Committee in Announcement No. 1843/TB-TTKQH dated November 28, 2022, by the General Secretary of the National Assembly. The Government leaders have provided detailed instructions on the content and progress in Official Letter No. 8352/VPCP-CN dated December 13, 2022, and Announcement No. 428/TB-VPCP dated October 20, 2023. Despite the efforts of the Ministry of Transport in implementing these instructions, the quality and progress of the Ministry of Transport’s dossier preparation have not met the requirements of the Government leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested that the Ministry of Transport be responsible for reviewing and fully implementing the instructions of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Government leaders in the aforementioned documents; studying and absorbing the opinions of relevant agencies (in writing and at meetings) to finalize the dossier (Proposal) for reporting to the Politburo for feedback.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Ministry of Transport should continue to comprehensively review and assess all BOT transport projects, including those managed by the Ministry of Transport and those managed by localities; carefully review the subjective and objective causes, the inadequacies due to changes in government policies, and the responsibilities of relevant agencies; resolutely not propose solutions for projects caused by subjective reasons of enterprises and investors (enterprises and investors must bear full responsibility according to the signed contract); and fully and carefully assess the negative impacts when implementing the proposed mechanisms and policies for reporting to competent authorities for consideration and decision.

At the same time, it should report specifically on the tasks that the Ministry of Transport, ministries, the Prime Minister, and the Government have carried out within their authority but have not yet resolved the difficulties and obstacles in BOT transport projects; clearly identify the matters beyond the authority of the Government that need to be reported to competent authorities for consideration and decision (specifying the content to be submitted to the Politburo for feedback).

The Deputy Prime Minister requested that the ministries and agencies: Finance, Planning and Investment, Justice, Government Inspectorate, and the State Bank of Vietnam closely coordinate with the Ministry of Transport in finalizing the dossier; and provide timely feedback when the Ministry of Transport seeks their opinions.

On the progress and submission of the dossier, the Deputy Prime Minister requested that the Ministry of Transport urgently implement the above contents, finalize the dossier (in accordance with the regulations of the Working Regulations of the Central Committee of the 13th Party Congress and the Working Regulations of the Government); actively seek opinions from relevant ministries and agencies (Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Public Security, Government Inspectorate, State Bank of Vietnam) and agencies of the Party, the National Assembly, and fully respond to their feedback before submitting to the Government Standing Committee in accordance with the Government’s Working Regulations.

The Ministry of Transport should report to the Party Committee of the Ministry of Transport to send a document to the Central Party Office to request permission from the Politburo to submit a report in early May 2024; complete the dossier for reporting to the National Assembly at the 7th session (submit a document to the National Assembly Office to request permission from the National Assembly Standing Committee to submit the dossier before May 20, 2024).

Nhat Quang