13th legislature opens eighth session The 13th National Assembly opened its 8th session in Hanoi on October 20, with priority issues being 18 draft laws and three draft resolutions. Lawmakers will also give opinions on 12 other draft laws, examine Government reports on the implementation of socio-economic development plans and State budget estimates in 2014 as well as plans and budget estimates for 2015. NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung is on the agenda to deliver the opening speech while Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will discuss the nation’s socio-economic situation in 2014 and tasks for 2015. A report on the handling of citizen’s complaints by President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan along with reports on corruption and a project to revise textbooks of the school system will also be tabled for discussion. Addressing the opening ceremony, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung emphasized the eighth session of the 13th legislature took place in the context of the world economic recovery, macro-economic stability, and effectively controlled inflation. Progress was seen in boosting judicial reforms combating crime and social evils and elevating Vietnam’s international status. However, the NA Chairman revealed weaknesses in the socio-economic situation such as low competitiveness, public debt, fluctuation in the monetary and financial market and lack of effective measures to ensure balanced budget. Additionally, the complicated developments in the East Sea have affected the country’s socio-economic development process, he added. The top legislator called for a stronger unity between the Party and the whole nation overcome challenges to fulfil the socio-economic development plan and the five-year plan for 2011-2015.In his statement, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also touched upon the country’s socio-economic situation in 2014 and future orientations for 2015. There have been positive signs in almost all economic sectors demonstrated by higher economic and trade surplus growth and stable industrial production. The report of the PM also set forth major solutions in the remaining months of the year by regulating the monetary policy and speeding up the disbursement of capital construction investment, especially the capital stemming from state budget, government bonds and ODA funds. VOV