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| National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân addresses the seventh session of the National Election Council yesterday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — The National Election Council (NEC) convened its seventh session - its last plenary meeting - in Hà Nội yesterday under the chair of National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, head of the council.
The function focused on discussing a draft report on the outcomes of the general election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2016-2021 tenure, and a report on the verification of the eligibility of elected NA deputies.
Addressing the event, Ngân said the Council Office had made the draft report on the election results based on reports from relevant bodies.
The official report will be concluded at the July 18 session and will then be presented at the first session of the 14th NA.
According to her, the general election, which took place on May 22, selected 496 deputies to the new legislature.
However, during the verification of elected deputies’ qualifications, one was under investigation. The NEC rejected the election of Trịnh Xuân Thanh, former vice-chairman of the southern Hậu Giang Province, as a National Assembly (NA) deputy for several wrongdoings.
Nguyễn Hạnh Phúc, NA general secretary and chief of the NEC Office, said members of the NEC unanimously agreed to withdraw Thanh’s title as NA deputy. He is the only one whose election has not been approved.
As a result, the 14th National Assembly has 495 eligible deputies whose term is from 2016 to 2021.
The result will be reported to the first session of the 14th NA, which is expected to convene on July 20.
The NEC decision came after the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission on Monday said Thanh, also former chairman of PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), had to take responsibility for the loss of more than VNĐ3.2 trillion (US$142 million) of the corporation during the time he was in charge, due to negligence and lax management.
The commission also said Thanh’s promotion to several high positions in the Industry and Trade Ministry and in Hậu Giang Province was improper.
Thanh made headlines in nationwide media after he allegedly put an official plate on his luxury Lexus car, which he claimed was not his. He later said he had borrowed his friend’s car to commute to work due to the province’s financial difficulties. The friend then turned out to be Thanh’s driver, who earns about VNĐ3 million (US$130) per month. — VNS
