National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man has announced that on June 12, lawmakers will discuss and vote on a proposal to merge several provincial-level administrative units. If approved, the resolution for merging 34 provinces and cities will be signed the very next day.

This morning, the National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed and gave feedback on the draft amendments to the Law on Planning.

Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasized that the upcoming provincial mergers aim to support the effective implementation of the Law on Planning. He posed key questions regarding why localities continue to report difficulties: “Where exactly are the bottlenecks? Is the issue with the law itself or with related decrees?”

He urged that from now until the law is passed, feedback should be gathered from the chairpersons of the provinces slated for merger, using various methods to ensure broad consultation.

“Any previous issues must be thoroughly resolved this time,” he said.

Speaking at the 9th session of the National Assembly, Chairman Man highlighted that amending the Law on Planning is crucial to streamlining governmental structure. “If we pass laws that can’t be implemented, it causes significant challenges,” he warned.

He called on Standing Committee members and all National Assembly deputies to contribute feedback under the principle: “Unblock where it’s stuck, solve what’s difficult.” Immediate implementation is essential to support the upcoming mergers.

During the second session of the 9th term, on June 12, the National Assembly will formally discuss and vote on the proposal to merge provincial-level administrative units. If approved, a resolution merging 34 provinces and cities will be signed the following day.

“This makes the current revision of the Planning Law extremely significant,” Chairman Man stressed.

He noted that although National Assembly deputies may not have directly raised many issues during debates, challenges persist from central to local levels in executing the current planning law. Even after forming a supervisory team and issuing a resolution, many localities still report difficulties.

Citing the successful revision of the Health Insurance Law, Chairman Man recalled how meaningful changes led to significant improvements, simplifying patient transfer procedures and boosting public satisfaction. “When we detect issues and act to amend laws, people truly benefit,” he added.

He stressed the importance of taking into account all feedback, especially from localities affected by the mergers. “If localities report difficulties, we must fix those problems in the law,” he said.

Comprehensive review planned after mergers take effect

At the session, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang explained that the Planning Law, once approved by the National Assembly, marked a sweeping shift from previous laws. However, implementation challenges arose because all 63 provinces began drafting plans simultaneously, while qualified consultants were limited.

“In many places, the plans didn’t meet the required standards, so problems arose during execution,” he admitted.

He pointed out that the Planning Law has never undergone a fundamental revision. The current amendments are necessary due to changes in administrative boundaries and the transition of local governance from a three-tier to a two-tier model.

Minister Thang confirmed that a more comprehensive overhaul of the Planning Law will likely be proposed after the mergers are complete - possibly during the 10th session or at the beginning of the next National Assembly term.

Chairman Tran Thanh Man asked: “This amendment is in line with Resolution 127. Can the Minister guarantee that localities will now be able to implement it?”

He also suggested that the Ministry of Finance consult newly merged provinces to see if further changes are needed, and evaluate the alignment between different types of planning. The review should include cross-checks with other relevant laws.

Minister Thang affirmed that the draft law has already gone through two rounds of consultation with local authorities and received broad support, especially on decentralization and governance adjustments.

The Ministry of Finance has completed drafting the decree and is currently seeking feedback from relevant ministries, sectors, and localities. The aim is to have the National Assembly approve and issue the decree promptly by July 1.

“After the mergers, local development strategies will shift, especially in spatial planning. Once localities transition to the new model, the Government will conduct further research to propose a fundamental revision of this law,” the Minister affirmed.

Tran Thuong