Parliamentary actions expected to drive national development

At the fourth plenary meeting of the 14th National Assembly

Last week an NA spokesperson informed the media that the parliament will spend more than ten days deliberating and passing six laws and 12 resolutions, whilst giving their opinions on many other draft laws. An additional 15 days will be devoted to discussions and decisions on a number of the urgent issues facing the country at present.

It is notable that the live broadcasting of this meeting will be increased to 11 out of the 26 working days, helping people to be informed of the major issues being discussed, which will include gender equality and the handling of citizens’ complaints. The question-and-answer session will take place for three days, while the time allotted for delivering reports will be reduced in order to increase the time for discussions.

Following its first three plenary meetings, the 14th National Assembly has promulgated a series of legal documents to bring the 2013 Constitution into life in a timely fashion, forming a system of fundamental laws on a law-governed socialist state, market institutions, human rights, citizen’s rights and duties and the people’s democratic freedoms.

In the previous and upcoming meetings, the National Assembly has been, and will be, dealing with a huge workload in formulating new laws and revising existing laws, which requires reform in the law-making process to ensure their quality. The law-making process must take into account public opinions and achieve the highest consensus of society.

As representatives of the people, the NA deputies are expected to fulfil their responsibilities in a people-centric spirit by listening to and understanding the people’s wishes so that they may be able to make correct, timely and satisfying decisions.

Each plenary meeting of the NA is a forum for democratic, candid and constructive discussions where each deputy is required to be fully aware of their responsibilities before the people, communicate the people’s concerns to the parliament and make every effort to ensure that the laws are promptly promulgated and implemented effectively. This is the driver that will push the country forward in the time ahead.