National Assembly�s 10th ordinary session closed

(KPL) The 10th ordinary session of the National Assembly (sixth legislature) opening on 14 December came to a close on 23 December under the chairmanship of Mme. Pany Yathortou, new President of the National Assembly.

During the 10-day deliberations, the session approved three amended laws - the Law on National Assembly, Law on Election of NA Members, and the Law on the Resolution of Economic Disputes. The session also passed a new law on metrology.

Some of these laws are in preparation for next year�s general elections.
The Assembly also approved the appointment of Mr Thongsing Thammavong as the new Prime Minister of Laos. He replaces Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh who announced his resignation as prime minister on 23 December.

The NA approved the appointment of Mme. Pany Yathortou as new NA President.

The 10th session also heard a political draft report prepared for the Ninth Party Congress due early next year as well as the draft plan for five-year socio-economic development, 2011-2015. Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad reported on the plan to build a high-speed rail link between Laos and China. The construction is set to start next year and is slated for completion within four years.

The State Auditing Authority also reported on the outcome of its work, revealing that several government sectors spent money without approval from the NA.

As the new President of the National Assembly, Mme. Pany urged the government, NA members and other sectors to disseminate the outcomes of the 10th session and put them into practice ahead of the Ninth Party Congress and general election scheduled for next year.
She urged Lao people of all ethnicities and overseas Laotians to strengthen their spirit of patriotism and support for the new people�s democratic regime as well as boosting their unity to develop the nation and bring prosperity to Lao people.

The deputies also heard a report on the activities of the Sixth National Assembly over the past five years. Despite challenges, the NA has achieved many important goals assigned by the nation, which has enhanced the NA�s role as the legislative body overseeing the performance of the administrative body, judicial organs and office of the prosecutor.

During the session, the NA opened a telephone hotline for the general public to voice their concerns on issues relating to national defence and development, reflecting their democratic rights.

The hotline aims to encourage greater public participation in debates as well as facilitate responses from the government and judicial organisations on the raised issues.

Over the past five years, the sixth assembly has approved 50 laws, 29 of which are new laws. The rest are amendments to laws, made in response to the political and developmental needs of the country, bringing Laos a step closer to being a state of the rule of law. Laos now has more than 90 laws.

This is the last session of the Sixth Legislature, with the preliminary session held in June 2006.
President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone, cabinet members, members of the Diplomatic Corps, international organisations and other invited guests from various sectors attended yesterday�s closing ceremony.