The discussion session was chaired by NA’s Vice Chairwoman Tòng Thị Phóng and also attended by Minister of Home Affairs Lê Vĩnh Tân, head of the draft law’s drafting committee, and Executive Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Bùi Thanh Hà, deputy head of the drafting committee

The NA session affirmed positive changes contained in the draft law for ensuring people’s right to freedom of belief and religion, such as a number of religious activities that previously required registration and licenses shall be allowed to take place with notice, and the time for recognition of a religious organization shall be reduced from 23 years in the existing legal framework to only five years in the new draft of law.

However, NA deputies gave further comments to a number of contents in the draft, including the interpretation of concepts, prohibited acts, recognition of religious organizations, conditions for registration of religious activities, religious activities by foreigners in Vietnam, competence for management of the use of fund collected from belief festivals, etc.

Q.N.