The general election of deputies to the 14^th National Assembly and People’s Councils at levels for 2016-2021 will be a political event of paramount importance of the country. It takes place at the time when the whole Party, the whole people, the whole Army are striving to realize the Resolution of the 12^th National Party Congress.

Fully aware of the importance of this Election, right in the first days of 2016, the Politburo issued the Directive 51-CT/TW as of January 4^th 2016, Prime Minister released the Directive No.1/CT-TTg dated January 13^th 2016, and the National Assembly Standing Committee issued the Resolution 1134/2016/UBTVQH13 as from January 18th 2016, all were on organizing the election. The National Assembly Standing Committee, the Government, the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front  released the joint Resolution 11/2016/NQLT/UBTVQH-CP-ĐCTUBTWMTTQVN dated February 1st 2016 on Guidance on the candidates’ negotiation and nomination process for the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at levels for 2016-2021. In this regard, the Central Military Commission released the Directive 105-CT/QUTW dated February 20th 2016, the General Department of Politics promulgated the Guidance 309/HD-CT as of February 26th 2016 on conducting the general election. Those are normative documents which the entire Party, the entire people, the entire Army should thoroughly grasp and seriously follow to ensure the success of the election. As for the Army, it should focus on the following key points:

First, successfully conducting the propagation and education work, raising cadres, troops and staff’s awareness of the importance of the Election. This is the central task of the Army in 2016. Party committees, commanders, functional organs, and press agencies of the Army should thoroughly grasp directives, resolutions, guidances on election, proactively educating and communicating the Party’s views and the State’s policy and law on election to cadres, soldiers and staff, creating unity of consciousness and action.

In propagation and education work, it is necessary to disseminate new points in this election, including standards of candidates who run the election of deputies to National Assembly and People’s Council at levels for troops to vote.

Second, ensuring thorough implementation of regulations and process of the Election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at levels for 2016-2021. The whole Army, with party committees and commanders at the forefront, should thoroughly grasp and strictly implement normative documents, first and foremost the Directive 105-CT/QUTW of the Central Military Commission and the Guidance 309/HD-CT of the General Department of Politics on election work.  The process to nominate cadres of the Army as candidates for the election must be in accordance with the Guidance 267/HD-CT of the General Department of Politics dated February 23rd 2016. It is important to thoroughly understand standards, structure, and number of deputies for selection, negotiation, and nomination of candidates, ensuring closeness and legality and meeting the requirements of building Army cadres staff in the new period. Units should closely organize election work, ensuring that all troops and staffs go to vote in the election.

Third, focusing leadership and direction over the task of protecting the election. Party committees and commanders of organs and units must strictly implement the Plan 574/KH-TC dated February 15^th by the Department of Operations on combat readiness to protect the election of deputies to the 14^th National Assembly and People’s Councils at levels for 2016-2021. Units and organs at all levels should raise their troops and staff awareness of the importance of the election, while clearly realizing plots and tricks of sabotage of hostile forces. On that basis, it is imperative to heighten vigilance, ensure security of units, timely detect and struggle with acts of sabotage, documents and arguments against the Election.  With the highest political responsibility, cadres and troops of the whole Army, first and foremost party committees and commanders at levels, should proactively adopt synchronous measures to successfully fufil assigned tasks in the election of deputies to the 14^th National Assembly and People’s Councils at levels for 2016-2021.

General Do Ba Ty

Member of the Party Central Committee

Chief of General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army

Deputy Minister of National Defence