Decision No. 119/2007/QĐ-TTg On the establishment of the Fund for the Protection of Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities Abroad

DECISION OF THE PRIME MINISTER

On the establishment of the Overseas Protection Fund for Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities and Vietnamese legal persons abroad

PRIME MINISTER

Based on the Law on the Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Upon the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs,

DECISION:

Article 1. The Overseas Protection Fund for Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hereby established.

Article 2. The Overseas Protection Fund for Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities is a financial organization directly subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, possessing legal personality and its own seal. It maintains an account at the state treasury and has an account at a bank.

Article 3. The operational capital of the fund is formed from state budget allocations, sources of funding, aid, and contributions from overseas Vietnamese communities, and other sources.

The state budget allocates twenty billion dong as initial operating funds for the Fund. Annually, the state budget supplements the Fund's operating funds based on the approved budget estimates for implementing plans and financial resources obtained from aid and contributions from overseas Vietnamese communities and other sources.

The Overseas Protection Fund for Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities operates without profit-making objectives and implements accounting and statistical activities in accordance with the provisions of the Law.

Article 4. The Overseas Protection Fund for Vietnamese Citizens and Legal Entities shall allocate funds for the following purposes:

1. To cover the expenses of diplomatic missions, consular offices, or other authorized agencies of Vietnam abroad in carrying out the protection of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities;

2. To assist particularly difficult cases involving citizens who have suffered accidents or encountered serious risks that they cannot resolve themselves;

3. To provide advance payments for purchasing return tickets, hospitalization costs, hotel expenses, etc., for Vietnamese citizens in the following circumstances:

- When the individual lacks financial means but has a guarantee from family members, relatives, or domestic organizations to repay these amounts;

- In special cases where the individual does not have a guarantee from family members or domestic organizations but commits to repaying the amounts themselves.

4. To cover other protective activities as decided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Article 5

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to issue regulations on the organizational structure and operations of the Fund.

2. The Ministry of Finance shall take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue regulations on the management and utilization of the Fund.

Article 6

1. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to ministries, Heads of government agencies, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.