During their talks in Prague on September 23, Minister Ha Hung Cuong said the Czech Republic is experienced in solving legal issues similar to those faced by Vietnam during the transition from a centralised economy to a market economy. He added that the Czech Republic has made progress in socialising justice and judiciary professions, such as lawyers and notaries.

The two officials agreed to update the mutual judicial assistance agreement on civil and criminal matters signed by Vietnam and Czechoslovakia in 1982.They said an extradition agreement pending signing in the near future is a breakthrough in bilateral judicial relations.

The Vietnamese minister told Vietnam News Agency correspondents that the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic is relatively large at a population of 100,000, thus making the judicial support agreement on civil matters even more significant.

For her part, Helena Valkova affirmed that her country will help Vietnam in the legal affairs discussed during their talks, and the two ministries will implement their joint tasks as soon as possible.
On the same day, Minister Ha Hung Cuong held talks with Jeronym Tejc, Chairman of the Czech Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and Miroslav Antl, Chairman of the Czech Senate’s Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

The Minister, who is also a National Assembly representative, said relations between the two countries’ legislative bodies had been reinforced by the exchange of high-ranking delegations and mutual support at international forums. Vietnam is undergoing a process of judicial reform and wants to learn from the Czech Republic’s experiences, he said.

The Czech officials said they are willing to share their legislative experience to help Vietnam achieve its judicial reform targets by 2020.

The Vietnamese delegation will hold working sessions with the Czech Republic’s prosecution agency and the Constitutional Court on September 24 before leaving for Slovakia.-VNA