Mongolia News Summary for July 24, 2024

The following news articles are the opinions of their authors and publications. They are presented here as translations for informational purposes and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Mongolia Strategy Center or its members.

N. Onortsetseg's Sibling: The Person Who Gave State Secrets Was Former Minister of Environment and Tourism, Current Member of Parliament B. Bat-Erdene

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/373k

The family of journalist N. Onortsetseg announced outside the State Palace that they are requesting personal meetings with the President of Mongolia, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister.

N. Onortsetseg's sister said, "Our sibling has been persecuted for five cases. Two of them are related to taxes. Today in Mongolia, not a single person has been convicted of tax-related offenses. The next two cases are about defamation. These articles of the Criminal Code do not include imprisonment.

The fifth is the case of revealing state secrets. The Zarig.mn website has over 20 journalists. It's impossible to know what materials are on the desks and in the cabinets of those journalists. Our Onoroo hardly ever went to work. The document related to state secrets doesn't belong to Onoroo. If it were to be investigated again, the truth would come out. This case was investigated for many months. It should be clear by now. But we are upset that a sentence was immediately imposed.

The document they're calling a state secret was found in the employees' car. It had been in that car for two weeks. Yet they're making something unrelated to her seem related."

Government is in Session

Published: Wed, 24 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://itoim.mn/a/2024/07/24/government/gdf

The regular government meeting started at 80:00 and is continuing.

Today's meeting agenda includes:

• Draft government resolution on "Approving the 2025 budget limits for budget governors"
• Draft of the Joint Government Agreement
• Government's 100-day work plan

Warning not to travel to Teshig soum of Bulgan province until the water level of Eg River recedes

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/3736

Due to heavy rain on July 20-21, 2024, the water level of the Eg River in Teshig soum of Bulgan province has increased, reaching 428 cm on the temporary pole and causing flooding.

As the water has overflowed the Eg River dam, making it impossible for vehicles to pass, the Governor's Office of the province warns citizens not to travel in the direction of Teshig soum until the river water recedes.

According to the meteorological organization, there will be rain and thunderstorms in the central part of the country on July 23-24, and in the eastern half on July 25-26. They advise caution against the dangers of flooding, hail, gusty winds, and lightning.

Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social and Web pages) must always cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in whole or in part in any form!

Appeal Made to Three Pillars of State for Fair Appeal Court Hearing

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://itoim.mn/a/2024/07/23/society/wqd

The editor of the website Zarig.mn, Journalist N. Onortsetseg, has been sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison by the court. Specifically, the trial related to N. Onortsetseg's case lasted for two days at the Sukhbaatar District Criminal Court of First Instance before reaching a verdict.

She was found guilty and sentenced on five counts, including keeping state secrets, defamation, and tax evasion. N. Onortsetseg's family has now announced that they are appealing to the three pillars of state.

Currently, the court's decision has not yet been officially received, and her family stated that they will appeal to the appellate court.

N. Onortsetseg's sister said, "My sister was investigated for five cases. Two of them are related to taxes. Tax-related cases don't usually have imprisonment clauses. The next two cases are about defamation. The fifth one is about state secrets. N. Onortsetseg has more than 20 employees, and she doesn't know what documents are on everyone's desk. The document related to state secrets doesn't belong to my sister N. Onortsetseg, yet she was directly convicted for it, which we find unfair. There are no charges of blackmail or unjustified enrichment.

The case related to state secrets doesn't apply to my sister. If this case is investigated properly, it should be proven.

Is it possible to hold a trial and convict without a lawyer? We hope that the appeal court hearing will be decided fairly. It seems the court's decisions are harsh only for ordinary citizens, not for officials and ministers. What about the coal theft, Development Bank theft, Education Loan Fund, and green bus theft cases?

Why should a person who released information about a convict who brutally killed a child be prosecuted?"

Has Mongolia been able to open its doors to investors?

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://itoim.mn/a/2024/07/23/economy/ttq

According to data from the first five months of this year, our country's exports have increased by 1.2 percent or 74.9 million US dollars compared to the same period last year. The growth in exports was mainly due to increases of 172.9 million US dollars in coal and 54.9 million US dollars in copper concentrate. Essentially, coal revenue accounts for the majority of export income. However, the growth in coal revenue is also a result of the single mega project we always rely on. According to the concept of the revised Investment Law, over the past 10 years, Oyu Tolgoi LLC alone has accounted for 42 percent of foreign direct investment on average. We are presenting the views of economists on what policies are important for us to open our doors to investors and sustainably increase economic revenue in the future.

Mongolia lacks a comprehensive investment policy

We want to look at investment comprehensively. In economic terms, investment is a major business process in which interested domestic and foreign parties invest their money in something to make a profit. This process first requires a favorable economic environment, or return. On the other hand, there is the issue of whether there is a non-economic environment. The most important of these is policy.

Mongolia's investment policy is unclear. The main mistake we have made so far is passing laws with unclear policies. By law, we promise to give many things. We legislate to provide stabilization and concessions for long periods. However, the fundamental environment that should be above this, namely the policy, is unclear. Because the policy is unclear, investors are cautious about entering our country.

The next issue is that although there is something called policy on paper, it is unstable. It's basically a policy dependent on one minister. When the government and ministers are unstable, and the political environment is unstable, it's very doubtful who will enter.

Thirdly, infrastructure and human resources issues that support economic factors are important for implementing large-scale projects. For infrastructure, we should talk about inevitable roads, energy, and transportation. Will investors enter an environment where Mongolia's transportation and logistics issues are not fully resolved, and transportation costs account for a very high proportion of the total product price? Energy supply is unreliable, and fuel reserves are dependent on foreign countries. We need to look at these three aspects comprehensively and instill confidence in investors. The economic environment exists. However, policies and legal frameworks are unstable, and infrastructure is inadequate. Therefore, a comprehensive policy to support not only foreign but also domestic investors is needed.

Market research to present to investors is insufficient

To attract investment, very good market research is required. In conditions where market research is lacking, investors have little interest in investing. We need to first conduct very good research on the economic conditions of the two neighboring countries, Mongolia's economic conditions, how the economy will expand through investment, and what level of return it will give back to investors, and then present it. That's how to attract investors.

In general, research is very insufficient in our country. There is research showing macroeconomic conditions, but detailed research going into specific sectors is rare.

Another thing that greatly influences investors when they enter is the tax and legal environment. However, research on the tax and legal environment in our country is still not complete. In other words, because there is no research that fully looks at it systematically, it creates problems.

The next issue is the political environment and conditions. How stable the political environment is determines whether an investor can invest comfortably and see and calculate their opportunity to reap benefits. However, studies on political stability in our country are also rare. Policy and decision-making based on research in our country are currently only in the initial stages. It has not yet developed to the stage of implementation in reality.

If we've opened our doors to investors, we need to be clear

The main reason for the decline in foreign direct investment is the instability of state policy and the changing legal environment.

We need to consider that foreign direct investment is the main factor in creating stable macroeconomic growth in Mongolia and reflect this in policy decisions. We're talking about regional development policy. Through this, we need to present projects to investors within the framework of specific policy packages such as reducing poverty, supporting employment, and creating jobs for our youth.

Rather than talking about "regional development" written on blank paper, it's more effective to announce specific targeted projects and programs and offer them to investors. For example, while the mining sector is developing more in the southern part of the Gobi and urbanization is occurring, it remains unclear how this aligns with national policy and how it is being supported and aligned.

The main thing foreign investors look at is a stable, reliable environment. We need to declare what Mongolia's interests will be, which sectors to bring investors into, and which parts we will support and cooperate with. When that is unclear and ambiguous, investors just look at past history and hesitate. If we've opened our doors, it's important to be clear. Today, the mining sector is driving Mongolia's economy. If commodity prices fall in the global market, our economy is very vulnerable. We don't have a guaranteed economic structure. Therefore, we need to develop sectors that have added value and support employment.

It's important to keep an economy based on few raw materials stable

Last year, we exported $15.2 billion, but we're dealing with only 2-3 types of raw materials, through 3 ports, with 2 countries. Since economic growth is based on a few types of raw materials, we need to pay attention to keeping it stable in the future. The majority of revenue is concentrated in coal. Last year, we planned our budget revenue high, but due to falling commodity prices, we faced difficulties. In other words, coal and copper export revenues were similar. When coal revenue decreased, copper revenue increased and covered the budget deficit. Now it's impossible to increase revenue from copper concentrate; it has reached its potential maximum. If revenue from coal exports decreases, we don't have any other revenue to compensate for it now. So in this situation, what policy do we need to avoid crisis and not increase our deficit? We need to focus on two things first.

First, improve our infrastructure. We need to fully utilize the capacity of our three ports and improve the operational capacity of our railways.

Second, we need a very smart policy on the expenditure side of the budget. We've increased our budget expenditure very quickly because it was good for the past 3 years. We need a policy to reduce it again.

Mongolia's budget expenditure has tripled in the last 5 years, from 9 trillion to 27 trillion. There's an optimistic projection in next year's budget framework message to make it 32 trillion. A policy to reduce budget expenditure is important. Otherwise, there's a high risk of falling into foreign debt pressure.

Due to the geopolitical situation, Russia has greatly increased its raw material exports, especially the Asia-Pacific market has become Russia's main market. Trade between China and Russia has reached over 200 billion dollars. In the past 2 years, a private investment has built over 500 km of railway from the Elga coal mine and completed a new port called Chumikan. When this port becomes operational next year, it's expected to increase coal exports by over 20 million tons annually. This is likely to negatively impact Mongolia's exports. So, anticipating all this, we need to be very cautious on our export side, not too optimistic. We need to quickly do our infrastructure connection works. On the other hand, if we don't vigorously pursue a policy of reducing our budget expenditure, we've used up all our possibilities to increase expenses. Depending on how this geopolitical situation is resolved, it will determine whether we can avoid increasing our budget deficit. Therefore, all parties entering the Government need to pay great attention to making their budget expenditure more economical.

Although our country has over 10 types of raw materials in the mining sector, we form 90% of our exports with three types of products. For comprehensive information about the investment, near future, global trends, and forecasts of the mining sector, which alone provides over 30% of the state budget revenue, please receive the "MINERAL RESOURCES AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT" episode of the #TOIMTOO program.

Issue of cargo stuck at Tianjin port will be resolved

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740306/

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development L. Gantumur met with Shen Mingjuan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Mongolia. During the meeting, they exchanged views on the container transport congestion at the Tianjin port, cross-border construction issues at the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod, Khangi-Mandal, and Shiveekhuren-Sekhee ports, and agreed to take necessary measures going forward.

Over 5,000 containers of cargo destined for Mongolia have been stuck at Tianjin port for a considerable time, unable to depart.

Specifically, the Minister of Ports B. Tulga provided information about this issue on June 7, 2024. At that time, he stated: "The majority of Mongolia's import containers are unloaded at Tianjin port and transported to Mongolia. Usually, 3,000-4,000 containers are unloaded at Tianjin port monthly. According to the railway and port agreements between Mongolia and China, two container trains enter Mongolia daily. Unfortunately, this number has been decreasing every day since the beginning of the year.

Containers arriving at Tianjin port are taking an average of 80-90 days to depart for Mongolia.

To resolve this, relevant organizations have formed a working group. As this is an issue related to Mongolia's trade and economy, it requires serious attention. However, no concrete response has been received from the Chinese side as of today."

Will the Prime Minister's initiative to work without Deputy Ministers be supported?

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://itoim.mn/a/2024/07/23/politic/brw

Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene has stated that he is pursuing a policy of working without Deputy Ministers. The Prime Minister expressed the position that it is correct to work without Deputy Ministers, as it is a position without the authority to work or make decisions between the Minister and the State Secretary, and without financial control.

Therefore, at the first meeting of the new government, 16 Deputy Ministers who worked in the previous government were released from their duties. The Deputy Minister position is a place created to put party comrades who did not run for election or who lost after running. However, the Prime Minister's initiative to work without Deputy Ministers is unlikely to be supported. This is because three parties have formed a coalition government, so in addition to ministers, Deputy Ministers, agency heads, and state-owned companies will also be appointed from the two parties. Therefore, Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene will not make the decision to work without Deputy Ministers alone. He will have to consult with the two coalition parties to eliminate Deputy Ministers. There are reports that the Democratic Party has expressed interest in keeping the Deputy Minister position.

In addition to the Democratic Party and the People's Party, there are many members within the Mongolian People's Party who support keeping Deputy Ministers. This is because the formation of a coalition government has created a risk that many people within the MPP will move into the ranks of the unemployed. Although the Prime Minister has given directions to his ministers "not to dismiss civil servants and not to create new positions," party members, starting from those who competed in the election and lost, have begun to ask for jobs and circulate.

However, in 2016, during Ch. Saikhanbileg's government, although they formed a coalition government, the Deputy Minister position was eliminated. Therefore, if the coalition parties can come to an understanding, it is possible to reduce unnecessary positions.

CITIZENS: Prime Minister, please pay attention. Evicted after rental period expired

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/3739

On the night of January 23-24 this year, a gas-carrying truck collided with a passenger car at the Dunjingarav intersection, resulting in an explosion that caused loss of life and property damage to many people.

The city is providing 2,200,000-3,250,000 tugriks per month until September 20 this year to cover rental housing for about 190 citizens from over 60 households of Building 207 affected by the explosion, as previously reported.

Residents of the building have placed a protest message outside the fire-damaged apartment building stating, "Prime Minister, please pay attention, the government is unable to make a decision. We are desperate. We've been evicted as our rental period has expired. How long will we have to live in rental housing? Our rights continue to be violated. Substandard markets, businesses, entrances, exits, and lack of government oversight. A government that evades with vague answers instead of solutions."

According to the latest information, three emergency service personnel and four civilians traveling on foot and by car died due to the fire. Nine people were injured to varying degrees, and 26 citizens showed signs of mild carbon monoxide poisoning. 36 vehicles and three buildings were burned, and property damage amounting to about 5.4 billion tugriks was incurred by 228 citizens and 15 business entities.

L. Enkh-Amgalan: We will evaluate the effectiveness of welfare and assess whether it has reached its intended recipients

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://gogo.mn/r/881oj

Minister of Family and Social Protection L. Enkh-Amgalan met with experts and presented his work objectives.

The General Office of Labor and Welfare Services is currently operating. Within the framework of the Law on Promoting Employment, they are mediating job-seeking citizens to workplaces, providing vocational training, and offering financial support to self-employed individuals and micro-business owners.

The focus will be on making the policy of transitioning from welfare to employment more realistic and accessible, emphasizing offering jobs and training to citizens rather than enrolling them in welfare programs, supporting quality and productive living through employment, making concrete decisions to increase access to concessional loans for small business owners, and evaluating the effectiveness of welfare programs to determine if they have reached their intended recipients. The aim is to provide adequate welfare to persons with disabilities and target groups who absolutely need it.

G.Jambaldorj: We will not deny the results from an accredited laboratory, will not conduct B sample testing

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://itoim.mn/a/2024/07/23/sport/hyu

Doping tests were taken from a total of 48 people, including 32 wrestlers who won four rounds in the State Naadam festival, eight male archers, and eight female archers. These samples were analyzed at a laboratory in Dresden, Germany, and the results showed that four samples tested positive for doping. However, no official statement has been made by the Wrestling Sub-committee, the Mongolian National Anti-Doping Organization, or the National Wrestling Federation.

State Kharchaga G.Gankhuyag, Aimag Arslan G.Khishigbat, and Military Arslan G.Jambaldorj have reportedly reviewed their results.

Military Arslan G.Jambaldorj announced through his social media page that he had failed the doping test and apologized to the public. He stated, "Greetings to all of you. Before making this statement, I sincerely apologize to the people of Mongolia, those who love national wrestling, and all wrestlers.

I participated in the national wrestling competition for the 103rd anniversary of the People's Revolution, winning four rounds, and underwent a doping test as required by the Naadam festival law. Yesterday, I personally received and reviewed my results from the Results Management Team established by the National Wrestling Sub-committee of the National Great Naadam Festival Organizing Committee.

I am announcing my own results because I have declared that I will not submit to a 'B' sample test.

The organizing committee informed me in writing that my test result was positive, indicating the presence of a doping substance. I have never intentionally used any prohibited substances. Since 2014, I have been receiving regular treatment for a severe neck injury. I have goals and a wrestling career. My supporters, family, and children have always encouraged me, so I have fought tooth and nail for my goals. I've been undergoing constant treatment. Since last summer, my injury has flared up, and I couldn't participate in many matches last season. The medication and injections I used for treatment apparently contained one of the over 400 types of prohibited substances. I should have been more careful.

I want to advise the youth and my younger peers that if they suffer injuries, they should seek complete treatment without delay and return to sports when fully recovered. It's also important for the younger generation to improve their knowledge, maintain connections with doctors and professional organizations, and seek proper treatment. Take care of your health. Sports is just a brief moment of joy in a healthy young life."

Roads to be temporarily closed and bus routes to be changed from today due to road expansion

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/373z

In connection with road expansion and renovation work, temporary changes are being made to three public transport routes.

Due to the closure of the road from the intersection of Olympic Street and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs southward in the territory of the 1st khoroo of Sukhbaatar district from 06:00 on July 23 to 06:00 on July 25, temporary changes have been made to public transport routes that use this road.

During the road closure period, public transport vehicles will serve citizens according to the following diagram.

• U:30 Sukhbaatar Square-Natur Shopping Center-Janjin Club
• Ch:63 Khan Khilss Complex-River Garden-MUBIS-Ard Cinema
• Ch:71 120,000 - Hunnu 2222 - Bayanmongol Khoroolol - MUBIS-Sukhbaatar Square

The Public Transport Policy Department announced that comments and requests related to route services are accepted 24 hours a day at 70044040.

Warning

Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social and Web pages) must always cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in whole or in part in any form!

Seven roads to be closed due to heat pipeline repair and renovation work

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/373c

Ulaanbaatar District Heating Network JSC has announced information about partial traffic restrictions on roads affected by the construction and installation work of the 2A main pipeline located in the 1st khoroo of Sukhbaatar district.

The "Rutan" LLC has been working since July 1, 2024, to carry out the construction and installation work to "expand the 0.95 double km pipeline with a diameter of 2F350 mm to 2F500 mm from point DH-165 to DH-221 of the 2A main heating pipeline." This is part of the project to increase the efficiency of Ulaanbaatar's heat supply under the Ministry of Energy, funded by the World Bank.

The traffic organization plan has been approved to partially restrict traffic on the following roads affected by this construction and installation work:

| Location | Closure Period | | --- | --- | | S. Jamyangün Street | From 08:00 on July 6 to 18:00 on August 10 | | Olympic Street on the west side of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | From 06:00 on July 23 to 06:00 on July 25 | | D. Choidog Street from River Sounds to Songdo Hospital | From 08:00 on August 1 to 18:00 on August 20 | | D. Choidog Street from Songdo Hospital east to S. Zorig Street | From 08:00 on August 1 to 18:00 on August 31 | | S. Zorig Street from Songdo Hospital intersection to the entrance of the Forensic Hospital | From 08:00 on August 10 to 18:00 on August 15 | | S. Zorig Street from the entrance of the Forensic Hospital to Peace Avenue | From 08:00 on August 15 to 18:00 on August 31 | | Peace Avenue | From 06:00 on July 27 to 06:00 on July 29 |

Therefore, we ask for your support in keeping the road sections free during these periods and choosing alternative routes. We apologize to the citizens for the inconvenience caused to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, as stated by the Ulaanbaatar Heat Supply Efficiency Improvement Project.

As part of this work, the sections to be installed under four main roads will be put into a tunnel system or passageway.

This will create conditions for replacing and renovating the pipeline network in the future without damaging the road intersection areas. It was also mentioned that work will be done to expand and renovate the clean water pipeline, electrical network, and communication network.

Preparation for Winter 2024-2025 in the Capital City is 45% Complete

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/373m

Preparations for the winter of 2024-2025 in the capital city are ongoing.

Within this framework, electricity and heat sources, engineering supply organizations, affiliated agencies, and districts have planned to implement a total of 654 projects and measures. As of July 22, it is 45% complete, according to the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of the Governor's Office of the Capital City.

Currently, the Capital City Road Development Authority has the highest completion rate. Out of the 17 projects and measures planned by this agency, 90.4% have been completed. Meanwhile, Ulaanbaatar Electricity Distribution Network JSC has completed 20% of its 31 planned projects and measures during the aforementioned period.

Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must always cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in whole or in part in any form!

Thunderstorms Expected in Ulaanbaatar

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://gogo.mn/r/7lm3w

Warning to herders, citizens, transporters, and travelers: There will be rain and thunderstorms in the central part of the country on the 23rd and 24th of this month, and in the eastern half on the 25th and 26th. Please be cautious of potential dangers from floods, hail, strong winds, and lightning.

Weather forecast until 20:00 today:

Most regions will be cloudy. Rain and thunderstorms are expected in some areas of western and central provinces, and in the northern and eastern parts of eastern provinces. Winds will shift from southwest to north in the southeastern region, and will be northwesterly at 6-11 meters per second in other areas, temporarily intensifying before rain. Temperatures will range from +19 to +24 degrees Celsius in the mountainous areas of Mongol Altai, Khangai, Khuvsgul, the headwaters of the Zavkhan River, and the valleys of Ider, Terelj, Onon, Ulz, and Khalkh rivers. The southern part of the Gobi region will see +33 to +38 degrees, while the northern Gobi and Great Lakes Depression will experience +27 to +32 degrees. Other areas will have temperatures between +23 and +28 degrees.

ULAANBAATAR CITY AND VICINITY: It will be cloudy with thunderstorms. Winds will be northwesterly at 5-10 meters per second, temporarily intensifying before rain. Temperatures will be between +24 and +26 degrees Celsius.

Forest fire in Khuvsgul brought under control

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740365/

The forest fire that broke out in Khuvsgul province has been brought under control. Specifically, a forest fire started at 14:32 on July 03, 2024, in an area called Shar Nuur in the Mungarag bag of Ulaan-Uul soum, Khuvsgul province.

Firefighters from the 27th Fire and Rescue Unit of the Emergency Management Agency, service members from the 0298th branch of the 0257th Border Military Unit in Ulaan-Uul soum, and nature conservationists from the State Special Protected Area worked together to organize the forest fire extinguishing efforts. They managed to bring the fire under control yesterday (July 22, 2024) at 17:00.

Preliminary declarations of personal interests of 493 citizens nominated for public office have been reviewed

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/3738

The Department of Inspection and Analysis of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) examined the preliminary declarations of personal interests of 493 citizens nominated for public office from July 8-19, and reviewed and decided on 406 declarations.

Currently, preliminary declarations of 193 nominees are under review.

Last week, 41 complaints and reports related to corruption and conflicts of interest of public officials received from citizens, businesses, and organizations were accepted and investigated, of which eight complaints and reports were reviewed and resolved.

As part of the planned inspections, personal interest and asset and income declarations of two officials were examined.

Source: Anti-Corruption Agency

More than 20 issues are being discussed, including the draft of the Joint Government Agreement

Published: Wed, 24 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://gogo.mn/r/4dq5q

The regular meeting of the Government is continuing. The meeting is planned to discuss and review more than 20 issues, including:

• Draft Government Resolution on "Approving the 2025 Budget Limits for Budget General Managers"
• Draft Joint Government Agreement
• Government's 100-day work plan
• Draft Government Action Program
• Results of the General Entrance Examination
• Digital transition in the health sector
• Draft law on amending the Law on the 2024 Budget of Mongolia

The regular meeting of the Government is continuing.

Buildings to be Decommissioned and Removed from City Property: Issue to be Discussed

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://gogo.mn/r/omdqv

The extraordinary XXII session of the Capital City Council will be held tomorrow, 24.07.2024, at 10:00 AM.

The meeting will discuss and decide on the following issues:

• Updating and approving the technical and economic feasibility study for the Emeelt eco-industrial park
• Establishing the Capital City Election Committee
• Decommissioning buildings and structures and removing them from the capital city property register
• Determining profit and income distribution
• Appointing members of the Board of Directors
• Dismissing members from the Board of Directors and Governing Board of local government-owned and local government-participated legal entities

Source: Capital City Council

Children's Summer Camps Operating Under New Standards

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740303/

The Capital City Child, Family Development and Protection Agency (CCFDPA) has announced the schedule and fee information for children's summer camps.

This summer, 23 camps will be operating, with fees ranging from 290,000 to 1,485,000 tugriks depending on the duration of stay. According to the CCFDPA, three of the 23 camps - Nairamdal, Bayangol, and Temuulel - are state-owned, while the rest are privately owned.

To support the development of children's summer camps, the government has revised the General Requirements for Children's Summer Camp Activities MNS5633:2019 standard. The new standard, MNS5633:2023, was approved by the order C/28 of the Chairman of the Standardization and Metrology Agency on June 30, 2023, after being discussed and supported by the Technical Committee on Child Development and Protection Standards.

Currently, there are 55 camps registered with the General Authority for Child and Family Development nationwide. This includes six state-owned camps, ten locally-owned camps, six Labor camps, four camps affiliated with local public enterprises, two camps belonging to organizations and businesses, and 28 privately-owned camps.

In the past year of 2023, 43 camps were operational, and 73,964 children participated in summer camp development programs.

Parents to "share" in kindergarten children's food expenses

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740265/

The daily food allowance for kindergarten children has been increased from 2475 to 3000 tugriks, and for 24-hour kindergartens from 3600 to 4100 tugriks. Starting from the next academic year, it is planned to implement a legal provision where parents will share in these costs.

Minister of Education P. Naranbayar held his first emergency meeting. The meeting discussed policy outlines to be implemented in the education sector and instructed relevant department heads to prepare them for presentation at the Cabinet meeting.

This includes the issue of kindergarten food expenses.

On June 2, 2024, the Government of Mongolia decided to increase the food expenses for pre-school education institutions, i.e., kindergartens. Nationwide, about 220 billion tugriks are spent annually on food expenses for over 1 million children in kindergartens, schools, vocational schools, and dormitories. Officials emphasized that they aim to gradually increase the food allowance in the future.

About 280,000 children are enrolled in pre-school education institutions, i.e., kindergartens in Mongolia.

Former Minister of Education, Science and Culture L. Enkh-Amgalan previously stated in a press conference, "Until 2013, 50 percent of kindergarten food expenses were covered by parents. After that, it was decided to cover 100 percent by the state for political purposes. However, the expenses provided by the state are not sufficient to provide adequate nutrition for children. Therefore, it is necessary for parents to cover 50 percent of kindergarten children's food expenses in the future."

Report: Removing Willows Improved River Flow by 2 Times

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740224/

As soon as discussions began about moving and transplanting willow trees growing along the Selbe and Dund rivers, it drew criticism from citizens. Specifically, due to rain in the capital from June 18-22, water levels in the Terelj, Tuul, Selbe, and Dund rivers increased by 18-82 cm above the dangerous flood level, reaching flood conditions.

Therefore, Ulaanbaatar Mayor Kh. Nyambaatar met with businesses along the Selbe and Dund rivers and decided to clean up willow trees, silt and mud. On June 21, after consulting with the management of businesses such as Eco Construction LLC which built the River Villa complex, Ikh Nayad shopping center, Aqua Garden, APU JSC, and Uran Gan Center, work began to clean silt deposits along the Selbe and Dund rivers.

As of today, the work of moving willows and shrubs along the Selbe and Dund rivers has been completed. Meanwhile, construction of a 1.5 km long, 4-4.5 meter high reinforced concrete flood embankment to increase the flow of the Selbe River channel was continuing. This embankment will extend from the Natur Bridge to the southern railway crossing and will be handed over to the state commission on August 20. When we arrived at the area where the S'Outlet store was demolished, work on building the flood retaining wall was in full swing.

According to information provided by workers at the construction site, the flood embankment work is 50% complete.

Local residents supported the willow removal work

There were reports on social media that citizens opposed the work of moving willows and shrubs. However, according to residents of apartment complexes along the Selbe and Dund rivers, removing silt deposits and cleaning has reduced the risk of flooding with positive results.

According to B, a resident of the 43rd khoroo of Bayanzurkh district, "There was no risk due to the continuous rain in recent days. I think the work being done by the city has had an effect. Usually we are afraid every time it rains. Since they started building the flood embankment, we feel a little more at ease. I support the work of moving these willows and shrubs that have grown into a forest over many years. I don't understand people who are criticizing the move to relocate willows that have been buried in garbage for many years."

"We will move the willows based on scientific principles"

City General Manager Ts. Turkhu said, "We will move these willows based on scientific principles. Since the environmental assessment has been completed, we will move them according to this assessment. Therefore, it was decided to move shrubs in the Selbe River embankment and pipeline to three locations." However, since it was determined that the willows would not be able to grow even if transplanted, they were taken to the Tsagaan Davaa landfill. There are reports that it will cost nine billion tugriks to move willows from inside the Selbe and Dund rivers.

By moving willows and other trees and shrubs inside the flood protection embankment, the flood embankment will be deepened by 1-1.5 meters, doubling the capacity for water flow.

The city has also reported that if this work is not done, a study shows there is a high risk of flooding for major residential complexes, buildings and apartments along Sun Road.

The faster the flood passes, the less damage will be sustained

Residents said that by relocating willows growing along the river, the river flow has improved and flood damage has been reduced. According to information provided by Sh. Ganzorig, a consulting engineer of Mongolia who is conducting the planning and research for this work, "In 1966 there was a flood disaster in Ulaanbaatar. Elders who lived at that time probably remember. The Selbe and Dund rivers merged. Therefore, work began on building flood embankments, creating settlements, and constructing buildings in accordance with this.

Now there is no possibility to change the channels of the Selbe and Dund rivers. Therefore, the question of how to pass the flood through over 20 kilometers of river flowing through the middle of Ulaanbaatar has arisen.

In this regard, engineers have been studying for the past four years and for the first time have concluded how to protect the 21 kilometer Selbe River from flooding. Firstly, it was determined that it is absolutely necessary to increase the cross-sectional area of the Selbe River to pass floods. We want to do everything we can to widen it. We want to demolish nearby buildings. But today, no court, no government can do this. It will create more frustration in society. So since we can't widen it, we need to build protective embankments and increase the height.

We also need to dig down the riverbed. We are using methods used internationally in our planning. Therefore, according to our first measure that we have designed and planned, we need to dig and lower the riverbed along the Selbe River channel and level it. Since we will be building a large vertical concrete wall, it will be a massive job and require a lot of investment. It means bringing it to one level. In doing so, all the willows growing inside the river need to be removed.

The more willows and other obstacles there are, the more they slow down the flood flow. The faster we can make it flow through, the less damage will be sustained.

According to the environmental impact assessment, the impact on the ecosystem from relocating willows is small, almost non-existent, concluded "BGM Distribution" or "BGE" assessment company. Children and young people from the 1980s remember well that there were no willows in the Selbe and Dund rivers at that time. It used to flood frequently and had a very strong current."

The embankments along the Selbe and Dund rivers were built in two phases. Specifically, the first part of the embankment was built in 1980, while the last part was built in 2011. No cleaning had been done during this time, and this year is the first time a full-scale cleaning has been done to improve river flow.

G. Indaryaa: Methane gas is being neutralized in the rehabilitation area of the Narangiin Engeer landfill

Published: Wed, 24 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/374a

The centralized landfill at Narangiin Engeer in the 26th khoroo of Songinokhairkhan district was established in 2009. About 60 percent of the total waste generated in Ulaanbaatar city is concentrated in this landfill and buried using landfill technology.

Since 2020, the landfill area has been partially closed and rehabilitation work has begun, with 27 hectares of land now rehabilitated.

Regarding this, G. Indaryaa, a specialist in charge of waste sorting and recycling at the Ulaanbaatar City Governor's Office, said, "We started rehabilitation work in 2020 to improve the operation of the landfill. We are working on neutralizing methane gas in the rehabilitation area.

In the future, we will put waste recycling plants into operation and move towards processing sorted waste at the source. This will reduce the amount of waste that needs to be buried and processed."

As of the first five months of the year, about 700,000 policyholders have accumulated a total of ₮100.7 billion in real savings

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/3740

As of the first five months of the year, about 700,000 policyholders have accumulated a total of ₮100.7 billion in real savings

Photo used with special permission from MPA agency

Producer prices in the catering sector increased by 2.4 percent compared to the same period last year

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/373s

The producer price index for the catering sector reached 121.2 in June of this year, with producer prices increasing by 2.4 percent compared to the same period last year, while remaining unchanged from the previous month.

The 2.4 percent increase in the producer price index compared to the same period last year was mainly due to an 8.4 percent increase in producer prices for catering service companies in the provinces.

Revenue in the catering sector reached 258 billion tugriks in the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 59.2 billion tugriks (29.8%) compared to the same period last year. This increase was primarily driven by restaurant revenue, which rose by 47.2 billion tugriks (37.3%) compared to the same period last year.

L.Khosbaiar: The 15.7 km road from Takhilt to "Nairamdal" camp will be renovated in two months for about 22 billion tugriks

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/373o

The repair and renovation work of the road to the International Children's "Nairamdal" camp will begin. The 15.7km long, 7m wide road was put into operation in 1978, but no current repairs or renovations have been done.

Officials gave information about this today.

L.Khosbaiar, Deputy Mayor of Ulaanbaatar for Social Sector, Green Development and Air and Environmental Pollution Issues, said, "This year, we will renovate the 15.7km road from Takhilt intersection to the 'Nairamdal' children's camp with about 22 billion tugriks from the city bond. The road repair tender has been announced. The design is ready.

We are planning to complete the repair of the 15.7km road to 'Nairamdal' camp within two months."

The road on both sides belongs to the 1st, 22nd, and 34th khoroos of Songinokhairkhan district and the new settlement area.

In recent years, the potholes on the road to "Nairamdal" camp have been repaired with the current repair funds of the capital city road fund. While this road used to be patched 3-4 times a year, this time it will undergo a complete renovation, said an engineer from the Ulaanbaatar Road Development Department.

Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social and Web pages) must always cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in whole or in part in any form!

B.Byambasaikhan: A Car Was Completely Submerged Due to the Takhilt Underpass Filling with Water

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/3734

To prevent potential risks, the relocation of trees and shrubs along the Selbe and Dund rivers, as well as the cleaning of silt deposits, began last June. New drainage pipes and lines are also being installed in some locations where rainwater tends to accumulate. We asked B.Byambasaikhan, Head of the Repair and Maintenance Department of the Geodesy, Water Construction and Facilities Agency, for more details on this matter.

"What is the current progress of the work on relocating trees and shrubs and cleaning silt deposits?"

"The work of relocating trees and shrubs and cleaning silt deposits along the Selbe and Dund rivers is being carried out jointly by 25 businesses within the framework of public-private partnership. Out of the planned 370,000 cubic meters of silt to be cleaned, 152,459 tons of cubic meters have been cleaned as of today, with the work progress at 80 percent. The embankments along these rivers were constructed in two phases.

Specifically, the first part of the embankment was built in 1980, while the latter part was constructed in 2011. No cleaning had been done during this period, and this year marks the first time a full-scale cleaning is being carried out to improve the river flow."

"What work is planned after the silt is removed and cleaned?"

"After removing and cleaning the silt, subsequent works will be carried out in phases. Specifically, we plan to raise, widen, and strengthen the embankment, and in some locations, improvements will be made within the framework of the Selbe Regeneration project."

"Were there any issues in the cleaned locations due to the continuous rain that started at 22:00 on July 20 in Ulaanbaatar?"

"In the 32nd khoroo of Songinokhairkhan district, the Takhilt underpass filled with water, causing one car to be completely submerged, and water overflowed from the underpass along the railway. The rainfall on that day was heavier than the rainfall that flooded the area near the "S' Outlets" store last year. Last year, water did not overflow from this underpass. According to last night's measurements, the water level along the Dund River increased by 40-50 cm. However, because the silt had been cleaned, it flowed freely along its course without overflowing the banks and embankments."

"How many locations in the capital have new drainage pipes and lines been installed this year?"

"This year, we planned to install new drainage pipes and lines in a total of 13 locations across the capital. As of today, work has been completed in seven locations. Since 2022, the Geodesy, Water Construction and Facilities Agency, in collaboration with the Mayor's Office and the Ulaanbaatar City Governor's Office, has carried out drainage pipe installation work in a total of 37 locations.

In 2023, when our organization conducted an inspection across the capital, it was estimated that there were approximately 50 locations in Ulaanbaatar where water tends to accumulate significantly. However, due to intentional or unintentional actions by individuals and organizations, the number of these locations tends to increase."

"Is there any other measure that can be taken to address locations where rainwater accumulates heavily, other than pumping the water?"

"Ulaanbaatar has 1250 km of paved roads. About 70 percent of these lack water drainage wells and pipes. Water tends to accumulate heavily in these locations, and because there are no pipelines, there's no other option but to pump the water in a short time.

In the bigger picture, there's a need to plan for a unified pipeline system. This requires developing blueprints, coordinating with organizations that have installed engineering infrastructure pipelines in the vicinity, preparing feasibility studies, and many other stages that take a lot of time.

It's not possible to lay pipelines in one or two days. Therefore, we are planning to develop blueprints for these locations in phases, plan the most optimal solutions, and ensure they are economically efficient."

Warning Issued Against Traveling to Teshig Soum in Bulgan Province

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://gogo.mn/r/kx2mv

According to the Bulgan province, heavy rain fell on the 20th and 21st of this month.

Due to the rain, the water level of the Teshig Eg River increased and flooded, reaching 428 cm on the temporary pole. The water has also overflowed the dam of the Eg River, making it impossible for vehicles to pass.

Therefore, citizens and travelers are warned not to travel in the direction of Teshig soum until the river water recedes.

Source: Bulgan Province Governor's Office

Your competitor has started working in your district, members!

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740463/

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the members of parliament who promised to "work like horses and dogs for their people" disappeared as soon as they took their oath.

For most of them, the Naadam festival is not over yet, while some are participating in the 100th anniversary celebration or worshiping mountain ovoos. It can be said that only a handful of members are working.

For example, Member of Parliament P. Sainzorig started working in his constituency, Songinokhairkhan district, today. He reminded the relevant officials that three major roads should be built and put into operation in the district this fall, and worked on site. For instance, it has been decided to renovate a 15.7 km road from Takhilt intersection to "Nairamdal" resort in the district this year. A tender has been announced to select the contractor. The road to the international children's "Nairamdal" resort has not been renovated since it was put into operation in 1978. This year, it became possible to build the above road anew as 22.8 billion tugriks were allocated from the capital city bond. If a contractor is selected, it will be built within two months.

Also in Songinokhairkhan district, the Ikh Narangiin road, or the road from Tolgoit road to Narangiin Enger centralized landfill, will be renovated. This 2.8 km long road was put into operation in 2007 and underwent routine maintenance in 2012.

The third road is the Bayankhooshuu road. In addition to having a large population, the roads have not been renovated for many years, resulting in a lot of damage and dust, as well as difficulties for vehicles to travel. Therefore, it is important to renovate these three roads within this year.

The State Great Khural has 126 members. 26 of them were elected from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. However, if only one member is working in his constituency like this, there is no news from other members. As a reminder to members elected from Ulaanbaatar, your competitor has started working in your constituency, but where are you and what are you doing?

Soon, when the school and kindergarten holidays end and the new school year begins, the children in your constituency may have to study in three shifts. If you don't start paying attention now, it will be too late to show off when the time comes.

B.Battulga: Mongolian Companies Are Not Utilizing Their Cash Reserves

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/3730

We spoke with B.Battulga, the Executive Director of "FUNDME," who is set to introduce the new Money Market to 300 Strategic Investors on August 16, 2024.

• What kind of cash reserves are companies not utilizing?
• Today, the idle cash assets of Mongolian companies in commercial bank current accounts have exceeded 10 trillion. When considering investing in bonds, stocks, or real estate, the timeframe becomes too long, resulting in financial managers and accountants incurring losses in money efficiency. On the other hand, for companies that need short-term working capital financing, obtaining a loan for up to one month becomes a tedious task. Internationally, this issue is solved through the money market. Therefore, Mongolia's establishment of a money market that addresses the supply and demand of company funds is a historic event in the financial market.
• What exactly does the "Fund Me" money market do?
• Companies can receive or provide short-term financing from the FUNDME.mn money market. The main feature of the money market is that it allows companies to earn profits from their idle cash assets while providing an opportunity to meet their financial needs in the short term. The FUNDME money market is a financial instrument that operates according to the law of supply and demand in the pure money market, in compliance with laws and regulations.
• How reliable is the money market as a financial instrument?
• The FUNDME.mn money market is licensed by the Financial Regulatory Commission. It protects companies' investments from risks and maintains required reserves in accordance with relevant rules and regulations. May Mongolian companies enter the money market and fully utilize their reserves.

STATISTICS: 85% of the 99,000+ organizations operating in Mongolia have 1-9 employees

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://ikon.mn/n/372y

According to the Statistical Business Register (SBR) database, as of the first half of 2024, there are 245.8 thousand legal entities/companies and organizations registered. In the second quarter of this year, 5.2 thousand new legal entities were added, while 0.2 thousand legal entities were dissolved.

Of the legal entities, 193.9 thousand or 78.9% are companies, 32 thousand or 13% are Non-Governmental Organizations, 7 thousand or 2.9% are cooperatives, 5.4 thousand or 2.2% are partnerships, 5 thousand or 2% are budgetary organizations, and 2.5 thousand or 1% are state-owned enterprises, locally-owned enterprises, or others.

182.3 thousand or 74.2% of all legal entities are registered in Ulaanbaatar, 22.3 thousand or 9.1% in the central region, 18.8 thousand or 7.6% in the Khangai region, 14.6 thousand or 5.9% in the western region, and 7.8 thousand or 3.2% in the eastern region.

Orkhon, Darkhan-Uul, Selenge, and Umnugovi provinces have 4.5-5.4 thousand registered legal entities, while Govisumber, Dundgovi, and Sukhbaatar provinces have 0.7-1.6 thousand registered legal entities.

40.3% of the 245.8 thousand legal entities are operating, while 59.7% are inactive.

When looking at operating legal entities by the number of employees, 85.1% have 1-9 employees, 7.2% have 10-19 employees, 4.9% have 20-49 employees, and 2.8% have 50 or more employees.

The percentage of legal entities with 1-9 employees increased by 0.4 percentage points compared to the same period last year.

In the first half of 2024, 78.4 thousand or 79.1% of all operating legal entities were in the trade and services sector.

Source: National Statistics Office

TODAY: Introducing the international open selection for the "New Kharkhorum" city

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://www.montsame.mn/mn/read/348255

A brief overview of some events happening on Wednesday, July 24:

From 09:00-12:00: The international scientific conference "World of Altargana-2024" will be held at the Ondo company building.

At 10:00: At the State Palace: The 38 teams from 18 countries that have qualified for the second stage of the international open selection for developing the concept of the "New Kharkhorum" city master plan will be introduced to the public. The Office of the President and the administration responsible for the construction of "New Kharkhorum" city will provide information.

At 10:00: An extraordinary XXII session of the Citizens' Representative Khural of the Capital City will be held.

At 11:00: A 3x3 basketball tournament with participation of children from welfare centers and care homes will begin at the Steppe Arena. Phone: 9911-7603, 9999-0391, 8869-4040.

In the provinces:

July 24-25: Centennial celebrations and Naadam festivals of Urgun and Erdene soums of Dornogovi aimag will be held. Also, anniversaries of Undurshil and Tsagaandelger soums of Dundgovi aimag will be held.

July 25-26: Centennial celebrations and Naadam festivals of Baruunburen and Zuunburensoums of Selenge aimag will be held. Also, anniversaries of Delger, Tsogt Tsetsii, and Erdene soums of Govi-Altai aimag will be held.

1.2 Million Travelers to Visit Rural Areas in July

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740401/

The "Ulaanbaatar Tourism Association" NGO has been conducting research since 2019 to determine and estimate the destinations of domestic travelers, including how many thousands of domestic travelers travel to which region of Mongolia and in which season of the year. According to the survey, it is estimated that 1.1-1.2 million travelers will travel from Ulaanbaatar to rural areas this July.

Of these:

• 283-314 thousand will travel to Arkhangai and Uvurkhangai provinces,
• 171-190 thousand to Khuvsgul province,
• 95-105 thousand to Bulgan and Selenge provinces,
• 114-127 thousand to eastern provinces,
• 78-87 thousand tend to travel to Gobi provinces.

It is also estimated that 147-164 thousand tourists will travel to Zavkhan province throughout July, of which 27-30 thousand will visit Uvs province.

This is because 10 soums of Zavkhan province and six soums of Uvs province are celebrating their anniversaries.

The even anniversaries of 16 soums in Govi-Altai province and seven soums in Bayankhongor province are also expected to be a reason for a certain number of tourists from Ulaanbaatar to visit these regions at the end of July and early August. As a result, it is estimated that 82-91 thousand people will reach these provinces during the month. During the years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of tourists traveling to Bayan-Ulgii province and Altai Tavan Bogd increased, reaching 53 thousand in 2022, but this year it is expected to decrease, with the number of tourists traveling to Khovd and Bayan-Ulgii estimated to be around 26-29 thousand.

Mongolians are worried about their health

Published: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 | Translated from: https://news.mn/r/2740348/

Health, corruption, and poverty among Mongolians have become the most pressing issues in today's society. According to a report by the "SICA" research organization, these issues are negatively impacting citizens' quality of life. The report emphasizes that the excessive burden on Mongolia's health services and the inadequate quality of services significantly affect citizens' life expectancy and health care costs. The research report clearly shows that many people are facing economic difficulties and experiencing a decline in their quality of life due to health issues.

It also mentions that insufficient preventive measures are causing the spread of diseases and their progression to chronic conditions.

The high level of smoking among Mongolians remains one of the major health threats. Smoking is a primary cause of many types of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, and cancer. The conclusion drawn by the "SICA" research organization suggests that official institutions need to provide citizens with accurate information and support the transition to less harmful alternatives.

To protect the health of Mongolian citizens, the government needs to pay more attention, improve preventive measures, increase access to health services, and improve their quality. It is also important to reduce smoking levels and support citizens in transitioning to less harmful alternatives. Citizens want the Government to make independent decisions without being influenced by any foreign organizations.