Nov 26, 2024 60 min read Daily News Summaries

Mongolia News Summary for November 26, 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.

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Politics

Should the Finance Minister Who Cannot Control and Manage the Budget Be Held Accountable?

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The Ministry of Finance, which is the central government agency responsible for financial and budget issues, plays a key role in regulating fiscal policy, or in other words, arranging state revenue and expenditure to achieve economic stability and enhance the livelihoods of citizens. The ministry is tasked with developing the state’s consolidated budget, and the budgets for Social Insurance and Health Insurance funds, making economic growth and development forecasts, presenting these to relevant organizations and officials, overseeing the execution of the budget by the overall governing authority, providing consolidated reports, and offering professional and methodological guidance on economic, budgeting, and financial issues. To be precise, how healthy, transparent, and lawful the process of planning, approving, implementing, reporting, and auditing the budget is, and whether the socio-economic situation of Mongolia progresses or deteriorates, largely depends on this organization. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Finance has been failing to fulfill its duties to ensure economic stability and implement fiscal policy diligently and legally, thus operating inefficiently like a puppet up to this day. Considerable time has passed since discussions began on implementing a performance-based or outcome and control-based efficient fiscal policy in our country. However, no significant progress or decisive steps have been made in following through with this initiative. Instead, substantial investments have been made in inefficient projects and programs, favoring wastefulness and ignoring calculations, approving budget projects with expenditure exceeding income, and having overly idealistic estimates in recent years, which serves as evidence. Every year, discussions and criticisms regarding the budget project erupt among the public, researchers, and experts on social media, but implementers of fiscal policy ultimately decide everything on their own terms. The 2025 budget project too was hastily drafted in this manner, rushed and approved with the shield of "We will amend and improve it," and has now met a blockade requiring a re-discussion. In particular, President U.Khurelsukh vetoed the entirety of the budget and related laws proposed for 2025, which the State Great Khural accepted. The proposed budget for next year was decided to have violated certain provisions of the Budget Law and the Fiscal Stability Law, deemed inconsistent with the state’s fiscal and financial policy and principles, not accurately reflecting and calculating the international and domestic social and economic circumstances. Undoubtedly, the Ministry of Finance, more specifically Minister B.Javkhlan, who leads this ministry, is directly responsible for this poor, inadequate budget approval. The process of drafting and approving the budget largely relies on the State Great Khural and the Government, but the ministry is responsible for compiling, organizing, and preparing the budget for submission and discussion at the decision-making level. Readers might recall how gloomy Finance Minister B.Javkhlan was when the State Great Khural began discussing the 2025 budget project. He opposed members of parliament who criticized the reckless allocation of taxpayer money to ineffective projects and programs and reminded that an intact budget without deficit should be approved, defensively justifying his work. He mocked Member of Parliament S.Tsenguun, who commented, "There is no need to build cultural centers in 24 soums with 100 billion MNT," calling him a “city kid” who does not understand rural life and its joys and sorrows. When Member of Parliament J.Bayarmaa criticized the proposed expense for building information centers in 14 soums as untimely work, he hesitantly responded, "Where did you get this information from?", avoiding a direct answer. At the current moment, Finance Minister B.Javkhlan appears subdued, ostensibly understanding his mistakes. In his briefing related to the President’s veto on the 2025 Budget Law, he said, "The Parliament and Government must accept the President's veto and adopt a no-deficit budget. The government discussed and agreed on this. It has become necessary to cut expenses that must be endured. In calculating for a deficit-free budget, we find ourselves having to cut a considerable amount of expenditures, review increasing costs such as salary, pension, and education sector legal rises. Reducing external mission expenses and cutting vouchers from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth was done, but the percentage is small. To make every penny of the budget efficient, we will trim expenses driven by ambitions of different sectors. By cutting 1.2 trillion MNT, it is possible to approve a deficit-free budget." From this, the irresponsibility and lack of principle of the leadership of our country’s central government agency responsible for financial and budget issues, as well as that of the government member, are evident. It is also apparent how fragile and unstable Mongolia’s fiscal and financial policy is. Despite having the ability to draft a deficit-free budget based on calculations, research, control, and execution, and the obligation to operate based on these principles within the bounds of law and regulation, it is irresponsible and shameful for them to backtrack on their statements and stand with heads hung low just a few days later. At this moment, the Minister of Finance should stand strong and defend the approved budget and positions. It is clear from his words that those in the Ministry of Finance knew about the shortcomings, delays, and avoidable expenses in the 2025 budget project caused by the ambitions of ministers including the “lifeless” work, yet they proceeded with eyes shut. If the President had not vetoed, leaders and ministers would have acted recklessly and consumed everything en masse. The event provides a clear answer to why our country has been approving deficit budgets in recent years, why citizens' livelihoods have not improved despite claims of economic growth, and why no social or economic returns have been achieved from implemented projects, programs, and investments. Mongolia's fiscal policy lacks "immunity," so to speak. The main institution responsible for controlling budget spending and guiding the policy seems incapable of performing its duties. With the President’s veto, citizens have begun strongly and openly discussing the issue of the inefficient expenditure of the budget these days. This coincides with the criticism directed toward the main culprit while some have begun organizing and disseminating misleading information on social media, such as "In a developing country with many issues to solve, it is normal for budget expenses to grow annually," and “Deficit budgets are not that bad; it is reasonable to finance large projects without fearing them." A deficit budget has several negative consequences, from increasing debt levels and inflationary pressure to potentially leading the economy into crisis. Particularly, approving deficit budgets consistently over the long term is considered to destabilize economic equilibrium. Therefore, it is wrong to spread such misleading information stating that a deficit budget is advantageous. It is true that the Ministry of Finance has failed in its responsibility, and it is undeniable that they are unable to operate within the legal framework. It is time to hold them accountable. During the Parliament session discussing whether to accept or reject the President's veto, Member of Parliament Ch.Lodoisambu stated, "The issues such as inflation, unemployment, corruption, and bribery until now are directly linked to Minister of Finance B.Javkhlan. He has been serving as the Minister of Finance through numerous governments. From the start of presenting the 2025 budget project, auditors and economists have been criticizing it and stating their positions. But he accepted nothing from anyone, just insisted on pushing it through, saying everything was fine. As a result, the Parliament and Government are in an awkward situation with a veto imposed. The state of Mongolia is not a joke. With the constitutional amendment, the Prime Minister now has the independent right to hold ministers accountable. It is necessary to hold the Minister of Finance accountable. We have seen the budget presented by the Minister of Finance and its outcomes for many years," which was the most apt and accurate assessment. It is indeed time to hold Minister of Finance B.Javkhlan accountable. A single indicator of how the budget execution, which reflects how state revenue and expenditure were implemented against the planned amount, stands today and how it was evaluated and controlled in previous years, provides enough grounds to hold the Minister of Finance, who leads the Ministry of Finance, accountable. According to the Budget Law, the Minister of Finance is responsible for managing budget execution activities under unified leadership, while the Ministry of Finance is tasked with overseeing the execution of the general budget administrator and producing consolidated reports. Unfortunately, specialists and economists have pointed out that they have been performing this merely nominally, deviating from international standards and practices. When accounting for the resulting damages and lost opportunities, Ministry of Finance officials are undoubtedly guilty of causing significant harm to Mongolia's socio-economy and inefficiently spending taxpayers’ money.

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Today: Party Groups in Parliament Will Hold Meetings

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Today, the following events will take place: - The party groups in the parliament will meet. - At 11:00 AM, at the NCID administration, a press briefing will be held by the City Health Department and NCID about the current situation of flu-like illnesses and preventative measures. - At 1:50 PM, there will be a ceremony at Chinggis Khaan International Airport to welcome the 2 millionth passenger. - A commemorative concert for the 40th anniversary of B. Sharav's songs "Awakened Steppe" and "My Father and Mother" will be held at the Central Cultural Palace. - The "Music Melody" concert by Ts. Batchuluun, the founder of the Morin Khuur ensemble and People's Artist, recipient of the Order of Chinggis Khaan, will take place in the concert hall of the State Philharmonic. Follow @montsame.mn

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The Constitution Strengthened by Implementation, Not by Proclamation

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the first Constitution of Mongolia and the proclamation of the Republic. Abolishing the monarchy peacefully, transferring power to the people, and establishing the legal grounds for forming a government with citizen participation were the main significance and importance of this event. Unfortunately, today's Mongolians know little more than that it's a public holiday. Instead of addressing issues seriously, we are living amidst unresolved controversies that last a few days and are then forgotten. Some decisions made by state institutions lack careful research and calculation, only serving to frustrate the citizens. In recent days, there has been a debate surrounding a call by E. Lkhagva, the Deputy Director of the Secretariat of the State Great Hural, to make “Independence Day” a day to eat the national dish, 'bituu shul' (stew). Citizens expressed their dissatisfaction, questioning whether the state dictates what citizens eat in a democratic country and whether all families have the opportunity and means to prepare such a dish. Although the call had a “noble” purpose of making each celebration unique with national cuisine and spreading culture and tradition among the youth, it missed the mark in terms of who, when, and how it should be expressed. Instead, if they had discussed educating the youth about the significance of having a Constitution in an interesting way, it would have resonated more effectively. WHAT DID WE 'GAIN' BY HAVING A CONSTITUTION This is a modern document. Mongolia’s first constitution consisted of six chapters and 50 articles. The first article of the Constitution states, “From now on, all of Mongolia shall be called the People's Republic, where the supreme power of the state belongs to the people, and all state affairs shall be decided and executed by the State Great Hural and the government elected by this law, which shall be respected by everyone.” This was a significant step toward declaring independence for Mongolia, a small, underdeveloped country sandwiched between two great powers. It also made Mongolia the first Asian country to transition to a republican system. It proclaimed human rights and freedoms, and the concept that all state power and resources beneath the land belong to the people began with this and continues to exist today. Thus, becoming a citizen of an independent nation, having the right to express opinions freely on social media and debate, were rights first granted by the First Constitution. The First Constitution assisted in establishing our new political system and created the legal environment for comprehensive decisions on legislative, executive, and judicial power, state finances, loan policy, and local issues. BRIDGING A 20 YEAR GAP It is natural to amend laws in accordance with the changes and reforms of the times. Accordingly, the Constitution was revised in 1940 and 1960. Later, in 1992, the new democratic constitution was adopted, bringing about significant political and social changes. Through this, the parliamentary system and democratic country were declared, and the rights to freedom of religion and expression were guaranteed, as we know. Both our history and examples from other countries show that the Constitution was historically revised every 20 years. However, amendments have been made to align with the times continuously. The first Constitution was amended seven times, the 1940's Constitution eight times, and the 1960's Constitution thirteen times over a span of 20-30 years. In contrast, the 1992 Constitution has been amended five times, with three of these amendments made by the MPP (Mongolian People's Party) during the last eight years when they were in power. Although the Constitution must be amended to suit the times, it is a principle to maintain stability and not amend it too often. However, when one party becomes overwhelmingly dominant, this principle can be compromised. The most recent amendment was made in July 2023, adding provisions for a mixed electoral system and expanding the parliament to 126 members. Although the ruling party is no longer overwhelmingly dominant, they continue to hold a majority. Therefore, there is talk of further amendments, such as electing the President from within the parliament. It is evident that there is a need to amend the Constitution to reflect the changing times, but frequent changes driven by the interests of a single dominant party can have adverse consequences. Researcher H. Nomingerel stated, “The MPP carefully selects amendments to suit their interests, using legal provisions to concentrate power for themselves and infringe on human rights in both explicit and implicit ways, undermining the constitutional order.” The law is required to be passed by three-fourths of all members, so it cannot be easily changed like ordinary laws, but must remain stable as the foundation of national law and order. Nevertheless, during their years of absolute power, the MPP has exploited their advantage in this way. “A SURPRISE GIFT” ON THE ANNIVERSARY The First Constitution, which proclaimed independence and changed the state system, has evolved and renewed itself up to the present day. The order to celebrate nationwide the 100th anniversary of proclaiming the Republic and the adoption of the first Constitution was issued by the State Great Hural last year. This working group led by Deputy Speaker H. Bulgantuya was tasked with promoting the Constitution and making people aware of its significance, honoring and disseminating its ideals. Therefore, last week the State Great Hural discussed and approved a draft resolution to formally enshrine the Constitution, ordering all state institutions and diplomatic missions overseas to honor the Constitution, include its principles of sovereignty, independence, human rights, and freedom in the educational curriculum at all levels, and to disseminate and explain them. This initiative is supported. However, just placing the Constitution in a place of honor within state organizations will not fix everything. Everyone knows that the rights to freedom of expression, publishing, assembly, and demonstrations outlined in the Constitution have been curbed in various ways in recent years. Therefore, the government should also focus on strengthening and preserving the positive aspects preserved and guaranteed by the Constitution. Moreover, lawmakers themselves must adhere strictly to the Constitution for its value and pride to begin. Unfortunately, complaints about certain provisions of laws passed by the parliament violating the Constitution surface periodically, with the courts having to address these too. Most recently, on the cusp of the 100th anniversary of the Constitution, the State Great Hural delivered another “surprise gift.” The resolution, adopted on November 8, calling for amendments to the 2025 budget before the end of the year clashed directly with the principle that “Supremacy of law is the basic principle of state functioning” enshrined in the Constitution’s second article. During Friday’s plenary session, members debated the constitutionality of the resolution they had passed together, with some expressing remorse and others blaming the Budget Standing Committee who drafted it. The Speaker of the State Great Hural rebuked the members for trying to undermine the parliament's reputation by treating it as a legal violation, stating, “In 2014 and 2015, the State Great Hural had made resolutions calling for amendments after passing the budget. Don’t play into the hands of some people by claiming it violated the law.” Raising awareness of the Constitution among citizens is correct. Its significance should be conveyed from primary school onwards. However, some new parliament members or “new students” might also benefit from training on this matter. The body that enacts laws should be the one adhering to the Constitution so they can effectively communicate its importance to the citizens. Through this process, it carries true value. If government organizations enshrine the Constitution in a place of honor, it must be followed by parliament for any real change to occur.

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The Procedure for Discussing Veto Causes Issues

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Last Friday, the State Great Khural decided that it was appropriate to accept the President's veto of the 2025 Budget Law in its entirety. Historically, the President of Mongolia has vetoed the budget a total of nine times, with six of those being full vetoes. However, the parliament has never before accepted the President's full veto of the budget. In this instance, the first parliament with 126 members accepted the President's full budget veto. However, the procedure for discussing the President's veto is not outlined in any relevant laws, as was pointed out by members and the Head of the President's Office during last Friday's parliamentary session. Therefore, the Standing Committee on Ethics and Procedure of the State Great Khural will develop a one-time rule to discuss the President's veto and present it during a plenary session. This resolution will be approved by the parliament and the President's veto will be discussed according to this procedure. Consequently, the Standing Committee on Ethics and Procedure will meet this coming Wednesday to develop the one-time procedure for discussing the veto, present it to the assembly, and establish the conditions for discussing the veto. Furthermore, the law states that the government must submit the budget law and the parliament will discuss and approve it. However, with the President fully vetoing the budget law, conditions have arisen to discuss and approve the budget without government involvement. Therefore, during the discussions, members expressed the position that it would be appropriate to include government representatives in the working group and discuss the budget in consultation with the government. The first approved budget by the 126-member parliament has caused many consequences. There is no established procedure, only a one-time procedure will be adopted, and the budget will be discussed and approved by the parliament without government involvement.

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Ch. Önörbayar: We Will Evaluate the Work of Ministries and Ministers

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Ch. Önörbayar, the Acting Director of the Supervisory Implementation Department, provided information about the work being carried out. He stated, "We will check the special permits for land. We will determine whether the problem lies with the individuals or the system. If the system is poor, even a god-like person cannot improve it. The Prime Minister of Mongolia issued Order No. 01. It stated that we should evaluate the work performance of government members, namely the ministers, based on social and economic development indicators, and assess and coordinate the results of the ministries' work. The responsibility of overseeing this order was given to Minister E. Odbayar. A resolution to assess social and economic development indicators was issued by the government in 2018. It was created in coordination with the then government's structure. However, as we enter a new government phase, we have not been able to update these indicators. The government wants to work with a new structure, but the system for evaluating work by social and economic indicators remains based on 2018. After investigation, all the environmental and climate-related indicators have expired. The task to update them has not yet been completed. The Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Finance are updating the indicators, but other ministries have not yet done so. Next month, we will meet with the Secretaries of all ministries. The government and ministries evaluate and judge themselves. No one gives themselves a bad grade. Thus, they often seem to receive high evaluations. However, in reality, there is no progress in public satisfaction and state service availability. They state that complaint resolutions are between 92%-98%. However, public trust in the government should be at that level, but unfortunately, it is not. Therefore, there should be criteria to evaluate the ministries. For this, we will use international indexes. For example, there is the corruption index. Currently, Mongolia ranks 121st out of 180 countries in the corruption index. Our fight against corruption does not yield results. This is not only the duty of the Anti-Corruption Agency. All ministries should participate in reducing this index and report on it. In the education sector, for example, they talk about how many kindergartens and schools have been built. But does quality improve or good specialists emerge in accordance with the number of schools built? Unfortunately, there is no qualitative change. We should introduce criteria to evaluate educational success and report back to the government. There is an economic freedom index. We tend to fall in international indexes. In the e-governance index, we rank 47th out of 193 countries, but we are regressing in all other indexes. Regarding the international air quality index, Mongolia ranks 172nd out of 180 countries. Yet, a lot of money is spent in this sector. Let us reduce this index. Only then will real results emerge. We plan to work on the issue of medicine quality starting next year. We've found a serious conclusion. Mongolia has become a country that profits from the illness of its citizens. Let us stop drinking medicine that's not medicine but poison." From now on, the government’s supervisory implementation department plans to update the public on the progress of its work every week.

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A Working Group Has Been Established to Organize Addressing

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

In 2022, the government approved Resolution No. 180 regarding the introduction of a unified system for the address information database. According to this resolution, work is being carried out to address streets, roads, public spaces, and real estate across 21 provinces and 330 districts, and to introduce the unified address information system into use. For instance, in Ulaanbaatar city, address data has been updated, a database has been established, and the process of issuing addresses has been transitioned to an electronic format. However, it is reported that there is a lack of work on linking the databases of state institutions and ensuring the participation of the private sector and citizens. Therefore, a working group to implement the above resolution has been established by the decision of the Prime Minister. The members of the working group are collaborating with the Ministry of Interior and Safety of South Korea and the Land and Geomatics Corporation. Within the framework of this cooperation, it is planned to update laws, regulations, and the legal environment related to addressing. Moreover, an advanced system for managing address information is planned to be developed. Besides, it is intended to ensure accurate addressing for streets, roads, public spaces, land, and real estate. Additionally, there are plans to create a navigation system based on artificial intelligence to facilitate quick and efficient emergency, special service deliveries, and cargo transportation.

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Case against Ministry of Road and Transport official to be trialed

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: news.mn

The Prosecutor's Office monitored 43,618 registration cases and 4,178 investigative cases, issuing indictments in 295 criminal cases to be transferred to the court. Specifically, the cases for which indictments have been issued include: - 128 cases against personal safety - 70 against property rights - 64 against traffic safety and vehicle usage regulations - 13 against sexual freedom and inviolability - 8 for corruption and abuse of power - 7 against the environment - 4 for illegal use of narcotics and psychotropic substances - 1 for organizing gambling Some of the cases transferred to the court include: The Ulaanbaatar City's Prosecutor's Office issued an indictment to the Primary Criminal Court of Bayangol District regarding Officer Ö.B of the Bayangol District Health Center, who allegedly abused her power and position to provide a housing discount of 90 million MNT to 20 employees who did not meet the requirements, thus creating an advantage for others. This is charged under Article 22.1, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code (Abuse of Power or Position). Another indictment was issued to the Primary Criminal Court of Sukhbaatar District for Ministry of Road and Transport official B.J, who allegedly abused his power and office to create advantages for "K" LLC. This is charged under Article 263.2 of the 2002 Criminal Code (Abuse of Official Power or Position by a Public Official). The Head of the Border Protection General Department's Border Military Unit office, officer S.G, was indicted and sent to the Primary Criminal Court of Ömnögovi Province, Khanbogd District, for allegedly soliciting bribes in return for processing the passage of passengers and transport vehicles across the border military unit's inspection point. This is charged under Article 22.4, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code (Accepting Bribes by a Public Official). Furthermore, an indictment was issued for a Chinese citizen, T, who allegedly beat and fatally injured Ö.S, due to personal animosity, in Bayangol District, thus committing a particularly cruel and intentional murder. This charge is issued under Article 10.1, Paragraph 2.1 of the Criminal Code (Murder). The case is sent to the Primary Criminal Court of Bayangol District. Additionally, Dorood Province Prosecutor's Office charged employees D.B and M.A of the Province's Hydro-Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Center for abusing power and office by falsely calculating extra hours and thus creating undue advantage while receiving extra salary payments, which did not reflect the actual work hours. This case is charged under Article 22.1, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code (Abuse of Power or Position) and sent to the inter-district Primary Criminal Court of the province. Lastly, an employee, Ch.G, of the Cultural Center of a Sum in Govi-Altai Province, was charged with abusing power and position by appointing citizen J.K to a job and providing salary without the execution of duties, as well as granting rewards to a related individual, creating unwarranted advantages. This case is charged under Article 22.1, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code (Abuse of Power or Position) and referred to the inter-district Primary Criminal Court of the province.

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Economy

"Capital Bond" privately traded on foreign markets, raising another 500 million USD

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: isee.mn

A representative of the Ulaanbaatar City Council, N. Manduul, mentioned in an interview that 500 million USD will be entering the account of the Bank of Mongolia in the near future. Specifically, the "Capital Bond" was privately traded on foreign markets, raising an additional 500 million USD. In this private trading, 14 investors participated, with the BlackRock fund purchasing 100 million USD and the Finco fund buying 200 million USD. The bond's repayment period ends in August 2027, and this financing will be allocated to the Selbe sub-center project. To recall, Ulaanbaatar issued a bond on the domestic market, raising 500 billion MNT. During the initial trading on the capital market, 16 bids from 15 investors were received, with 300 billion MNT invested in the Booroljuut power plant.

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Proposal to Include Regulation for Real Estate-Based Tokenization

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: gogo.mn

According to the Speaker of the Parliament's order, a working group has been established to research and propose recommendations on regulating cryptocurrency-related relations by law, and to develop a necessary draft law if needed. The leader of the group is MP L. Soronzonbold. The working group exchanged views on the current state of the virtual asset and cryptocurrency market. J. Munkh-Orkhil, head of the Legal Affairs Division of the Financial Regulatory Commission, gave a presentation on “The Virtual Asset Market: Current Conditions.” He mentioned that a legal environment for conducting activities related to virtual assets is being established in Mongolia by adopting relevant regulations and guidelines, creating an effective monitoring and regulatory environment, and working to meet FATF Technical Recommendation 15 (New Technologies). Regulation of the virtual asset sector remains novel, both in Mongolia and globally. Highlighting the rapid advancements in technology and the resulting new challenges, it was noted that the Financial Regulatory Commission is working to support the activities of participants in the virtual asset sector and to monitor and identify illegal flows of assets in this market. A law on virtual asset service providers has been in effect since 2021. Before the new law was enacted, there were 24 virtual asset service providers, but as of today, 12 organizations are registered with the Financial Regulatory Commission. E. Turtogtokh, Executive Director of the Mongolian Stock Exchange Association, stated, “Nowadays, there are many types and forms of virtual assets. These include cryptocurrencies, digital real estate, stablecoins, utility tokens, security tokens, and central bank digital currencies.” He expressed a proposal to include regulations on ensuring the coordination and mutual monitoring of virtual asset service providers, as well as utilizing real estate-based tokenization when revising the law on virtual asset service providers. Asian Development Bank consultant D. Bilguun highlighted international trends in virtual asset regulation, noting that 10% of countries have regulation, 40% are in preparation, and 50% have no regulation. Representatives of participating organizations at the working group meeting exchanged views on the challenges faced in their operations and discussed improving the legal and regulatory environment. The head of the working group, L. Soronzonbold, explained that the working group name was limited as “Cryptocurrency-related” and decided to amend it to “Virtual Asset-related.” The working group will conduct a detailed study of the virtual asset market. MPs J. Zoljargal, Ch. Anar, E. Batshugar, Sh. Byambasuren, P. Ganzorig, G. Uyankhishig, D. Enkhtuvshin, and S. Erdenebold are working in the group.

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UBTZ Cargo Transport Volume Increased by 2.6% Compared to Last Year

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: ikon.mn

During the "Transport Week" event held in Moscow, Russia, Mongolia's Minister of Roads and Transport, B. Delgersaikhan, met with Oleg Belozyorov, Director of Russian Railways JSC. During the meeting, the parties discussed the current performance, strategic development, and future prospects of the Mongolia-Russia joint venture "Ulaanbaatar Railway." At this time, "According to our assessment, UBTZ is operating at a very high professional level, with freight volumes having increased 1.5 times over the past 10 years, reaching a historic high of 32.4 million tons in 2023. As of the end of October this year, the volume of transport continues to rise, exceeding the same period in 2023 by 2.6 percent. This month, the railway set a new record by loading 103.3 thousand tons of cargo per day," emphasized Oleg Belozyorov. According to him, during the first 10 months of this year, container shipments between Russia and China through Mongolia also increased by 8 percent, reaching 336,000 TEU. The parties agreed to continue developing UBTZ within the framework of the Mongolia-Russia-China economic corridor. Source: “UBTZ” JSC Notice: Media outlets (TV, Radio, Social, and Web pages) must cite their source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, fully or partially.

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Our country to export sheep and goat meat to Vietnam

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: isee.mn

The 19th meeting of the Mongolia-Vietnam Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation was concluded in Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, from the 19th to the 23rd of this month. During this meeting, the two countries agreed to cooperate in supplying products with mutual advantages to each other's markets in order to increase trade turnover. Specifically, they agreed on importing rice from Vietnam and exporting sheep and goat meat from our country. Additionally, a memorandum of understanding on meat export to Vietnam was signed by relevant business representatives from both countries. Furthermore, during this event, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry reported that representatives from the Government of Mongolia and more than 10 enterprises participated in the Agro Viet-2024 international agricultural exhibition held in Hanoi.

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USA: Gazprombank's Sanctions Will Not Affect Mongolia

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: news.mn

The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Russia's Gazprombank last Thursday. This measure is part of President Joe Biden's efforts against Russian aggression before leaving office in January. Under these sanctions, Gazprombank is prohibited from processing new energy deals and transactions related to the U.S. financial system. Additionally, any assets in the U.S. will be frozen. Despite major Russian banks already being affected by sanctions, Gazprombank had been spared until now. Almost 80% of Mongolia's oil payments are processed through this bank. Thus, the Ministry of Finance took urgent action, coordinating with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, to ensure Mongolia's oil payments are exempt from these sanctions. The "COMFORT LETTER" or green light obtained from the U.S. Department of the Treasury confirms this. The letter states, "We understand that Mongolia is facing difficulties in paying for essential imports, especially energy, to Russia. We recognize that the Bank of Mongolia and other Mongolian financial institutions make payments for energy, including crude oil, petroleum products, electricity, and natural gas, through Gazprombank and its six subsidiaries abroad. Non-U.S. financial institutions will not face risks due to these sanctions." In other words, approximately 80% of Mongolia's oil payments to Russia are processed through Gazprombank and will continue without being affected by U.S. sanctions. Gazprombank is one of Russia's largest banks and is owned by the Kremlin's Gazprom company. Since 2022, Ukraine has been urging the U.S. to impose sanctions on Gazprombank. The Russian government uses this bank to transfer salaries, bonuses, and compensation to the families of deceased soldiers.

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Korean Consumers Are 100% Satisfied with Mongolian Cashmere

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: gogo.mn

This time, we bring you an interview with designer Lee Jae-hi from the MSC Cashmere brand, who has been contributing to the development of Mongolia's cashmere industry and its recognition internationally over the past ten years. We talked about the characteristics of Mongolian cashmere, the development of the cashmere industry, and the MSC Cashmere brand. - Hello, can you please introduce yourself briefly? - Hello, my name is Lee Jae-hi. I work as a designer for MSC Cashmere, also known as Mongolian Cashmere King, and I also support the increase of sales in the Asian market. I have been working in the fashion industry since I was 20, and for the past ten years, I have been creating clothing from Mongolian cashmere and introducing it to international markets. - It is interesting that a foreigner is working in Mongolia's cashmere industry. Why did you choose to work with Mongolian cashmere? - My brother and I, having worked in the South Korean fashion market for over ten years, have noticed that the competition has become increasingly fierce. We realized that we needed to change to stand out from our competitors. Therefore, we decided to focus on cashmere, relying on our experience in knitting and weaving clothing, and chose to compete in the luxury product market. There were options for cashmere suppliers such as Italy, China, and Mongolia, but for some reason, Mongolian cashmere seemed more appealing. So, we bought tickets and came to Mongolia with my brother. - Did you come to Mongolia without any expectations? How was the Mongolian cashmere industry ten years ago compared to today? - Yes, we didn't have many expectations. When I first came, I was very impressed by Mongolian herders in the countryside and their hard work and perseverance. During tours of the major cashmere factories and direct observations, I realized that they focused more on selling cheaper camel and sheep wool products than on cashmere clothing. The manufacturing of cashmere clothing was much lower back then compared to today, and the factories' design and technology were also relatively poor. I felt it was unethical to export raw cashmere without adding value, despite the goal of exporting finished products. However, the first two years were spent understanding Mongolians and adapting to the conditions. Initially, I developed designs and styles for the factories I selected and ordered them to produce my products, but there were frequent issues with the quality and performance of the final products not meeting our standards. So, I started sharing my knowledge and experience step by step, like "do the stitching this way," "iron it that way," and collaborated closely. Now, I believe the quality of the factories has improved significantly. Also, the designs of cashmere products have improved, and Mongolians themselves are using their cashmere more, and Mongolian cashmere brands have started emerging in the international market, which makes me very happy. - Do you export MSC Cashmere products only to South Korea? How do Korean consumers receive Mongolian cashmere? - Although most of our products are exported to the Korean market, we also supply cashmere products to the Chinese and American markets. Ten years ago, South Koreans had very limited knowledge about cashmere products. Initially, they were skeptical because cashmere is expensive. However, because cashmere is a natural, soft, warm, luxurious, and fashionable product, South Koreans have become very fond of it. Currently, it is estimated that 80-90% of the cashmere products sold in Korea are made from Mongolian cashmere. We have been successful in making Mongolian cashmere a popular item in Korea, appearing in home shopping networks. Koreans believe that Mongolian cashmere is the best. For cashmere products sold in Korea, the design, quality, and "Made in Mongolia" label are very important, so we always include Made In Mongolia on our labels. Our consumers are 100% satisfied, and if they buy once, they always come back if they need more. We're very proud of that (laughs). - When did MSC Cashmere begin operations in Mongolia? Could you introduce your uniqueness to our customers? - Certainly. MSC Cashmere has been introduced to Mongolia five years ago. The company has focused more on foreign sales, so it may not have been recognized by domestic consumers. Our products come in a variety of styles, with only a small number sold domestically, making them unique and uncommon. I see Mongolians as having excellent fashion sense, being unique, and loving special, standout items. Therefore, our Mongolian customers keep returning to us for fashionable cashmere. We release over 400 new designs in our collection each year, researching global fashion trends and combining them with our own talents and insights. When creating new designs, we focus on offering interesting color choices to our consumers. Since cashmere is a luxury and valuable product, meant to be used for many years, I design with attention to looking good regardless of the wearer's age, physique, or figure, aiming for compatibility with various clothes. We receive a lot of praise from our Mongolian customers, encouraging us to work harder. Our customer representative often hears feedback like, "Your designs are amazing!" and responds, "We have a Korean designer," which makes the customers say, "That explains a lot!" (laughs). - As a foreigner working in Mongolia's cashmere industry, do you have any message for Mongolians? - I truly love Mongolians. I live in Mongolia for nearly eight months out of the year. The cashmere sector is a result of the hard work of many people. No part of producing cashmere products is easy. Especially in rural areas, where the environment is harsh, I want to express my gratitude to the herders who raise sheep and goats and prepare raw cashmere. I am deeply grateful for their invaluable efforts, and I think they deserve applause and a deep bow. Moreover, the work of those involved in processing and manufacturing cashmere products is not easy either; it requires responsibility. Therefore, we focus on ensuring the hard work of everyone involved in the cashmere value chain is duly recognized when introducing Mongolian cashmere to the world, aiming to keep international prices 2-3 times higher than domestic ones. Finally, I am very grateful to everyone who works hard every day. Also, thanks to all customers who choose to support, sustain, and encourage us. We will strive to improve and do better. Please become regular customers. As our brand grows, we will continue to thank herders, workers, and consumers in tangible ways. - Thank you for this interview. If our readers want to see and purchase MSC Cashmere products, where should they go? - Thank you for asking. We started working on becoming better known and closer to Mongolian consumers this year. We have developed a "coffee and cashmere" concept for the first time in Mongolia, operating branch stores along with coffee shops at the Grand Hill Hotel and Terelj. We also have a branch at the Altargana Center for corporate sales and export trade. Please visit our branches and enjoy a comfortable shopping experience. I invite everyone to join us and become loyal customers once again. Additionally, this year we participated for the first time in the "Goel 2025," the largest fashion show in Mongolia, with three collections and 36 set designs, introducing our products to Mongolians. Our designs including both men's and women's clothing as well as accessories such as hats, scarves, gloves, and capes, received high praise from the audience and judges, earning a "Special Award." People exclaimed, "Wow, you can make such stylish clothing with cashmere?" which made it a night of pride and happiness for our team (laughs). Thank you so much.

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Vietnam to Import Goat and Sheep Meat and High-Quality Rice Exchange

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Our country will export goat and sheep meat to Vietnam and import high-quality rice. During the 19th session of the Mongolia-Vietnam Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, which took place in Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the two countries reached an agreement to increase trade turnover by mutually supplying goods and products with advantages in both countries' markets. In addition, business representatives from both sectors signed a memorandum regarding the export of meat to Vietnam. Furthermore, representatives from the Mongolian government and more than 10 enterprises participated in the "Agro Viet-2024" international agricultural exhibition held in Hanoi, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry reported.

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In addition to passing a budget without a deficit, it is also necessary to further cut expenses

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: news.mn

We had a conversation with economist B. Lakshmi. - The President of Mongolia has vetoed the entire budget for the upcoming year and suggests that members of the parliament should accept his veto. From an economic perspective, how effective do you think the process of re-evaluating the budget will be? - Today, there is a pressing need to make amendments to next year's budget. This is because the economic conditions have changed since the initial discussions on next year's budget began on September 1st. Every year, the government submits an overly optimistic budget. They do not accurately account for the actual economic conditions, nor do they aim to prevent potential risks by creating savings. Instead, they allocate spending based on projected revenue, often passing budgets with deficits. Now, significant changes are expected in the economic conditions anticipated for next year. For instance, it's uncertain whether the economy will grow by the projected 8% next year. A notable development is that Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election. He announced in his campaign that he would impose high tariffs on all imported goods, especially a 60% tariff on goods purchased from China. If this decision is implemented, it will directly affect China's economic growth. Given that Mongolia exports around 90% of its total exports to China, a slowdown in China's economic growth would mirror a slowdown in Mongolia's economy, particularly in its export volumes. Donald Trump will officially take office in January next year and will likely announce his policies in more detail at that time. Whatever decisions he makes and policies he implements will influence the global economy. The U.S. has also stated that it will not participate in the war between Russia and Ukraine. If the U.S. does not continue to support Ukraine financially as it did before, European countries will have to bear the financial burden alone. This could be challenging given the already strained European economy. If the U.S. imposes a 60% tariff on Chinese goods, China will start looking for alternative markets, leading to fierce competition in the European market. Given the economic conditions in the U.S., Europe, and China, it is likely that economic hardship will occur, reducing Mongolia's fiscal revenue from the currently planned level. - The President has directed that next year's budget must be passed without a deficit, meaning a budget without the planned 1.9 trillion MNT deficit. Do you think, in addition to passing a budget without a deficit, we should further reduce its size? - Yes, in addition to passing a budget without the 1.9 trillion MNT deficit proposed by the President, it is appropriate to further reduce the budget size. The necessity of passing a budget without a deficit is evident. Additionally, we have the opportunity to cut non-essential expenses and reduce our budget bloat. If the revenue is indeed good, it is possible to save it in special funds. Therefore, we must thoroughly review and amend the budget, passing it without a deficit and, necessarily, reducing expense sizes. For next year, planning to export 83 million tons of coal looks overly optimistic. In recent years, we have been fortunate with external conditions, but we might not reach these goals next year, especially with inherent risks concerning price and demand. - Is it possible to reduce running expenses, or should we focus on cutting investment expenses? - Honestly, it would be difficult to cut from the running expenses. Therefore, it would make sense to cut from investment expenses. Prioritize important projects that have significant social and economic impacts, and cut the remaining expenses. By passing a budget without a deficit and calculating revenue and expense sizes realistically, the burden on taxpayers and businesses will decrease. If too heavy a budget is passed, it will pressure taxpayers, so reducing the size will alleviate some of that pressure. Regarding running expenses, it's true they increase every year, which is tied to political promises made ahead of elections and legislative changes. For example, decisions to repeatedly raise the salaries and pensions of civil servants in line with or even above inflation have been made for years. While increasing salary sizes may seem good, it also fuels inflation. Therefore, by implementing a progressive tax policy, we can ensure higher take-home pay for civil servants and pensioners. Such salary and pension increases can lead to inflation, but progressive tax policies offer a more economically beneficial approach. - Will reducing the budget size lead to an economic slowdown? Perhaps, should the Bank of Mongolia adjust policy rates in response? - It is clear that given Mongolia's economic conditions, there will be some risk due to external factors. However, the Bank of Mongolia might not take measures like cutting policy rates this year. In subsequent years, the Bank will assess the quality of non-performing loans held by citizens and businesses to gauge the economic impact. If the Bank decides to cut policy rates, there will be more money circulating. But if non-performing loans have increased, then reducing policy rates could exacerbate economic challenges, so this decision should be based on careful calculations by the respective experts. - There has been active debate in Parliament regarding the budget. Do you think an increased number of parliament members focusing on budget issues has created an opportunity or merely increased politicking? - There is a dual perspective on this matter. On one hand, it's beneficial that members of parliament are engaging in these criticisms. As lawmakers, they should thoroughly deliberate project issues, approving necessary items and cutting unnecessary ones. Economists have constantly emphasized on cost savings, too optimistic economic growth expectations, prioritizing projects, and aligning with the country's socio-economic development and legal framework. On the other hand, the criticisms appeared quite late, reaching the third stage of the budget discussion. Normally, compared to past years, this year's budget projections began relatively early, starting on September 1st, and by law, the budget must be approved by November 15. If the budget is not passed, Parliament faces the risk of dissolution. This year, there was indeed a risk that Parliament would not meet the deadline, so the budget was amended and approved concurrently. Reducing the budget later could have been possible had discussions started earlier. The current economic growth and fiscal revenue predictions are unlikely to reach the planned levels, necessitating a real need to cut budget expenses.

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Report: Prices of Essential Goods Have Increased by 30%

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: news.mn

Mongolians have a habit of increasing the prices of essential goods in tandem with any price rise. Although it has only been a few days since the government raised electricity prices, the prices of essential goods have already increased, especially in stores within suburban areas. We investigated the price increase of essential goods in local shops and learned from merchants about the declining purchasing power of citizens. Enkhbayar, a resident of Bayanzurkh district, noted, "In the past few days, it is evident that the prices of bread and milk have increased. I buy bread and milk every day, but today, bread has reached 2500 tugriks. Although the increase in electricity prices directly correlates with this, it shouldn't have led to a price rise yet. However, our merchants increase prices by 5 or 10 tugriks at the mere rumor of an electricity price hike. Although the increment is small now, it is expected to increase significantly over time, according to the seller at the grocery store next door." Vendors highlighted that the prices of flour, white rice, sugar, cooking oil, and bread, which are the most commonly used goods by citizens, have already increased. We prepared this report after visiting grocery stores in the suburban areas of Chingeltei and Bayanzurkh districts. Specifically, staple foods like flour, rice, sugar, bread, and cooking oil have increased by 30-35%. The stores have six to eight varieties of goods and are located along the streets and in corners with little foot traffic. The National Statistics Committee reported that sugar was 4980, white rice was 4739, cooking oil was 5864, Atrar bread was 2446, and Altan Taria (premium flour) was 2411 tugriks. In the same period last year, sugar was 5050, white rice was 4836, cooking oil was 6463, Atrar bread was 2411, and Altan Taria (premium flour) was 2411. However, as of today, sugar is 5200, white rice is 5000, cooking oil is 6750, Atrar bread is 2500, and Altan Taria premium flour is 3100. This shows that within a year, the price of sugar has increased by 220 tugriks, white rice by 164 tugriks, Altan Taria (premium flour) by 676 tugriks, cooking oil by 886 tugriks, and Atrar bread by 100 tugriks. Business owners explained that the reason for the price increase in goods is related to the increase in electricity prices. They also mentioned that the supply of Altan Taria flour in Ulaanbaatar has been disrupted. "It will become apparent from December onward due to the electricity price increase," said the sellers, noting also that imported candy and chocolate prices have risen by 20-30%. Last year, during the same period, the prices of essential goods had increased by 13.3% compared to 2022. However, as of November this year, prices have risen by over 30%, which can be attributed not only to inflation levels but also to the increased electricity prices. Merchant B from the 7th precinct of Chingeltei district said, "Citizens are frustrated with the price increase. When asked about product prices, anger is often directed at me as if I raised them myself. It's understandable. I heard the energy sector is facing difficulties, so maybe it’s right to increase prices. I just think it would have been better if they increased gradually. A sudden hike puts people in a tough spot. Who knows what will happen after the new year? Ultimately, the burden will fall on the people," he said. A resident from the same district remarked, "Life is becoming harder. With the increase in electricity prices, it's obvious that all product prices will follow. Even before receiving the first electricity bill with the increased prices, they are already raising product prices based on rumors." According to data provided by the statistics committee last October, sugar was 4980, white rice was 4730, cooking oil was 6340, and Altan Taria (premium flour) was 3000 tugriks. We continued our report by visiting grocery stores located in the city center. Stores in Bayangol and Khan-Uul districts have slightly lower prices compared to suburban stores. Sugar is 4950, white rice is 4800, cooking oil is 5950, Atrar bread is 2500, and Altan Taria (premium flour) is 2890 tugriks. Gal, a vendor from the 10th precinct of Bayangol district, said, "Some people go themselves to buy goods from the market, while others place orders and receive deliveries. This might lead to minor price differences. We are also businesses. With a 30% increase in electricity prices, it becomes tremendously challenging for us. In addition to electricity, we also pay several types of taxes, so it gets really tough. I have heard that in other countries, when prices rise due to temporary hardships, they are reduced back when the issues subside. Unfortunately, we don't have such a system here. There is no entity to oversee it." A resident of Bayangol district mentioned, "The purchasing power of citizens is very low. It is not good to increase electricity prices without raising wages, pensions, or benefits. I heard the Finance Minister said there will be no wage increases next year. When electricity prices rise, everything else increases too. As a citizen, I am very disappointed." On the issue of increased electricity prices, both business owners and citizens expressed their discontent, emphasizing that conducting public surveys before proceeding with such price hikes could have mitigated the difficulties faced by everyone involved. The populace is aware of the energy sector's struggles. However, the negative impact that follows such price increases, whether it's on livelihoods or price inflation due to electric price rumors, is a reality now reflected in daily life.

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Infrastructure

PHOTO: "Chinggis Khaan" International Airport Receives Its Two Millionth Passenger for the First Time in Mongolia's Aviation History

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: ikon.mn

This event marks a new chapter in Mongolia's aviation history. Today is a historic day as Chinggis Khaan International Airport's annual passenger turnover reaches two million. The number of passengers reached two million on the flight from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar with the flight number OM224 of the “MIAT” company. T. Gankhuleg was recognized as the two-millionth passenger. The event was attended by Minister of Roads and Transport B. Delgersaikhan, CEO of "New Ulaanbaatar International Airport" company Kitanaka Takefumi, First Deputy President of the Tourism Professional Association T. Battulga, CEO of "MIAT" State-Owned Company B. Munkhtamir, CEO of "Khushig Valley" State-Owned Company L. Tsenguunjav, and Head of the General Department of Civil Aviation (GDCA) Ch. Munkhtuya. "Chinggis Khaan" airport has a history of receiving the most passengers, 1.7 million, last year since it started operations in 2021. Since the new airport began operations, it has received 43,250 flights and 4,825,048 passengers for both international and domestic routes. Interestingly, in 2021, there were seven airlines operating regular flights, and in the last three years, nine new airlines have been added, bringing the total to 16 foreign and domestic airlines regularly operating international and local routes today. This historic achievement is a tangible result of the visa facilitation policy implemented under the "Visit Mongolia Year" initiative by the Mongolian government, along with air transportation agreements, air transport liberalization policies, and reforms in the tourism sector. "I am happy to be the two-millionth passenger after returning from a business trip," T. Gankhuleg said. "After spending a week on a business trip in Beijing, I became the two-millionth passenger on my return. I was very surprised when they told me 'Congratulations, you are the two-millionth passenger' as soon as I landed. My name was given by my mother. It is a name selected by sifting through rice according to family tradition. I was very emotional after becoming the winner." Warning Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social, and Web pages) must credit the source (ikon.mn) while fully or partially using our information in any form.

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Flights from Ulaanbaatar to Ho Chi Minh to Start in December

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Regular, direct flights from Ulaanbaatar to Ho Chi Minh will commence this December. This initiative aims to increase the exchange of citizens between the two countries and strengthen business and commercial collaborations, as highlighted by J. Enkhbayar, Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry. He chaired the 19th session of the Mongolian-Vietnamese Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, held in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, alongside Le Minh Hoan, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam. The visa waiver agreement signed last year has facilitated conditions favorable for increasing mutual travel flow, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry.

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It is not possible to revoke the decision not to issue new city numbers for imported vehicles

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The decision not to issue new city numbers for imported vehicles cannot be revoked. According to resolution No. 18 of the Ulaanbaatar City Council, the maximum limit for vehicle registration numbers to be issued in the capital city was set at 730,000. In relation to this, it was decided that from November 8, new city numbers will not be issued for vehicles imported into the city. On the 14th of this month, the 'Eco Car Importers' Association' NGO filed a request to revoke the above resolution and registration criteria for vehicles. In this context, First Deputy Mayor T. Davaadalai met with representatives of the auto trade and car business and explained that their request cannot be accepted. Deputy Mayor of Ulaanbaatar T. Davaadalai said, "The traffic flow, the capacity of roads, Vehicle-to-Capacity Ratio (VCR) of Ulaanbaatar city is between 1.5 and 2.2, and the average speed is less than 8 km/h, with the quality of traffic being at 'E-F' level. From these indicators, it can be seen that the load on the main streets of Ulaanbaatar is twice the normal level and there is congestion during 70% of the 12-hour day. This indicates that the demand for movement exceeds the capacity. The above decision was made based on the conclusions of relevant engineers and experts to reduce the negative impact on society, the economy, the environment, and human health caused by traffic congestion in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Therefore, in the interest of public benefit, we cannot accept this request. Furthermore, the criteria for issuing vehicle registration numbers in the capital city are registered by the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs." Currently, vehicle registration numbers are being issued based on certain criteria, and there are no restrictions imposed on vehicle imports. In fact, in order to maintain the average speed of vehicles involved in Ulaanbaatar city's traffic at 25 km/h, considering factors like driver reaction time, full stopping distance, vehicle length, and distance per vehicle, it was calculated that approximately 250,000 vehicles could participate in traffic. However, this number is three times higher, as 804,000 vehicles are now registered. Source: Public Relations and Communication Department of the Ulaanbaatar City Mayor's Office. Warning: Media outlets (TV, Radio, Social and Websites) must cite their source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, either fully or partially.

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T. Davaadalai: The decision not to issue Ulaanbaatar numbers for imported cars will not be revoked

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: isee.mn

According to Resolution No. 18 of February 8, 2024, issued by the Ulaanbaatar City Council, the maximum limit for vehicle registration numbers to be issued in the capital city is set at 730,000. In connection with this, it was decided that starting from November 8, no new city numbers will be issued for cars imported into the country. A request to revoke this decision and to cancel vehicle registration criteria was submitted by the "Eco Car Importers Association" on the 14th of this month. Today, the first deputy of the mayor of Ulaanbaatar, T. Davaadalai, met with representatives of the auto trade and car business to explain that their request cannot be accepted. Deputy Mayor T. Davaadalai explained, "The traffic intensity of Ulaanbaatar's roads, road capacity ratio or VCR is between 1.5-2.2, the average traffic speed is less than 8 km/h, and the quality of movement is at the 'E-F' level. From these indicators, it is clear that the load on the main and street roads of Ulaanbaatar is twice the normal level, with 70% of the 12 hours of the day being in congestion. This is an indication that the demand for movement exceeds the capacity. The decision was made based on the conclusion of relevant engineers and specialists to reduce the negative impact of traffic congestion on the social, economic, environment, and human health in Ulaanbaatar. Therefore, the request cannot be accepted for the public interest. It was also stated that the criteria for issuing vehicle registration numbers in the capital city have been registered by the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs." As of today, vehicle registration numbers are being issued based on specific criteria, and there are no restrictions imposed on car imports in any form. Additionally, in order to maintain an average speed of 25 km/h for vehicles participating in Ulaanbaatar's traffic, it was calculated considering the road capacity, driver's reaction time, full stop distance, vehicle length, and space per vehicle that around 250,000 vehicles can participate in the traffic. However, this number is three times higher with 804,000 vehicles registered.

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T.Davaadalai: Vehicle import is not restricted, but criteria for obtaining a license plate must be met

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: itoim.mn

By Resolution No. 18 of the City Council (NITKH), the upper limit for the number of vehicle registration plates to be issued in the capital city was set at 730,000. In connection with this, it was decided not to issue new city numbers to imported cars from November 8. The NGO "Eco Automobile Importers Association" sent a request to revoke the above resolution and the registration criteria for vehicles. Today, NITKH's first deputy mayor, T. Davaadalai, met with representatives of car dealers and businesses and explained that their request could not be accepted. Deputy Mayor of the capital city, T. Davaadalai, stated, “The traffic intensity, capacity utilization ratio of roads (VCR 1.5-2.2), average speed of 8 km/h, and traffic quality at level 'E-F' in Ulaanbaatar city. From these indicators, it can be seen that the major streets and roads of Ulaanbaatar are twice as congested as normal, with 70% of the day being congested. This means that the demand significantly exceeds the capacity. The decision was made based on the conclusions drawn by relevant engineers and experts to reduce the negative impacts of traffic congestion on the society, economy, environment, and health in Ulaanbaatar city. Therefore, it is not possible to accept the request for the sake of public interest. Also, the criteria for issuing vehicle registration numbers in the city are registered by the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs.” As of today, license plates are being issued based on certain criteria, and there is no restriction on vehicle importation. To maintain an average speed of 25 km/h for vehicles participating in Ulaanbaatar's road traffic, it has been calculated that approximately 250,000 vehicles can participate in road traffic, considering factors such as driver's reaction time, full stop distance, vehicle length, and space per vehicle. However, this number is three times higher, with 804,000 vehicles registered.

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Warning to Avoid Overlapping "Gurvansaikhan" Airport Repairs with Tourist Season

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The government has decided to expand the capacity and improve the utilization of four local airports, one of which is "Gurvansaikhan" in Ömnögovi province. As part of the plan to develop it into a 4D-class international airport, repair and renovation works are scheduled to be carried out in stages. Tourism business operators and tour operators in Ömnögovi have submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Roads and Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority to commence the repair works on the "Gurvansaikhan" airstrip before the peak tourist season next year, that is, by May. Furthermore, they proposed to enable flights on this route with "CRJ-200" aircraft, which are suitable for short-haul passenger transportation. It is reportedly anticipated that 12,000 tourists will fly the Ulaanbaatar-Dalanzadgad route in the summer of 2025.

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Society

Ts.Khurelbaatar: The "APT29" Group Registered in Russia Carried Out Attacks on the Websites of the Government Secretariat and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Last Year

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Cyber Development, Innovation and Communications Ministry (CDICM), the General Intelligence Agency (GIA), and the Police General Department are jointly organizing the "Cyber Independence II" forum at the Blue Sky Hotel today. During this event, Colonel Ts.Khurelbaatar, head of the GIA's Information Security Department, presented a report on the current domestic and international conditions regarding cybersecurity. He stated, "According to the 'Checkpoint Cybersecurity Report 2024' for regional cybersecurity, Mongolia is at a very high risk level in terms of cybersecurity. We need to work towards reducing this risk. In the Asia-Pacific region, the majority of cyber attacks involve the use of malicious code, and 28% of countries in this region have faced some kind of cyber attack. Due to geopolitical influences, cyber attacks have become more active internationally. Microsoft's research report states that the company defends against 600 million attacks daily targeting its users. With the development of artificial intelligence, an 'AI Data center' is created every three days worldwide, leading to increased risks for cloud server attacks and security. As our country transitions to cloud services, the associated risks will increase. Therefore, we recommend using three solutions: 'Zero Trust Architecture', 'Multi-Factor Authentication', and the 'DragGan AI Tool'. Additionally, organizations with critical information infrastructure are primary targets for cyber attacks, aiming to create instability in the region," he added. "There is a shortage of cybersecurity experts in Mongolia," he continued. "Before the Cybersecurity Law was enacted, the CDICM conducted a survey on information security across 67 government organizations. The results showed a lack of information security, missing standards, no cybersecurity risk assessment conducted, and incidents of attacks were unknown. 25% of all organizations were unaware they had been compromised. The GIA's Information Security Department conducted a survey among 509 organizations, revealing very high risk at 22%, high level at 49%, and medium level at 29%. At the management level of organizations, there is a common lack of understanding of information security, no budget allocated for cybersecurity, no standards implemented, and insufficient human resources. The National Information Center is tasked with ensuring cybersecurity for 216 organizations with critical information infrastructure and 166 organizations connected to the state information network. The security devices are frequently attacked by nine types of threats. When accessing government websites, attacks have been carried out by installing malicious code and redirecting to other domain addresses. Google company provided a report on the attacks linked with our country. According to the report, the APT29 group registered in Russia carried out attacks on the websites of the Government Secretariat and Ministry of Foreign Affairs last November. This year, they accessed the Foreign Ministry's website twice and installed malicious code, which led to actions taken by the National Information Center in response. The APT29 cyber attack group registered in Russia has changed the methods and technologies it used in 2023, making it more complex and difficult to understand. There is an increase in APT-type attacks targeting government organizations with critical information infrastructure in recent years. There is also a high proliferation of botnets nationwide, necessitating the implementation of programs to prevent these incidents. There is a shortage of cybersecurity experts in Mongolia," he said. Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, either in whole or in part.

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LIVE: President awards highest state titles, orders, and medals on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the First Constitution

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: isee.mn

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the First Constitution and the proclamation of the Republic. On this historic day, President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh is awarding the highest state titles, orders, and medals to distinguished individuals who have achieved success and made valuable contributions to the development and progress of the country.

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Environment

Funding from the Carbon Market to Reforest 1059 Hectares

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The Forestry Agency, the Governor’s Office of Darkhan-Uul Province, and "Orda Wealth" LLC have signed a tripartite cooperation agreement within the framework of the national movement "One Billion Trees" and the "Green Darkhan-2032" program. Through this agreement, it is planned to establish a forest belt on 1,059 hectares in Khongor soum of Darkhan-Uul Province during 2025-2027, and to carry out riparian reforestation on 109 hectares along the banks of the Kharaa River. Due to the impacts of climate change and drought, the willow forests along the Kharaa River banks have severely degraded in recent years, with trees decreasing in number. The parties aim to restore and protect these areas through their project. In the first phase, it is planned to carry out riparian reforestation on 102 hectares in 2025. The necessary funding for this will be raised from the carbon market, specifically through a carbon credit trading system.

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U.Khurelsukh: The Forestry Sector Should be Based on Government and Private Sector Cooperation

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: montsame.mn

A conference celebrating the 100th anniversary of the development of the forestry and timber sector in Mongolia was held at the "Corporate Convention" center. The President of Mongolia, U.Khurelsukh, participated in the conference, expressing gratitude to the foresters who are leading the movement to plant and grow billions of trees, aiming to reduce the effects of climate change and ensuring a good and healthy living environment for present and future generations. The President highlighted the noble work of protecting and cherishing nature that foresters have carried out so far, which the people and future generations can be proud of. The President emphasized that the forestry sector should be one that supports green development, reduces climate change, desertification, and sandstorms, and is based on advanced technology and innovation, in line with global standards and effective cooperation between the public and private sectors. Additionally, under the framework of the "Billion Trees" national movement, it is important to restore and expand the existing forest resources, plant trees in urban areas, and develop forestry in conjunction with agro-forestry. Since the inception of the national movement, 84 million trees have been planted and grown, tree and shrub seed reserves have amounted to more than 12,000 tons, and the reserves of seedlings and saplings have reached 63 million, which is a fivefold increase compared to the previous year. Furthermore, pest control measures have been implemented over 341,000 hectares, protecting 1.9 billion trees from losing their ability to regenerate due to harmful insects. In 1924, the Government's Council established the "Forest and Timber Department" within the Ministry of Industry Affairs, setting up the first four local forest units. Subsequently, in 1925, the "Forest and Timber Regulation" was issued, and the "Forest Law" was enacted in 1931, with several revisions thereafter, establishing that all forests within the country's territory are state property and part of the national forest fund where timber is allocated with consideration to value. This laid the foundation for state policy regarding forest resources. Since 1944, the first skilled workforce in the forestry sector was trained, and from 1964, the first forestry engineers were prepared locally, expanding the organization into an industrial entity and organizing forest protection scientifically, achieving progress in the proper utilization of forest resources. By the mid-1980s, the forest and wood industry sector had developed into a standalone Ministry of Forest and Timber Industry, with around 60 enterprises and six major complex combines, employing over 10,000 workers and employees. At that time, it produced about 15% of the total industrial output and exported approximately 20% of its products, implementing comprehensive measures including tree planting, pest, and fire protection, as informed by the Office of the President.

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Innovation

“Cyber Independence” Forum Organizes in Mongolia for the Second Year

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: isee.mn

The concept of independence is no longer measured solely by protected borders, wars, and maps. As countries around the world embrace technological advances, they face a new challenge: safeguarding their national independence in cyberspace. To address this challenge, the “Cyber Independence” forum is being organized for the second year. Minister of Information and Communications Technology, T. Baatarkhuu, said: "In modern times, cyber security and digital development are two sides of the same coin. Today, there is a lack of technical skill and capacity among professionals to ensure cyber security. Therefore, we have started training professionals in cooperation with international organizations such as Oxford and JICA. In terms of cyber security, Mongolia has clarified its legal framework and recently approved regulations for conducting risk assessments. We have made decisions regarding budget, politics, and legal frameworks. Now, we need to establish operations for authorized organizations conducting risk assessments, cyber security audits, and protect information of critical infrastructure organizations while providing preventive and monitoring measures. Amendments are being made to Government Resolution No. 207 issued in 2022. Starting in 2026, budget allocations for information technology expenses will be itemized rather than general. This will develop a culture of approaching cyber security. A culture of exchanging information and diagnosing attacked organizations will develop as well. As attacks based on artificial intelligence increase, protective programs based on artificial intelligence are also being developed." In 2014, 37.4% of the world's population were internet users, a figure that is expected to rise to 66.2% by October 2024, with 5.35 billion internet users. Of these, 63.8% are social media users. However, by 2028, AI-based cyber attacks are expected to cause damage of $64.4 billion to the global economy. As of 2023, there is a need for 3.4 million cyber security professionals worldwide, with 2.7 million of these needed in the Asia-Pacific region. Colonel Ts. Khurelbaatar, Head of the General Authority for Intelligence, said: "Artificial intelligence is spearheading information technology development. In the Asia-Pacific region, ransomware attacks are common in cyberspace and security, targeting defense, foreign relations, and critical information infrastructure organizations. Because of geopolitical circumstances, cyber attacks are intensifying. Microsoft statistics show that they are protecting against 600 million attacks daily. Cyber attacks are targeting supply chains to create unstable conditions internationally." Due to geopolitical conflicts, the global economic damage caused by cyber attacks exceeded $6 trillion in 2021. Especially during the Russian offensive, Ukraine suffered over 4,500 cyber attacks in 2022, causing an economic loss estimated at $1 billion (ITU). The United Arab Emirates received a cyber security capability score of 20, while Mongolia scored 6.64 according to the Cyber Security Index. The "Cyber Security Independence" forum is initiated and organized annually as a tradition by the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, the Cyber Security Council, and the Public Center for Cyber Attacks and Incident Response.

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Ts. Baatarkhuu: Cybersecurity and Digital Development Are Two Sides of the Same Coin

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar - To discuss solutions to ensure the safety of the nation and citizens in cyberspace, the "Cyber Independence" forum was organized for the second year by the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, the Cyber Security Council, and the Public Center for Combating Cyber Attacks and Incidents. During the forum, Minister of Digital Development and Communications Ts. Baatarkhuu highlighted that in modern times, cybersecurity and digital development are two sides of the same coin. He emphasized that due to a lack of technical skills and professional capacity, international cooperation organizations such as Oxford and JICA have been collaborating to train specialists. Budget, political, and legal solutions have been developed. Now there is a need to establish the operations of organizations that conduct risk assessments and cybersecurity audits, to protect and monitor the information of critically important infrastructure. In 2022, the government made amendments. From 2026, information technology costs will be specified in the budget. This will cultivate a culture of cybersecurity, prepare professional organizations and specialists for risk assessment, diagnose attacked organizations, and foster a culture of information exchange. As artificial intelligence-based attacks increase, defense programs based on them are also being developed. Regarding cybersecurity, our country is clarifying its legal framework. The most recent development is the approval of a risk assessment procedure. In 2014, 37.4% of the world's population were internet users, and by October 2024, it is expected to reach 66.2%. Of this, 63.8% are social media users. Following the technological revolution, artificial intelligence-based cyberattacks are projected to cause $64.4 billion in damage to the global economy by 2028. Last year's research showed that 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals are needed worldwide, of which 2.7 million are in the Asia-Pacific region. Colonel Ts. Khurelbaatar, head of the IT Department of the General Intelligence Agency, stated, "Artificial intelligence leads the development of information technology, and in the Asia-Pacific region, ransomware attacks are common in cyberspace and security. These attacks aim at organizations with critical information infrastructure related to national defense, foreign relations, and essential information. Also, due to geopolitical conditions, cyberattacks are intensifying. According to Microsoft's statistics, it defends against 600 million attacks daily. Cyberattacks are targeting supply chains with the aim of creating unstable conditions internationally." According to the cybersecurity index's technical capability measure, the UAE scores 20, while Mongolia scores 6.64.

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Health

O.Batbayar: Not wearing a mask is SUICIDE, Ulaanbaatar residents

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Ministry of Health, the National Center for Communicable Diseases, and other relevant organizations are providing updates on the situation of influenza and influenza-like illnesses, as well as prevention information. It has been reported that air pollution is directly linked to respiratory diseases, posing many health risks to the population, according to the advisor to the Minister of Health, O. Batbayar. Specifically, fine particulate matter damages human skin, causes premature aging, and leads to dementia, as proven by research. O. Batbayar noted this while discussing the negative impacts arising from air pollution. "Fine particulate matter goes directly into human blood." Air pollution and respiratory illnesses are closely related. Citizens often ask about the processes caused by fine particulate matter, which is the most dangerous part of air pollution. Fine particulate matter enters our bodies through the air we breathe, reaches the smallest parts of our lungs, and penetrates into blood vessels, essentially entering our bloodstream directly. These fine particles then reach our lymph nodes, which often fill with coal dust and turn black. Subsequently, they reach and damage the tissues of the kidneys and liver. "Immune cells engulf fine particulate matter and lose their immune function." A study conducted by the National Cancer Center (NCC) announced that one cause of liver cancer is fine particulate matter. When fine particles settle on lung tissue, they damage "lung cells," increasing the risk of lung cancer. The association between reduced immune function due to fine particulate matter consumption by immune cells and susceptibility to respiratory and other infectious diseases is of concern. As a result, respiratory infections, influenza, influenza-like diseases, and the risk of tuberculosis increase. One main reason for the high incidence of tuberculosis in our country is air pollution. "Air pollution accelerates skin aging and increases the risk of dementia." The number of people visiting emergency and intensive care units with respiratory distress keeps rising. Due to air pollution, children's lung growth halts, and adults' lung function deteriorates. Research has shown the following risks: * Increased susceptibility to asthma * Skin damage and premature aging * Impact on autism * Increased risk of dementia It also increases the number of people with irritability and depression. When masks cannot be worn, covering the mouth and nose with woolen or cashmere scarves is advised. Fine particulate matter from air pollution raises blood pressure. People exposed to fine particulate matter for many years are at risk of high blood pressure and heart failure. Pregnancy risks include halted fetal growth, miscarriages, low birth weight, and children with metabolic disorders. Therefore, during the months of October, November, December, January, February, and March, when the concentration of fine particulates is high, people need to consistently wear masks both outdoors and indoors. If it’s not possible to wear a mask, it is recommended to protect your mouth and nose with wool or cashmere scarves. Why do people say we smell like coal when we go abroad? The smell doesn't just come from our clothes; it's absorbed into our bloodstream because we continuously breathe in fine particulate matter, which is why the "coal smell" arises from what we breathe being absorbed in our bloodstream through lung tissues. Some parents and guardians note that when their child is sent abroad during winter, "the cough that persisted for many months suddenly disappears." This is due to the fine particulate matter that reaches and irritates the respiratory tract and lung alveoli, causing oxygen deficiency. Just like checking for dust in your car’s engine or oil, people aren’t wearing masks themselves nor are they making their children wear masks. Though they won’t wear masks, they remove and shake out the air filters of their cars and check their oil. This is equivalent to checking whether fine particulate matter has entered your car's engine or oil. It’s the same for the human body. If you do not wear a mask, fine particulate matter enters your blood and lungs, putting you at risk for cancer and many other respiratory infections. "Not wearing a mask is SUICIDE, Ulaanbaatar residents." Due to air pollution, our Health Insurance Fund (HIF) is under strain. It is true that the health sector is facing significant demands. During flu seasons, not washing hands and not wearing masks leads to overwhelming hospital loads. Health sector workers need your support to overcome this. It is imperative to urge citizens to wear masks. The 126 members of parliament need to abstain from corruption, set aside personal interests, and revise the President's vetoed budget to: * Reduce air pollution * Avoid using coal * Transition vehicle fuel to Euro standards * Limit vehicles without catalytic converters, making changes beneficial for health. Air pollution in Ulaanbaatar is high from October to March. During this season, according to the WHO's recommendation, fine particulate matter levels have increased 10-20 times. Not using a mask outdoors or indoors is essentially suicide, according to the health minister's advisor, O. Batbayar. Warning: It is important to note that media organizations (TV, radio, social media, and websites) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, fully or partially.

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A Country that Does Business with its Citizens' Illnesses

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: news.mn

The National Committee for Control and Evaluation held a briefing today. Acting Director of the Control Implementation Agency, Ch. Unurbayar, stated: "We will investigate the special permits for land. We'll determine whether the issue lies with individuals or the system itself. If the system is flawed, even a saintly person won't make a difference. On September 18, 2024, the Prime Minister of Mongolia issued an executive order numbered 01. The order calls for evaluating social and economic development indicators and assessing the performance of government members, or ministers, and aligning the results of the ministries' work. Monitoring of this order has been assigned to E. Odbayar, Minister. We are providing information about the work we are doing and implementing. In 2018, the government initially issued a resolution to evaluate social and economic development indicators. This was in tandem with the structure of the government at that time. However, a new government is forming for 2020-2024, and 2024-2028 is about to begin, yet the evaluations haven't been updated. The government intended to work with a new structure, but using development evaluations from 2018 doesn't align. Upon investigation, all indicators related to the environment and climate have expired. This work hasn't been updated yet. The Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance are updating the indicators. The other ministries have not. Next month, we will meet with all ministry secretaries. Government and ministries evaluate and assess themselves. No one gives themselves a bad grade. On the surface, it seems they receive high ratings. However, in reality, public satisfaction and the state's accessibility show no improvement. While reports say that 92-98% of citizen complaints are resolved, public trust in the state should be at that level, but unfortunately, it is not the case. Because of this ongoing situation, there is a need to establish criteria for evaluating ministries. We will use international indices, for example, the corruption index. Today, Mongolia ranks 121 out of 180 countries on the corruption index. Our fight against corruption yields no results. It's not just the responsibility of the Anti-Corruption Agency. All ministries must participate in reducing this index and report on it. Next year, we plan to work on the issue of medicine quality. There's a critical conclusion that Mongolia has become a country that does business on its citizens' illnesses. Let's stop consuming poison instead of medicine. Is it up to Mongolia's standards? Another issue arose when the Head of the General Police Department made a request. There are 14 supervisors above a single investigator. We are meeting with the leadership next week. There are fewer people who actually do the work."

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O. Batbayar: Not wearing a mask during winter is like committing suicide

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The Ulaanbaatar City Health Department, along with the Ministry of Health and the National Center for Public Health, held a press conference regarding the flu and flu-like illnesses. In the capital city, the prevalence of flu and flu-like diseases is at a sporadic outbreak level. Of the 132,400 outpatient examinations conducted in the capital, around 8,800 cases have been registered. Thus, flu and flu-like diseases account for 6.6% of the total examinations, which is an increase of 0.3% from the previous week's average. In the last week, the emergency call center in the capital received 11,097 calls, of which 13.7% were related to flu and flu-like illnesses. Health Minister's Advisor O. Batbayar stated that from the samples taken in Darkhan by the National Center for Communicable Diseases last week, the influenza A virus was detected. Therefore, there is a risk of an increase in flu cases. Due to citizens not wearing masks, they are exposed to air pollution, increasing the risk of flu, flu-like illnesses, asthma, high blood pressure, lung and liver cancer. Additionally, prolonged exposure to air pollution can lead to diseases such as depression and dementia. Consequently, the number of people with anger issues and depression is increasing. Fine particles penetrate through the respiratory tract, reach the smallest parts of the lungs, and enter the bloodstream, destroying the ability of immune cells to eliminate pathogens. Air pollution poses various risks such as stunting fetal growth, and causing autism and congenital metabolic disorders. Moreover, the leading cause of mortality in children aged 0-5 is air pollution. Globally, air pollution accounts for 8% of all deaths. The number of people visiting respiratory disease units and emergency departments is on the rise due to air pollution. Children's lung growth is stunted due to air pollution, and adults' lung function is impaired. Fine particulate matter also damages human skin, causing premature aging. Studies have shown that in cities with high air pollution, a significant proportion of hospitalizations and deaths are linked to air pollution. On average, for the last 9 years, fine particles, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide levels are 14 times higher than the WHO recommendations during October through March. Thus, it is necessary to consistently wear masks both indoors and outdoors during these months. Regular ventilation is also required. If wearing a mask is not possible, it is advised that citizens cover their nose and mouth with wool or cashmere scarves. Going without a mask during the winter, whether indoors or outdoors, is akin to committing suicide, O. Batbayar warns. Therefore, wearing a mask is strongly urged. The National Center for Maternal and Child Health reports that 66 children are hospitalized with pneumonia and complications. They aim to provide recommendations on how to care for and nurse children at home. Doctors recommend regularly giving children fluids prepared at home while avoiding canned drinks and sugary beverages. Feverish children may become irritable and lose appetite, so they should be given fluids gradually and food as usual. It is better to feed them warm soups rather than fried or sweet foods. Furthermore, putting children to sleep at a regular time between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM is important. Age-appropriate exercise is also necessary. If not essential, it is advised to avoid taking children to crowded places. Wet cleaning of the home and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces is also necessary.

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Arts

Chinggis Khaan: How the Mongols Changed the World

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: isee.mn

The "Chinggis Khaan: How the Mongols Changed the World" exhibition has been awarded the "Best Historical Exhibition" by Europe's most renowned magazine. Organized under the patronage of the Presidents of Mongolia and France, and jointly hosted by Mongolia's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, the exhibition displayed in Nantes, France, was awarded the "Best Exhibition" prize by France's famous Historia magazine for 2024. "Historia," a magazine conducting professional historical activities since 1909, has been awarding its eponymous prize since 2010 to encourage participants contributing to the creation of history in fields such as exhibitions, cinema, and performing arts. The award is judged by a distinguished panel of judges alongside Historia magazine itself, and this year selections were made in eight categories including historical books, readers' awards, plays, comic art, exhibitions, screen productions, innovation, and best historical book. Judges highlighted the exhibition as the most significant on Mongolian history and the great Chinggis Khaan, not only in France but across Europe, and emphasized that beyond Mongolian history, it effectively illustrated "Pax Mongolica" as an unprecedented global trade phenomenon of high significance to world history. Interestingly, the Chinggis Khaan National Museum has been selected as one of the TOP-20 places to visit in 2024 by the National Geographic Society, while this jointly organized exhibition has successfully been recognized as the best by Historia magazine. Plans are underway to host the exhibition in Prague, Czech Republic, under the patronage of the President of Mongolia in March 2025, and in Berlin in October 2026.

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"Genghis Khan" Exhibition Awarded Best by a Renowned European Magazine

Published: 2024-11-25 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Under the patronage of the Presidents of Mongolia and France, the "Genghis Khan: How the Mongols Changed the World" exhibition, organized by Mongolia's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Museum of Genghis Khan, and held in Nantes, France, has been awarded the 2024 "Best Exhibition" prize by France's famed Historia magazine. Since 1909, Historia magazine has been a professional publication in the field of history. Starting in 2010, the magazine has awarded a special prize to recognize participants who contribute to the creation of history in fields such as activities, exhibitions, cinema, and the arts. The exhibition was highlighted for showcasing what might be considered a globally significant globalization of trade importance, unprecedented in world history today. The awards are judged by a prestigious panel of experts in collaboration with Historia magazine, and this year selections were made across 8 categories, including historical books, readers' awards, plays, comic art, exhibitions, screens, innovations, and bests. Judges emphasized that the exhibition was not only the most important exhibition in France but also in Europe about the history of Mongolia and The Great Chinggis Khan, while also showcasing Pax Mongolica as a globalization of trade significance unprecedented in world history today. The National Museum of Genghis Khan was also recognized as one of the Top 20 places to visit worldwide by the National Geographic Society's magazine in 2024. The exhibition, co-organized again, has also achieved success in Europe by being named the best by the Historia magazine. It is pleasant to announce that the exhibition is set to be displayed under the patronage of the President of Mongolia in Prague, Czech Republic, in March 2025, and in Berlin, Germany, in October 2026. Source: Museum of Genghis Khan.

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Today's Stories

Politics

Economy

Infrastructure

Society

Environment

Innovation

Health

Arts

Politics

Should the Finance Minister Who Cannot Control and Manage the Budget Be Held Accountable?

Today: Party Groups in Parliament Will Hold Meetings

The Constitution Strengthened by Implementation, Not by Proclamation

The Procedure for Discussing Veto Causes Issues

Ch. Önörbayar: We Will Evaluate the Work of Ministries and Ministers

A Working Group Has Been Established to Organize Addressing

Case against Ministry of Road and Transport official to be trialed

Economy

"Capital Bond" privately traded on foreign markets, raising another 500 million USD

Proposal to Include Regulation for Real Estate-Based Tokenization

UBTZ Cargo Transport Volume Increased by 2.6% Compared to Last Year

Our country to export sheep and goat meat to Vietnam

USA: Gazprombank's Sanctions Will Not Affect Mongolia

Korean Consumers Are 100% Satisfied with Mongolian Cashmere

Vietnam to Import Goat and Sheep Meat and High-Quality Rice Exchange

In addition to passing a budget without a deficit, it is also necessary to further cut expenses

Report: Prices of Essential Goods Have Increased by 30%

Infrastructure

PHOTO: "Chinggis Khaan" International Airport Receives Its Two Millionth Passenger for the First Time in Mongolia's Aviation History

Flights from Ulaanbaatar to Ho Chi Minh to Start in December

It is not possible to revoke the decision not to issue new city numbers for imported vehicles

T. Davaadalai: The decision not to issue Ulaanbaatar numbers for imported cars will not be revoked

T.Davaadalai: Vehicle import is not restricted, but criteria for obtaining a license plate must be met

Warning to Avoid Overlapping "Gurvansaikhan" Airport Repairs with Tourist Season

Society

Ts.Khurelbaatar: The "APT29" Group Registered in Russia Carried Out Attacks on the Websites of the Government Secretariat and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Last Year

LIVE: President awards highest state titles, orders, and medals on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the First Constitution

Environment

Funding from the Carbon Market to Reforest 1059 Hectares

U.Khurelsukh: The Forestry Sector Should be Based on Government and Private Sector Cooperation

Innovation

“Cyber Independence” Forum Organizes in Mongolia for the Second Year

Ts. Baatarkhuu: Cybersecurity and Digital Development Are Two Sides of the Same Coin

Health

O.Batbayar: Not wearing a mask is SUICIDE, Ulaanbaatar residents

A Country that Does Business with its Citizens' Illnesses

O. Batbayar: Not wearing a mask during winter is like committing suicide

Arts

Chinggis Khaan: How the Mongols Changed the World

"Genghis Khan" Exhibition Awarded Best by a Renowned European Magazine

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