Mongolia Brief November 14, 2014
About
"Politics of Green Development and Financial System" Meeting
By N. Khaliun
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) This theme was a focus at a breakfast at the Ministry of
Environment and Green Development on November 11, arranged by the
organization's head S.Oyun.
The invited
were a president of Mongolbank N.Zoljargal, a president of the Association of
Mongolian banks M.Bold, an advisor to the President on living environment and
green development policy L.Erkhembayar, and CEO of some commercial
banks. They discussed an importance of developing a green policy and green
financial development and shared views on a "Stable funding" program,
which has been implemented by the commercial banks.
Reasons
of PM Dismissal Studied
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 13 (MONTSAME) Results of the analysis by major research bodies show
that the ratings of the Cabinet and the ruling party were stronger in a society
than those of major opposing power. All accepted that the economic growth would
reach seven percent by the end of this year despite a bit slower economic
growth.
Regardless of
being criticized of so-called uneconomical expenditure of the assets of the
Government bonds, issued unprecedentedly by this Cabinet, the former Prime
Minister Mr Altankhuyag received a great support for the public because the
bonds revenue went mostly for improving infrastructure, roads and railroads--
the weakest sphere in Mongolia.
Although the
investments and value of the national currency decreased, the Government of
reforms made efforts to safeguard the living standards of the people through
increasing salaries and pensions on this October 1, the analysis says.
Negotiations with foreign investors, especially with the largest mining
investor Rio Tinto were protracted but managed to reach concrete achievements.
There were bruits about some officials people with close work connections with the
former PM that they were accused of arrogation of state assets bit none of them
have been declared to be guilty.
Taking into
account all the above aspects, the analysts conclude that the main reason of
the dismissal of Mr Altankhuyag was his refusal to cooperate with the opposing
political power. After the parliamentary election of 2012, no one party won
adequate number of seats to form a cabinet independently. The head of the
Democratic Party, which won a majority of the seats in parliament, N.Altankhuyag
formed the cabinet in fusion with other political powers excluding the
Mongolian People’s Party.
The recent
establishment of Memorandum of Cooperation by N.Altankhuyag with the leader of
MPRP (Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party) that had separated from the MPP,
faced a severe criticism from his own Democratic Party. The MPP smartly took
advantage of this situation that has led to the PM's dismissal, consider the
analysts. This has created a conflict within the Democratic Party, thus
prolonging an appointment of a new PM. "The public expects
that parliament is to begin discussing the appointment from next
week", the analysis says.
Order
of Chinggis Khaan to Be Conferred to Scientist
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) On the occasion of the anniversary of birth of Chinggis
Khaan and the National Pride Day, numerous events have been scheduled, one of
which is a ceremony of award of the Order of Chinggis Khaan--the supreme state
prize of Mongolia. On November 13, a chief of presidential office
Mr P.Tsagaan named a winner of the Order at the Citizen’s Chamber at the
State House.
According to
the Presidential decree and the legislation of parliament, the National Pride
Day--the Great Chinggis Khaan’s birthday--is celebrated on every first day of
the first winter month of lunar calendar. This year the Day falls on November
23. P.Tsagaan noted that the Order is conferred to the most distinguished
figure of Mongolia and a winner is named ten days before the award ceremony. He
said that, on the occasions of the 2223rd anniversary of Mongolia’s First
Statehood, the 852nd anniversary of the birth of the Great Chinggis Khaan and
the National Pride Day, the Order will go to one of the Mongolian most
outstanding scientists of the XX century Mr Khavtgai Namsrai.
Ulaanbaatar
and Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province Establish MOU
November 14
(infomongolia.com) Upon the invitation of Chairman of the Capital City
Citizens' Representative Khural (City Council) D.Battulga, delegates from South
Korea headed by Chairman of Gyeongsangbuk-do Council, Jang Dae-Jin are visiting
Ulaanbaatar.
On November 14,
2014, the City Council Chairman D.Battulga received the delegation and in the
scope of this working visit, parties inked a Memorandum of Understanding to
establish friendly relations and partnership between Ulaanbaatar and
Gyeongsangbuk Province.
Under the MoU,
the two administrative bodies agreed to develop mutually beneficial
collaboration based on equal principles of friendly relations and cooperation
in matters of common interests and to conduct regular reciprocal visits.
Related:
Citizens’
Reps of Ulaanbaatar to Cooperate with S.Korean Province – Montsame, November 14
MP
Receives Delegates of US Department of State
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) A member of parliament and head of Democratic Party
faction Mr D.Erdenebat received Friday a delegation led by a deputy assistant
secretary of the Bureau of East-Asia and Pacific Affairs of the US Department
of State Susan Thornton and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the USA to Mongolia Ms Piper Campbell.
Mr Erdenebat
thanked the delegates for their visit and gave information on Mongolia’s
current economic and social states.
In response, Ms
Thornton expressed him a gratitude for the audience and touched upon matters of
further cooperation between Mongolia and the USA. She underlined the recent
intensification of the bilateral relations and said “more opportunities await
future economic and social cooperation”.
After this, the
sides shared opinions on expanding the cooperation between the two countries in
trade, economy and investments.
Present at the
meeting were also a head of office of the Democratic Party parliamentary
faction S.Demchig and official of the Political Division at the US Embassy
Shannon Brown.
U.S.
Embassy in Ulaanbaatar to Host Talk Titled “Entrepreneurship in America and
Mongolia”
November 14
(infomongolia.com) On November 14, 2014, Chairman of Democratic Party Group at
the State Great Khural (Parliament) Mr. D.Erdenebat received in his office
delegates from the United States of America headed by Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State at Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mrs. Susan
Thornton and accompanying Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
United States to Mongolia Mrs. Piper Campbell.
At the
beginning of meeting, DP Group Chairman thanked the delegates and briefed about
the current socio-economic situation in the country.
Deputy
Assistant Secretary Susan Thornton acknowledged that the bilateral relations
are being strengthened in recent years and emphasized opportunities to broaden
collaboration in socio-economic spheres.
During the
meeting, parties focused on stimulating partnerships in trade, economy and
investment, where DP Working Group Chairman S.Demchig and Political Officer at
the Political Section of the Embassy, Mrs. Shannon Brown were present.
Moreover, the
U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar is hosting a talk titled “Entrepreneurship in America
and Mongolia” at the American Cultural and Information Center located at the
City Public Library under the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in Mongolia on
November 19, 2014.
The Embassy’s
Economic and Commercial Chief David Wyche will speak, and his talk will be
followed by a panel discussion with Mongolian entrepreneurs. The panel will
talk about their experiences with entrepreneurship in Mongolia and about the
future of entrepreneurship in Mongolia.
GEW is the
world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators, who launch
startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human
welfare.
Related:
“Entrepreneurship
in America and Mongolia” Approaches – Montsame,
November 14
Financial
Sector Forum Coming up
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) A Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC) of Mongolia will
host a general forum gathering the financial organizations specialized in
currency trades, insurances and micro-finances on November 20.
The forum will
discuss current state of Mongolia’s financial sector, its future trends and
goals, monitoring and regulations, obstacles faced in protecting interests on
investors and other financial subjects and improving their knowledge, and will
adopt general guidelines on the solutions to problems.
As expected,
the action will be of great importance in ensuring coordination of provision of
goods and services by different sectors, in improving an access to the
financial services, in ensuring growth of all financial sectors except for
banking, and in strengthening connection between government agencies and NGOs.
Key lectors
will be a chairman of FRC D.Bayarsaikhan, an acting general director of
Mongolian Stock Exchange D.Angar, a president of Association for Non-Bank
Financial Institutions A.Altansukh, a president of Association of Insurers
J.Bat-Orshikh, and a head of the National Association of saving-and- credit
cooperatives Sh.Gookhuu.
Amelie
Schenk awarded Order of Polar Star of Mongolia
November 14
(news.mn) German national, Dr. Amelie Schenk was awarded the Order of Polar
Star of Mongolia, in accordance with a decree by President of Mongolia
Ts.Elbegdorj on Thursday, November 13, 2014.
The prestigious
award was given to Dr. Schenk by the Chief of Staff of the Office of the
President, P.Tsagaan, at the Government House. The Order of Polar Star of
Mongolia was given to her for efforts to promote Mongolia in European nations;
conducting research on Mongolia's culture, science, tradition, customs,
religion and shamanism; and publishing scientific and literature works that
explore the nomadic nation's traditional lifestyle and culture.
Related:
German
Anthropologist Receives Polar Star Order – Montsame, November 14
Save
Children: 20 Years for Children--20 Progressive Initiatives
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) "Save the Children" is celebrating on November
14 the 20th anniversary of "Save the Children Mongolia" program and
the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The
program manifests the highlights of its twenty years of progressive and
enduring commitments for changing the lives of children.
The marking of
this anniversary will attract 250 representatives of state and international
organizations, diplomatic missions and civil society. Mongolia joined the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. The Convention was enacted on
November 20 of 1989 and has been serving as pillar document declaring all
rights of children to society, politics, economy and culture. The parties to
this convention should observe duties to reflect the principles of the document
to their national legislations, policies and activities.
Save the
Children, established in 1919, is the world’s first independent organization on
Children’s Rights, actions' spheres of which are defined in the UN Convention.
Save the Children Mongolia started its activities in 1994 and has been working
in three main lines--child protection, governance of children’s rights and
education. The organization supports state and community organizations for
protecting children from any forms of violence and coercion, aims to facilitate
mechanisms of comprehensive involvement of children in development and
implementation of local policies, and works towards ensuring children’s access
to qualified pre-school and general education without discrimination of age,
sex, nationality and developmental states through cooperating with parents and
the public. Bringing new achievements in the global vision towards children and
making progressive changes to children’s lives is the main objective of Save
the Children. The organization will present today its implementation in
Mongolia of such objective.
Key speeches
will be delivered at the celebration by the representative of the Government of
Mongolia, Senior Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission
J.Byambadorj, chairman of the National Authority for Children I.Narantuya,
secretary-general of the Red Cross Mongolia N.Bolormaa, executive director of
Save the Children Japan Kunio Senta and the director of the Mongolia Program Mitsuaki
Toyoda.
“Script
of Eternal Sky 2014” National Calligraphy Exhibition to Run until November 24th
November 14 (infomongolia.com)
Welcoming the National Pride Day as commemorating nationwide the birth of Great
Chinggis Khaan, the “Script of Eternal Sky 2014” a national calligraphy
exhibition will be opened at the Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery in UB at
11:40 am on November 17, 2014.
In 2010, the
President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj issued a Decree No. 155 that aims to promote
the use of the traditional Mongolian script, which cites, "Official
letters by the President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister and
members of the Cabinet to officials of other countries in similar positions
shall be written in the traditional Mongolian script and will be translated to
the language of that state or any of the official languages of the United
Nations and be attached".
Moreover, the
Decree also mandates the use of the script in documents such as birth and
marriage certificates, educational certificates and diplomas along with the
Cyrillic alphabet.
The National
Pride Day of Mongolia or the Day of Birth of Great Chinggis Khaan was included
in the List of Public Holidays ratified by the Parliament of Mongolia in 2012
and since then the Day is celebrated annually on the first day of the first
winter month by lunar calendar, which occurs on different day by Gregorian style
and this year, the Day falls on Sunday, November 23, 2014.
Related:
National
Calligraphy Exhibition to Open – Montsame,
November 14
'Eternal Blue Sky Script
-2014' on display – news.mn,
November 14
Four
out of six of City Mayor's vice mayors to be dismissed
November 14 (news.mn)
In Thursday's plenary session meeting of parliament, members agreed on the
redundancy of positions within state organizations during the discussion of the
2015 state budget.
A cut of 345
positions, such as deputy, vice and assistant positions at all levels of state
structure is expected to take place. The MPs agreed to cut positions as some
local governors in sums and agencies of the government have two vice governors.
Mayor of
Ulaanbaatar E.Bat-Uul leads in numbers, having six deputy mayors.
The Standing
Committee meeting on Budget reviewed the 2015 state budget and agreed to
make the cuts to city administration and local government.
Electrical
poles pose danger to Mongolia's falcons
November 14
(news.mn) More accidents involving electricity power grids posing electrocution
danger to falcons in Mongolia have been reported.
The Government
of Mongolia issued Resolution No. 101 on October 20, 2012, naming the Saker
Falcon the National Pride Bird of Mongolia. It is said that the Saker Falcon,
native to Mongolia, China and India, is an excellent hunter and well adapted to
desert climates. The Saker Falcon is a common bird of prey and is exported to
countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UEA and Saudi Arabia. The
Government of Mongolia issues permits to falcon catchers with an annual quota
to catch and export the bird to these countries. The wild Saker Falcon
population is a big concern in Mongolia, but lately electrical poles have cause
more falcon deaths than illegal traders.
Last year
dozens of Saker Falcons were found dead after being electrocuted at the top of
the electrical power grid in Bayankhongor Province.
After the
accident, an official from the Ministry of the Environment and Green
Development made a statement about building grids that would protect birds from
electrocution. But more and more incidents of electrocuted birds at the power
grid have been reported.
Mongolia
Gains Its Sixth Gold Medal from 2014 Asian Beach Games
November 14
(infomongolia.com) On November 13, 2014, last competitions of the Sambo Mixed
Team and Ju-Jitsu newaza Women’s under 50, 60 and 70 kg were held as parts of
the 2014 Asian Beach Games being held in Phuket, Thailand, where Mongolian Team
gained its sixth Gold and the second Bronze medal.
The Gold medal
was achieved by Battsogt BUYANDELGER in the Ju-Jitsu ne-waza Women’s -60 kg,
she won over a Vietnamese competitor Nguyen Thi Huong in the final round.
On the same
day, following the Men’s and Women’s Beach Sambo individuals, the Sambo Mixed
Team competitions were held, where Mongolian Sambo Mixed Team grabbed a Bronze
medal sharing the third place with the Team of Uzbekistan and Mongolian Team
was represented by D.Tumurkhuleg (Men’s 68kg), G.Tuvshinjargal (Men’s 82kg),
B.Ariun-Erdene (Men’s -100kg), S.Solongogerel (Women’s 52kg), T.Battugs
(Women’s 64kg) and B.Sainbuyan (Women’s 72kg).
After
successful conclusion winning 4 Gold and 1 Bronze medal out of 7 Gold medals,
staff coach of Mongolian Sambo Team, Jamsrandorj BAYARSAIKHAN commented,
"I'm very satisfied with my team's exceptional performances. Actually,
sambo is a combat sport which has its origin in the Soviet Union or Russia.
From then, the sport became very popular among the countries which previously
broke away from Russia including its neighboring Mongolia.
An important
reason why sambo has gained an increasing popularity in Mongolia is that sambo
is a combat sport like wrestling, our national sport. Mongolians have learned
sambo since young, making them very strong when they grow up. The childhood training
in the sport also plays a vital part in making strong bones. This leads to our
great success in international competitions.
Training hard
since young gave us a significant success in these Asian Beach Games. After
this, Mongolia will send this strong sambo squad to the 2014 Sambo World
Championships in Narita, Japan, which is scheduled on November 21-23, 2014.
More than 70 nations have confirmed their participation, with over 600 athletes
worldwide pitted against one another. A daunting task awaits us out there, but
we have set our sights on winning at least one Gold".
As of November
14, 2014, Mongolian Team gained 6 Gold (4 in Sambo and 2 in Ju-Jitsu) and 2
Bronze medals (1 in Sambo Mixed Team and 1 in Ju-Jitsu) leading the medal table
rank so far and from today, Mongolian other athletes will start their competitions
in Beach Basketball, Beach Wrestling, Kurash and Petanque, besides Muaythai
will commence on November 17 and the Beach Modern Pentathlon on November 18,
2014.
Related:
Mongolia starts Asian Beach Games
with four medals – Montsame,
November 16
Citizens
of Mongolia and Russian Federation Start to Visit Reciprocal Territories
Visa-Free from Today, November 14, 2014
November 14
(infomongolia.com) On September 03, 2014, the Agreement between the Government
of Mongolia and the Government of the Russian Federation on Mutual Visa-Free
Travels of the Citizens of Russia and Mongolia was signed in Ulaanbaatar during
the visit of the President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to Mongolia, which
enters into force from today on November 14, 2014.
Accordingly,
the Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Goryachev called a press
conference on November 13, 2014.
According to
the Agreement, citizens of the Russian Federation and citizens of Mongolia, who
own diplomatic, service or foreign passports may enter, exit, travel through,
and stay on the territory of the other state Visa Free for up to 30 days,
wherein, the total time of stay is not to exceed 90 days in a 180-day period,
starting from the day of the first entrance.
Citizens of one
state intending to stay or live on the territory of the other state for more
than 30 days, or to engage in work or commercial activities there, must obtain
a visa in accordance with the legislation of the other state.
MSE
Top-20 Index Basket to Be Renewed from November 17, 2014
November 14
(infomongolia.com) According to the Resolution No.376 issued by Financial
Regulatory Commission of Mongolia dated on October 21, 2014, the “Ulaanbaatar
Hotel” Joint Stock Company (JSC) is delisted from Mongolian Stock Exchange
(MSE) Top-20 Index Basket and replaced by “Dakhan Nekhii” JSC.
The decision
was made due to reform of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel company’s structural changes
into Ulaanbaatar Hotel Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Thus, due to
changes of the MSE’s Top-20 Index Basket, the renewed Top-20 Index will be calculated
starting from November 17, 2014.
The latest
trade on MSE was held on November 13, 2014, were a total of 22,653 shares of 17
companies worth of 30,935,075.00 MNT were traded on MSE. Of which, a total
22,518 shares of 16 companies worth of 30,428,775.00 MNT were traded on the “A”
Board and the rest of 135 shares of 1 company worth 506,300.00 MNT on
"B" board respectively.
The TOP-20
Index decreased by 0.86 % to 15,209.56 units.
The MSE TOP-20 Index as of November 14,
2014
Symbol -
Company Name (Prospectus)
1. APU - APU
(Industry)
2. BAN -
Baganuur (Mining)
3. BNG -
Bayangol Hotel (Trade and Service)
4. BDS - BDSec
(Brokerage and Dealing Firm)
5. GOV - Gobi
(Cashmere and Wool)
6. JTB - Genco
Tour Bureau (Trade and Service)
7. BDL - Mogoin
Gol (Mining)
8. MSH - Mongol
Shiltgeen (Trade and Service)
9. MDR -
Mongolia Development Resources (Construction and Transportation)
10. MCH -
Telecom Mongolia (Trade and Service)
11. RMC -
Remicon (Industry)
12. SIL -
Silicate (Industry)
13. SUU - Suu
(Industry)
14. TTL – Tavan
Tolgoi (Mining)
15. TCK -
Talkh-Chikher (Food)
16. ULN -
Ulaanbaatar Hotel (Trade and Service)
17. UID - Ulsyn
Ikh Delguur (Trade and Service)
18. HGN - Khukh
Gan (Industry)
19. SHG -
Sharyn Gol (Mining)
20. SHV -
Shivee Ovoo (Mining)
As of Government
Retail Bond, buy order of 12 weeks Government retail bonds with annual interest
rate of 15.99% starts from November 12, 2014 until November 18, 2014 through
brokerage companies.
State
Budget for 2015 Adopted
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) Plenary meeting of parliament on November 14 ran a third
and fourth readings of the State Budget draft for 2015 and adopted it.
Tomorrow will
expire the date within which the presented by the cabinet on October 1 draft
would be considered and adopted by parliament. The cabinet had suggested the
budget income to be MNT 7.1 trillion and the budget expenditure–MNT 7.6
trillion. Parliament has reflected in the State Budget the income as estimated
but reduced the expenditure by over 100 billion Togrog, thus subscribing the
budget deficit as 439.2 billion or 1.8 percent of the country’s GDP. Assumption
of the Mongolian Togrog, which is 1,878 against US dollar today, is 1,750 Togrog.
The State Great
Khural has allowed expenditure portfolios, including MNT 2.9 trillion for
Minister of Finance, 1.9 trillion for Minister of Education, 27 billion for the
Speaker, 86.5 billion for Prime Minister, 56 billion for Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Economic Cooperation, 98.3 billion for Minister of Mining and
Energy, 425 billion for Minister of Justice, and 324 billion for Minister of
Road, Transportation, Construction and Urban Development.
OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly Session to Run Here
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) A secretary-general of the Office of the State Great
Khural B.Boldbaatar and the Deputy secretary-general of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Gustavo Pallares called a press-conference on Friday to talk about the
organization of the Autumn Regular Session of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in
Ulaanbaatar.
The Assembly
will run in September of 2015. In frames of the preparation for the event,
officials of the Office of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are paying visit
here on November 11-15.
The OSCE has 57
member-countries, Mongolia joined the organization two years ago, noted Mr
B.Boldbaatar and reminded all that Mongolia had proposed holding the Autumn
Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Ulaanbaatar. "It was in
light of realizing the objective to strengthen the relations and cooperation
with other countries in a scope of many-pillar foreign policy and the 'Third
Neighbor' policy," he said.
Mr Pallares
said his office accepted Mongolia’s proposal with a pleasure and appreciates a
chance to meet with the organization committee. The theme of the Session is not
certain yet, he said and noted that the delegates accompanying him are to get
au fait with the preparation process only. After this, Boldbaatar and
Pallares replied to the media questions.
BoM
to deter inflation within seven percent
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) A president of the Bank of Mongolia (BoM) Mr N.Zoljargal
called a press conference on November 13 in regard of the adoption of Monetary
Policy for 2015 by parliament.
The Central
bank will focus on providing the market with appropriate macroeconomic
environment and on strengthening a capacity of the financial sector, he said.
"This means the coordination of budgetary and monetary policies will
improve".
Parliament gave
special concern to coordinating these policies during a month discussion. “So,
a working group of the Standing Committee on economy delivered a recommendation
addressing eight issues to the Standing Committee on budget. The implementation
of monetary policies will no longer put pressure on private entities," he
noted.
Main guidelines
of the monetary policy for 2015 aim to ensure the external macroeconomic
balance, to reduce a level of inflation, to strengthen a financial
sustainability, and to ensure medium- and long-term sustainability in the
country’s economy, he went on.
"The main
factor to reduce inflation is to increase the flow of US dollars, the BoM will
focus on establishing the legal environment for Treasury fund and on
capitalizing the market through forming investment funds," he said.
The Government,
the BoM and the Financial Regulatory Commission will intensify in 2015 the
innovation in the system of social insurances and the pension fund by securing
sustainable economic growth and promoting domestic savings and the financial
market development, he added.
Trial
livestock trade held by Agricultural Exchange
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) Agricultural Exchange market of Mongolia ran its first
trial trade of livestock at a center of Bayankhongor aimag on November 14.
The 285th trade
of the Agricultural Exchange ran online. The farmers and herders made the
orders with brokerage by the local "Khongoriin Tavan Erdeniin
Khishig" company. The subjects to this trade used an assumption of MNT
1,850 for every kilogram of live weight, subscribing an average price of a
sheep approximately 83,250 Togrog.
The organizers
of the trade said it needs to be bettered. The Exchange decided to take orders
from 16 aimags, that have broker companies, within this year. Thus, the herders
and farmers of 330 soums will be able to access exchange trades online network
through forming agricultural cooperatives once they meet all requirements.
Stock
Exchange news for November 14
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 14 (MONTSAME) At the Stock Exchange trades on Friday, a total of
21,022 shares of 12 JSCs were traded costing MNT 16 million 105 thousand and
711.50.
"Hermes
Center” /15,000 units/, “APU” /2,097 units/, “Remicon” /2,069 units/, “HBOil”
/1,050 units/ and "Gobi” /200 units/ were the most actively traded in
terms of trading volume, in terms of trading value were "APU” (MNT seven
million 663 thousand and 175), "Hermes Center” (MNT two million and 685
thousand), “Gobi” (MNT one million and 500 thousand), “Bayangol Hotel” (MNT one
million and 160 thousand) and "Shariin Gol” (MNT one million 104 thousand
and 250).
The total
market capitalization was set at MNT one trillion 531 billion 211 million 350
thousand and 622. The Index of Top-20 JSCs was 15,257.69, increasing 48.13
units or 0.32% against the previous day.
DP
agrees on nominating R.Amarjargal for the next PM
By Ch. Khaliun
November 16 (UB
Post) On Wednesday, the Democratic Party (DP) group held a meeting, deciding on
a nominee for the next Prime Minister.
A total of 28
members attended the meeting and the members agreed to nominate MP R.Amarjargal
with 100 percent of the vote. Seven members of the Altangadas faction did not
attend the meeting, while MP Kh.Temuujin also declined to participate in
Wednesday’s vote.
During the
meeting, Kh.Temuujin addressed the nominee, saying, “I believe that as an
individual, Amarjargal, you have the potential to head the government, and
overcome the economic crisis. But I think it’s not a good principle to choose
someone who contributed to the collapse of the government, so I can’t vote for
you.”
MP Kh.Temuujin
said that he doesn’t have any intention of becoming a member of the new prime
minister’s cabinet, but said that he will support the new government in
Parliament on changes to the justice system.
Following the
final decision of the DP group’s nomination of R.Amarjargal for PM, the DP’s
Chairman of the Inspection Committee (IC) L.Baigali and members M.Lut-Ochir and
T.Gantumur made a statement to the press.
Chairman
L.Baigali said, “I’m responsibly announcing that the DP group doesn’t have the
right to nominate someone for the position of PM. In 2005, the law on political
parties was approved, and the party’s regulations are in accordance with this
law. Provision 6.8.2 states the full powers of a head of the party.
Specifically, the head of the party should discuss the suggestion for the
president or prime minister with the National Consultative Committee (NCC),
which means that the DP group of the Parliament doesn’t have the right to
decide this issue.”
The IC is
investigating this issue and will introduce it in the upcoming NCC meeting.
Parliament
suggests cutting positions in budgetary organizations
By Ch. Khaliun
November 16 (UB
Post) Aiming to decrease the current expenditure of the state budget, the
Parliament suggested reducing the numbers of positions in parliamentary
standing committees and budgetary organizations at all levels.
According to
the proposal, governors of provinces and districts would have the right to only
one advisor, while UB’s governor may have two advisors, and the government
officials won’t have any advisors or deputy chairs.
The number of
vice chairs and advisors at the state’s budgetary organizations and offices of
the Citizens’ Representative Khural has exceeded limits. The Parliament
proposed reducing the number of these officials by 345 positions, which they
suggest will save 2,960.4 million MNT, and cutting 540 positions from all
budgetary organizations, thereby saving 4,010.1 million MNT.
The draft calls
for eliminating all positions created by organizations since 2012, cutting them
back to the number of positions available when the organizations were first
established, as well as reducing the number of positions at the Citizens’ Representative
Khural and its current expenditures.
The draft also
includes cutting state transportation and fuel expenditures by 30 percent in
all sectors, with the exception of medical, police, defense, border, and
emergency service sectors.
There is also a
call for reducing the budgets of the government’s special foundations for
tourism, culture and art development, health support, assistance for citizens
living abroad, state education, science and technology, environmental
protection, clean air, and international cooperation by 34,847.8 million MNT.
Parliamentarians
have so far agreed to reduce the budget for the social insurance fund by one
billion MNT.
Only a final
discussion of the wide ranging proposal for reduced spending and job cuts is
left before final approval by Parliament.
New
maternity hospital construction halted as funding drains
By M. Zoljargal
November 16 (UB
Post) A maternity hospital whose construction launched after two years of
discussion in 2013 with an approved budget of 18 billion MNT still remains
incomplete, following financial and infrastructural issues.
The 300-bed
hospital was supposed to open in December last year. It covers 2.4 hectares of
land and the executor Niislel Urgoo LLC halted construction as an additional 14
billion MNT funding were required to continue the construction due to rise in
construction material prices and pay raise.
Minister of
Health N.Udval explained the reason for the halt earlier this year, “The
infrastructure of the hospital location is impossible to be completed,” after
the eight-story building’s skeleton was already completed.
The hospital is
located in Khan-Uul District’s 10th khoroo, right next to where Buyant-Ukhaa
Apartment Town-2 is currently under construction.
“There is no
problem in developing infrastructure in this area. Buyant Ukhaa-2 will be
connected to the central heating and electricity networks by next week,” said
engineer of the town who implied that there are no infrastructure issues at the
hospital construction.
The Independent
Authority Against Corruption initiated a criminal case on B.Ganzorig, director
of Niislel Urgoo LLC, for possible embezzlement from the hospital construction
budget. District Criminal Primary Court No.2 is currently studying the case.
The government
refused to provide the additional 14 billion MNT as the state budget “doesn’t
have enough” which means the hospital’s construction will not resume until next
year at the earliest.
NSO
reports on social and economic conditions for first ten months of 2014
By B. Mendbayar
November 16 (UB
Post) The National Statistical Office (NSO) of Mongolia released its Social and
Economic Report for the first ten months of 2014 on November 11.
According to a
report from the Bank of Mongolia, money supply at the end of October 2014
reached 10 trillion MNT, down by 90.2 billion MNT (0.9 percent) from the
previous month, while it increased by 1.3 trillion MNT (14.5 percent) compared
with the same period from the previous year.
In the first
ten months of 2014, total equilibrated revenue and grants of the General
Government Budget amounted to 4,850.2 billion MNT, and total expenditure and
net lending of the budget reached 5,128.6 billion MNT, representing a deficit
of 278.5 billion MNT in the equilibrated balance of the General Government
Budget compared to the same period of the previous year.
Compared to the
same period of the previous year, tax revenue increased by 212.8 billion MNT,
or 5.4 percent. This increase was mainly due to increases of 112.3 billion MNT
(21.2 percent) in other taxes, of 103.2 billion MNT (15.2 percent) in social
security contributions, and 19.5 billion MNT (1.3 percent) in taxes on goods
and services, although income taxes decreased by 23.3 billion MNT (2.7
percent), of which 45.1 billion MNT (8.8 percent) came from corporate income
tax.
In the first
ten months of 2014, total expenditure and net lending of the General Government
Budget reached 5,128.6 billion MNT and increased by 486.8 billion MNT, or 10.5
percent, compared with the same period of the previous year. This increase was
mainly due to the increases of 190.3 billion MNT (10.3 percent) in expenditure
on goods and service, 209.7 billion MNT (13.7 percent) in subsidies and
transfers expenditure, and 183.7 billion MNT (a 2.2 times increase) in lending
minus repayments, although there was decrease of 100.3 billion MNT in other
lending minus repayments.
The national
consumer price index in October 2014 rose by 0.8 percent from the previous
month and 12.1 percent over the same period of the previous year. The 0.8
percent rise in the national index was mainly due to increases of 5.3 percent
in costs for housing, water, electricity and fuels, and a one percent increase
in costs for clothing, footwear and material goods.
The mining of
products such as molybdenum with concentrate, gold, iron ore, copper
concentrate, fluorspar concentrate, and crude oil increased five to 63.1 percent
in the mining and quarrying sectors.
At the end of October 2014, currency issued in circulation reached 809.6 billion MNT, falling by 15.1 billion MNT (1.8 percent) over the same period of the previous year.
At the end of October 2014, currency issued in circulation reached 809.6 billion MNT, falling by 15.1 billion MNT (1.8 percent) over the same period of the previous year.
Loans
outstanding at the end of October 2014 amounted to 12.8 trillion MNT, increased
by 222 billion MNT (1.8 percent) from the previous month and 2.3 trillion MNT
(22.4 percent) from the same period of the previous year.
Principles in
arrears at the end of October 2014 reached 450.6 billion MNT, up by 281.1
billion MNT (a 2.7 times increase), from the same period of the previous year.
At the end of
October 2014, non-performing loans over the bank system reached 606.3 billion
MNT, up by 15.9 billion MNT (2.7 percent) from the previous month and up by 45.8
billion MNT.
In the first
ten months of 2014, 41.7 million shares were traded, valued at 139 billion MNT,
in the stock market. The securities trading were decreased by 107.7 billion MNT
(43.7 percent) and shares decreased by 17.9 million shares (30 percent)
compared to same period of the previous year.
In the first
ten months of 2014, Mongolia traded with 131 countries from all over the world
and total external trade turnover reached 9,080 million USD, of which 4,605.7
million USD was made up by exports and 4,474.3 million USD by imports.
External trade
balance showed a deficit of 1.9 billion USD in the first ten months of 2013,
while it was in a surplus of 131.4 million USD in the first ten months of 2014.
The industrial
production index in the first ten months of 2014 increased 14.4 percent from
the end of the last year, up by 8.5 percent from the previous month.
Pneumonia
causes high mortality rate among young children in Mongolia
November 16 (UB
Post) Although the mortality rate of children under the age of five in Mongolia
has decreased by 17 percent since 1990, latest estimates state that around 80
children die of pneumonia every year.
November 12 is
being observed as the World Pneumonia Day. The purpose of this day is to reduce
and stop the death of children from pneumonia and to take preventative
measures.
For World
Pneumonia Day, the National Center for Maternal and Children’s Health is
organizing an open house and the Polyclinic of Songinokhairkhan District will
hold training sessions and provide information related to pneumonia to the
public.
“There are two
main things that will reduce the mortality rate [of children]. The role of
parents and medical care are the most influential. A person gets sick because
of their weak immune system. So I would like to recommend parents to feed their
child with nutritious food and mothers to breastfeed their baby”, said the Head
of the National Center for Maternal and Child Health.
Statistics shows
that pneumonia kills over one million children globally, 15 percent of which
are children under five years of age.
Robert Benes,
Permanent Representative of the United Nations Children’s Funds to Mongolia
told Undesnii shuudan, (This quote has been translated) “Pneumonia is one of
the biggest health issues in developing countries. In 2012, over 1.1 million
children died worldwide [of pneumonia], in other words 5,500 children died
every day. Mongolia has been battling pneumonia effectively for the past ten
years. But yet this is the second most common cause for deaths among children.
Our organization is working hard to stop the mortality rate by 2025 in
Mongolia.” Pneumonia spread rapid in cold conditions especially like that of
Mongolia. As a result, over 123 children are undergoing treatment for the
disease at the Polyclinic of Sukhbaatar District.
Doctor of the
Polyclinic of Sukhbaatar District Sh.Saruultuya noted that parents whose
children have fallen ill should follow doctor’s instruction and not take
off-the-counter medication.
“Recently the
spread of pneumonia has been increasing. This year, pneumonia started early in
September and mostly small children from one to three years of age are getting
ill. Parents using medicines do not following doctor’s instruction when their
child gets ill. As a result the condition gets worse. Food with plenty of
vitamins, warm clothes, and protecting masks will help your child from
pneumonia,” noted said.
Parents of children
who fell ill with pneumonia expressed their worry as hospital conditions remain
insufficient. A patient’s parent A.Baigalmaa said, “Several symptoms had
occurred to my son such as fever, coughing and vomiting. Since many children
are in treatment, the hospital is overloaded at the moment.”
D.Handsuren,
whose three year old child has fallen ill said, “We are in a room with six
other kids who have different levels of the disease. As a result, it is
infecting the other patients.”
As it is
getting colder outside, parents must care for their children more, say doctors.
They emphasized that children are especially vulnerable to pneumonia as their
immune systems aren’t fully mature, and recommended nutritious food to boost
children’s immune system and that parents should seek a doctor if their child
shows symptoms such as fever, vomiting, cough and diarrhea.
Source:
Undesnii Shuudan
Tuul
river pollution reaches critical levels
November 16 (UB
Post) The State Specialized Inspection
Authority (SSIA) reported this week that the water of Tuul River has been
polluted and that it cannot be used.
Head of Tuul River Basin Administration and
consulting engineer of Mongolia Ph.D. G.Dolgorsuren spoke to Undesnii Shuudan
about the issue.
A report this week said that the
contamination of Tuul River has reached the worst level. What is your
organization’s position about the usage of Tuul River?
The statement
of the SSIA is not a new thing. Our organization and experts discuss this issue
often. At the beginning of every month, sample inspections are made from 13
points of Tuul River and these tests show that Tuul River has been polluted
significantly for the last seven to eight years. The World Health Organization
(WHO) also conducted a test last year and Tuul was listed as the third most
polluted river in the world.
The SSIA
actually knew about it at that time. The Ulaanbaatar City Wastewater Treatment
plant pour non-standard and semi-treated 170,000 to 190,000 cubic meters of
water per day into Tuul River. But in this case we cannot blame someone
because the total population of the city, factories, entities, and
organizations, we all consume this amount of water every day. The
Wastewater Treatment Plant was designed for purifying water for a city
designed for a population of not over 600,000, but we all know that our city
has more than a million people. Of course, this plant is not capable of
purifying an amount of water that is three times bigger than its capacity.
What kind of measures can be effective to
clean up Tuul River once it is already polluted?
The
Environment, Food and Agricultural Standing Committee introduced the cause of
the pollution, measures that need to be taken, and what should be done
first. The standing committee issued resolutions to decrease
contamination of Tuul River and it underlined the construction of a new
wastewater treatment plant in the city. Also the Standing Committee decided to
relocate leather factories to the outskirts of the city.
But I think
that it is not a good solution because water will probably be contaminated if
factories operate. So building a plant with a huge capacity should be
there [in the resolution]. Otherwise, factories will cause contamination more
and more. Our Basin Administration Department will work hard on executing
works that were written in the papers. We will pay more attention on
water survey in the area where factories will be relocated, especially water
supply of factories, how much water will be purified per day and how to inspect
them. If we can work through this principle, water contamination will not
become a big deal.
When will Tuul River be purified
completely?
It can’t be
solved until the new treatment plant is established and it demands a huge
amount of investment. Unless we start as early as possible, polluted water is
pouring out to Tuul every minute and second.
Tuul River near the city area is polluted,
what about other areas?
The pollution
of Tuul is not only in the city area. The Governor’s Office of Tuv Province,
the State Specialized Inspection Authority, and the Environment Department took
samples from the river and bacillus, which causes intestinal diseases, was
revealed from the samples. Tuul River stream in Altanbulag, Lun and
Undurshireet soums, are not able to make its natural cleansing.
Ulaanbaatar residents are at fault.
What kind of measures are you taking to
fight this issue?
We located over
300 advertisement boards within the protected area, 50 meters in. We found out
that the companies conducting development works dump their waste into Tuul
River. Currently we are installing cameras around river banks.
Does Tuul River influence the quality of
underground water reservoir?
The underground
water and surface water are connected. If the surface water is polluted, the underground
water reservoir will be contaminated too.
The Mongolian
Water Management Agency conducts regular investigations on water distributed to
the public. They say it is at low risk. If water pollution shows up from any
well, it has to be shut down. According to the law, wells must be dug at least
252 meters away from the river. But in Mongolia, wells were dug within 50, 70
and 100 meters from the river. It shows that it is highly possible to pollute
drinking-water.
Source:
Undesnii Shuudan
D.Khosbayar:
Sukhbaatar Province has a unique mortgage loan the world has never seen
November 16 (UB
Post) Sukhbaatar Province’s new local
development plan, re-planning, and projects for improving ger district
infrastructure, housing residents, and landscaping gardening have become the
center of attention of residents of other provinces. Development work of
Baruun-Urt city re-planning, which is shaped similar to the radiance of the
sun, commenced construction last year.
In the following interview, Deputy Governor
of Sukhbaatar Province D.Khosbayar discusses the project in depth.
Roads from Sukhbaatar Province center have
become more orderly. At what stage is development work proceeding?
Governor J.Batsuuri’s
team has been working since their appointment to the local authorities in 2008.
Many new objectives for developing the province, local areas and cities were
issued into the Governor’s Action Plan. For example, an apartment for 1,000
households is planned to be constructed in Baruun-Urt city. I remember many
people considering this as impossible and criticizing the plan, when it was
first revealed. This was probably an expected reaction since the city, founded
some 70 years ago, consisted of less than 600 apartments. Currently the
country’s economy is expanding and with initiation and effort of only
Sukhbaatar Province, almost 2,000 households are living in apartments in
Baruun-Urt. Within 2014, over 400 apartments, some 160 houses and private houses
were commissioned in the city.
We undertook
development work starting from the province center, despite the difficult
budget situation in 2008. We, local residents in the countryside, approximate
Mongolia’s growth and development with Ulaanbaatar’s development. Obviously we
do get depressed about many unresolved issues in the capital city, including
traffic congestion, poor landscaping of ger districts, and smoke issues. We
gain faith that our country will soon become a developed and prosperous country
when we see newly constructed buildings, facilities and roads. That’s why our
provincial authorities decided to allocate majority of our small budget for
Baruun-Urt city’s development work.
In 2012,
governors developed detailed work plans to execute during their term. Action
plans were coordinated with previous plans and re-planned by professional
organizations. Currently, competition between soums in Sukhbaatar Province is
successfully being carried out for development plans, new initiations and
implementations.
Abundant number of construction works of
local settlements and cities have been halted since last year due to the
economic crisis. How is Sukhbaatar Province able to do the opposite and
construct more?
Locals weren’t
discouraged by Mongolia’s economic difficulties or our low budget and worked
harder. This development work is ongoing with initiations of locals,
businesses, and foreign and domestic investors, besides the Governor’s Office’s
efforts. If we say the province’s annual budget is 18 billion MNT, together we
would do development works worth 50 to 60 billion MNT.
Since last
year, every soum was permitted to spend large sums of funds and received a
minimum financing of 300 million MNT and maximum of 700 million MNT.
Development
work proceeded rapidly last spring and summer. Some works recently stopped
because of the approaching winter. Anyhow, it’s wonderful that works have been
executed successfully, improving the facade of the province and livening up
residents.
Bayan-Urt city’s new road layout that goes
around the province center twice seems interesting. Also, where did all the
livestock disappear to?
According to
planning, the province center will have five circular roads. Areas along the
main line were completely vacated. We chose negotiations more beneficial to
residents to settle relocation issues of some 600 households at the areas for
re-planning. New changes conflicted with some individuals’ narrow interests and
stirred some resistance but most locals strongly supported works for the local development.
Currently, the
first and second circular roads are being paved. Along the outermost circular
road, approximately 8,500 trees were planted. It’ll be increased to 20,000.
Three new parks have been opened. Baruun-Urt city will get a Green Belt in two
to three years when the threes grow. We’ve got plenty more work planned such as
vegetation.
Families
raising livestock were organized through the city planning. Previously the
province center had over 1,000 livestock of 150 households. Locals of Sukhbaatar
Province love horses so a herder’s district sized 30õ30, provided with water
supply system, electricity and infrastructure, was built seven kms away from
the province center. We sold this to locals with discounted price and moved
them. Now the province center is livestock-free and if it enters, a penalty
will be charged.
A 16-storey building is being constructed
on the west side of the Province Governor’s Office. Is it state-owned or a
private establishment?
It’s not
constructed through state budget funds. Locals accounted their economic
opportunities and initiated to construct this tower building with trade
services, hotels and offices. The Governor’s Office considered the province’s
development and appearance and vacated the land. The building will become
operational next summer.
Furthermore,
construction work has begun for a new apartment complex as well as swimming
pool appropriate for international competitions and a football field consistent
with modern standards. Just recently, a large fitness center started
operations. Baruun-Urt city will get a new hockey rink this winter. In a few
days, a new Fourth School and Volleyball Sports Center will open.
For a remote soums, isn’t it difficult to
raise adequate budget, find construction companies and solutions, and generate
demand?
There’s a
general 15 to 20 year plan for developing Sukhbaatar Province soums. This plan,
developed a long time ago, isn’t consistent with the current situation.
Households were already occupying lands that were included in the plan for
construction. Old, worn-out buildings were still representing soum centers.
This issue had to be resolved to improve the facade of soums. We addressed
Atmor LLC, which installed engineering networks with modern advanced but cheap
technology in our province before.
The company
advised rebuilding two or three-storey apartments that enable heat distribution
at a cheaper price since current buildings are spaced in between and will
charge more for usage. But they said these buildings will be constructed with
the same price as Ulaanbaatar’s. We informed residents about this opportunity
to improve our soum center and asked them to pay in advance if they support so
that construction work can begin immediately. In 2013, Bayandelger soum’s first
14 people supported the project, signed agreements, and begun constructing an
apartment for 24 households with a mortgage loan of 1.3 billion MNT.
What’s the price of a cubic meter of an
apartment at soum centers? Are locals interested in their prices?
The price of a
cubic meter was one million MNT at first but this year, it rose a little to
1,150,000 MNT. Locals are very interested in apartments. Bayandelger soum is
constructing its second apartment for 24 households, Uulbayan and Tumentsogts
soums are building their first. All three of them are at final stages.
Construction works of these three soums cost 5.2 billion MNT but not a single
dime was received from the state.
It might sound
as if all our works have been completed quickly but we did face quite a few
difficulties. People and companies hesitated on whether banks would give
mortgage loans to such an expensive apartment in soum centers. Even when
herder’s mortgage loans were approved, businesses still had doubts. We even met
the Speaker of Parliament to bid him to pay attention to this. Mongolbank,
State Bank and associated people actively supported our project and now, people
are paying their loans without any problem. This was the first mortgage loan
herders and locals took for apartments in the soum. I think Mongolian herder’s
mortgage loans were something never seen in the world before because it was
legalized that repayment will be made twice a year to accommodate lifestyles of
herders.
In coming years, involvement of which
sector is more beneficial for Sukhbaatar Province’s development?
Sukhbaatar
Province has environmental, climatic and geographical advantages. It is located
at the eastern border, distanced 560 km away from Ulaanbaatar. The capital city
seemed far when roads were bad. We’ve recently connected Sukhbaatar Province
with Ulaanbaatar through an asphalt road. It’s decided that a railway track
routed from Tavantolgoi to Sainshand city and from Baruun-Urt to Choibalsan
city will be constructed. This track will pass through Russia to a Pacific port.
Railway track from Yellow Sea port was extended to Zuun Khatavch port in China,
a bit further form Mongolia’s Bichigt port. The government policy to join
Baruun-Urt city to Bichigt port through Khuut is becoming more clear. If budget
issues are determined, Sukhbaatar Province has a potential to become an
interesting railway hub and transit railway area in not only Mongolia but also
Northeast Asia.
Sukhbaatar
Province has mineral occurrences of gold, fluorspar, zinc, molybdenum and
tungsten. Some are being used now. It’s also rich in lignite (brown coal)
reserves. Our province is working towards expanding the economy by building a
thermal power station, utilizing its lignite reserves into energy, exporting
energy and then, establishing a processing plant for mining, industrial, and
agricultural raw materials based on energy sources.
Source:
mongolnews.mn/1d8l
Mongolian
girl takes Grand Prix at International Drawing Competition
By B. Baatar
November 16 (UB
Post) An international drawing competition was organized by the Alliance for
Healthy Cities in Hong Kong on October 29 to November 1, in relation to their
10th anniversary. The alliance held their sixth meeting in Honk Kong during the
competition.
Teacher at
Mongeni School T.Tsegmid won first place in the professional artist category,
student of Mongeni School T.Ninjbadgar won Grand Prix in the student category,
student of Mongeni School O.Bishrelmaa and D.Ariunaa, and student of School N.60
E.Sarnai won special prizes.
Their pieces
published on 2015 calendar of the Alliance for Healthy Cities.
Over 80
paintings from China, the Philippines, Australia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, Hong
Kong and Mongolia was submitted to the competition.
Deputy Governor
of Ulaanbaatar Ts.Enkhtsengel received Mongolian artists who participated in
the competition and granted prizes.
During the
granting ceremony, Ts.Enkhtsengel noted, “I am very happy that Mongolian young
artists won prizes from the competition. It is very impressive that children
expressed their idea to let Ulaanbaatar become a healthy city. I hope you will
develop your talent in the future and participate in more international
competitions.”
Godo
captures the fundamental duality of the human experience
By Emma Ellis
November 16 (UB
Post) In her current 976 Art Gallery show, “The Legend of the Swallow,” artist
D.Bayartsetseg (known as Godo) employs the basic unit of art making – the line,
the creation of positive and negative space – to pose fundamental questions
about our perceptions.
Godo’s pieces
in “The Legend of the Swallow” are quite diverse, ranging from a large sheet of
paper densely covered in finely inked lines to a suspended white deel
(Mongolian traditional costume). But perhaps most striking is the large
collection of small sparrow drawings, each in its own frame, arranged side by
side in a long line that bends around the gallery space, their sequence
suggesting that the swallows arcing across each piece somehow form a narrative.
Godo’s work
seems to occupy liminal spaces. Though she tries to make the lines that
characterize most of her pieces as straight as possible, when making them, Godo
focuses on her breath and heartbeat, and as such, they waver organically.
“People always ask what element they are,” says Godo. “But I cannot say if they
are wind or water.” A white deel suspended above the floor has a certain
ghostly quality, but also has concrete cultural and temporal grounding as a
traditional Mongolian garment.
But perhaps
most complex and resonant are the narrative-like swallow images. Written
narrative, namely Oscar Wilde’s short story, “The Happy Prince,” and the poem
“A Requiem of the Warrior Gilgudei” from the AtlanTobchi, was Godo’s source
material for this exhibition. Godo is an artist frequently inspired by written
work, feeling in it the same energy she seeks to express in her own. In “The
Legend of the Swallow,” this is borne out in the ambiguous multiplicity shared
by these texts and Godo’s pieces.
In both “The
Happy Prince” and “A Requiem of the Warrior Gilgudei,” swallows are
simultaneously connected with the earthly – death, of the swallow itself and of
the body of Chinggis Khaan – and the unearthly, divine charity and the
departure of the soul. Our emotional response depends on whether one views
those moments that reinforce life’s ephemerality as triumphant or tragic.
It is this
duality, a fundamental duality of the human experience that Godo has captured
in evoking the swallow’s image. As such, “The Legend of the Swallow” is not
only a virtuoso experiment in the line, but also in the line between grief and
remembrance.
The exhibition
will be open through November 15, at 976 Art Gallery
What
is behind the lavish bonuses for tax officials?
November 16 (UB
Post) The heads of the city’s taxation departments received up to nearly 800
million MNT in cash bonuses for exceeding budget planning for collected taxes.
As citizens and
residents of Mongolia, all workers are required to pay taxes that make up the
state’s funds. We believe that we will get something valuable for paying our
taxes.
Here is one
example of the problem facing taxpayers: the taxation department of one
UB district received 775.9 million MNT for surplus taxes of 2.58 billion MNT.
The question is
why aren’t taxpayers, instead of the officials who collect taxes, being
rewarded?
Who received the cash bonuses?
Sukhbaatar District was awarded 800
million MNT for collecting a surplus of 4.2 billion MNT. Forty percent of the
surplus, or 360 million MNT, was transferred to the General Department of
Taxation (GDT), 40 million to the head of the district’s taxation department,
40 million to head of the finance and state fund department, 54 million to the
tax collection department, and 2.2 million to each tax inspector.
Bayangol District was awarded 574
million MNT, out which 200 million was shifted to the GDT, 20 million to the
head of the department, 12 million to each senior inspector, and another senior
inspector got 5 million MNT as a cash bonus.
Bayanzurkh District was granted 1
billion 174 million MNT. The head of the department got 273 million, and 528.7
million went to 32 officials.
Songinokhairkhan District got 501
million MNT. The head of the department received a 75 million MNT bonus.
Khan-Uul District was granted 416
million MNT and Chingeltei District was awarded 250 million MNT.
The General
Department of Taxation says that the bonuses are connected to the local
administrations. We investigated how the heads of the taxation
departments grant bonuses to themselves.
Performance Agreement
We discovered
that the taxation departments get bonuses according to a performance
agreement. If the taxation departments collect surplus taxes, they get a
bonus of 30 to 50 percent of the surplus amount.
Who benefits from the performance
agreement?
The performance
agreement is held between the head of a district taxation department, the head
of the finance department of a district, and the department of state funds.
The agreement
states that if a district can fulfill tax revenue planning, they can receive 30
percent of the amount collected beyond the budget projections. This raises the
question of why there would be surplus tax revenue collected. Are
taxation incomes planned much lower than they should be?
Is this evidence of corruption?
Taxes are
divided into income, property and sales tax in Mongolia, and the state has
become highly dependent on taxes collected from mining. Why is this money
lining civil service worker pockets instead of being applied to the state
budget?
Bonuses
distributed to UB tax officials in recent years
|
Taxation
Departments
|
Year
|
Tax
Official
|
Bonus Amount
(MNT)
|
|
The City
Taxation Department
|
2009
|
S.Enkhbaatar
|
191,700,000
|
|
|
2010
|
S.Enkhbaatar
|
135,000,000
|
|
|
2011
|
S.Enkhbaatar
|
300,000,000
|
|
|
2012
|
S.Enkhbaatar
|
144,844,000
|
|
Total
|
771,544,200
|
||
|
Bayangol
District
|
2010
|
D.Enkhbat
|
200,000,000
|
|
|
2011
|
B.Oyunzaya
|
120,000,000
|
|
|
2012
|
B.Oyunzaya
|
195,000,000
|
|
|
2013
|
B.Oyunzaya
|
599,500,000
|
|
Total
|
1,114,500,000
|
||
|
Bayanzurkh
District
|
2010
|
D.Gotov
|
42,400,000
|
|
|
2011
|
Ch.Surenhorloo
|
91,700,000
|
|
|
2012
|
Ch.Surenhorloo
|
157,300,000
|
|
|
2013
|
Ts.Sainbuyan
|
1,115,200,000
|
|
Total
|
1,446,600,000
|
||
|
Chingeltei District
|
2010
|
L.Nergui
|
293,664,800
|
|
|
2011
|
L.Nergui
|
706,335,000
|
|
|
2012
|
L.Nergui
|
56,000,000
|
|
|
2013
|
M.Bolortuya
|
250,000,000
|
|
Total
|
1,305,999,800
|
||
|
Sukhbaatar
District
|
2010
|
B.Zandanbat
|
480,000,000
|
|
|
2011
|
B.Zandanbat
|
618,000,000
|
|
|
2012
|
B.Zandanbat
|
800,000,000
|
|
|
2013
|
Ts.Amartaivan
|
800,000,000
|
|
Total
|
2,698,000,000
|
||
|
Songinokhairkhan
District
|
2010
|
A.Ariungerel
|
29,987,452
|
|
|
2011
|
A.Ariungerel
|
71,255,900
|
|
|
2012
|
Ts.Sukhbaatar
|
87,912,000
|
|
|
2013
|
Ts.Sukhbaatar
|
340,060,350
|
|
Total
|
527,216,202
|
||
|
Khan-Uul
District
|
2010
|
Kh.Tumurkhuyag
|
34,500,000
|
|
|
2011
|
D.Batkhuyag
|
88,600,000
|
|
|
2012
|
D.Batkhuyag
|
190,000,000
|
|
|
2013
|
D.Badam
|
416,000,000
|
|
Total
|
729,700,000
|
||
|
Baganuur
District
|
2010
|
D.Bold
|
40,000,000
|
|
|
2011
|
D.Bold
|
10,000,000
|
|
|
2012
|
D.Bold
|
2,500,000
|
|
Total
|
52,500,000
|
||
|
Nalaikh District
|
2011
|
N.Enkhee
|
6,000,000
|
|
|
2012
|
D.Enkhbayar
|
20,000,000
|
|
Total
|
26,000,000
|
||
Source: Daily
News
Nehmeliin
Shar faces rocky renovations
November 16 (UB
Post) The apartments of Nehmeliin Shar are very old and ready to be demolished.
Authorities have made official statements about the poor conditions of the
buildings. As a result, reconstruction of the apartments has been planned, but
residents have faced conflicts with the district in seeing those plans carried
out.
Mayor of
Ulaanbaatar E.Bat-Uul promised the renovation of old buildings and construction
of new apartments instead of ger districts in his election campaign. He told
the residents of Nehmeliin Shar that he would help with the renovation if they
found a construction company. The residents eventually made an agreement with
Fuji Holding to carry out the work.
Fuji Holding
uses the latest construction technology from Japan. The company promised
residents they would renovate the apartments with high quality materials and
provide an extra eight square meters of space after finishing the construction.
Agreeing to these terms, Fuji Holding and some residents sent estimates for
construction material to the relevant officials.
The District
Mayor of Khan-Uul District, J.Gankhuyag, has since been accused of disrupting
the construction work and even went so far as to choose Orchlon Construction
through a second selection process.
The right of
Orchlon Construction to participate in government tenders was restricted from
2011 to June 1, 2015, due to corporate irresponsibility. Concerns have been
raised that the company was considered for participation in this tender.
People who
reside in other apartments built by Orchlon Construction complained about the
poor quality of the buildings to the press on February 25, 2013. Residents
dealt with windows that got icy in winter, the floors in some buildings broke
down, and walls and ceilings were cracked. The exteriors of the buildings were
catastrophic. Residents were very disappointed.
Orchlon
Construction have attemped to force the residents of Nehmeliin Shar to move
out. “District Mayor J.Gankhuyag forced us to choose Orchlon Construction and
even threatened us with his authority. Why must we choose this unqualified
company? We are standing against it,” say residents.
The residents
of Nehmeliin Shar are very disappointed and they want to impeach their district
mayor. A banner with a slogan to remove the district mayor was hung from the
apartments of Nehmeliin Shar. Khan-Uul is a district with a large population
and lots of land. It is shameful to see the slogan covering the old building,
complaining about the J.Gankhuyag.
This incident
shows us that some authorities abuse their rights and commission only the
projects they want. Some of them are the managers of companies earning state
contracts, and state policy is regularly challenged by their selection for
tenders.
If the conflict
continues, residents of Nehmeliin Shar are prepared to go on a hunger strike to
battle for their rights.
Recently, a
meeting between Mayor E.Bat-Uul, District Mayor J.Gankhuyag, and residents of
Nehmeliin Shar took place. At the meeting, the Mayor officially stated,
“Residents will not choose the construction company. Instead, the Evaluation
Committee will choose the observer and make an agreement. But still, residents
have the right to give permission. Orchlon Construction will not participate in
the tender. District Mayor J.Gankhuyag must start the tender announcement soon.
Overall, six companies will be considered.
The following interview was conducted with
the Head of the Evaluation Committee, J.Gankhuyag
When will the tender results be announced?
Since the city
mayor gave us this duty, we are going to assess the materials and announce the
results this week.
Authorities say that the Evaluation
Committee disrupted the construction work previously. Is this true?
No, we did not.
We are protecting the rights of our citizens. We will select the companies
following rules and regulations. After all the companies are selected, and when
the construction work is ready to begin, then we will demolish the old
buildings and start the reconstruction. Previously, there were no instances of
disrupting the apartments.
Some companies made agreements with some
residents and some people have moved out of their apartments, right?
I have heard
that several agreements were made between companies and residents. We do not
have the right to forbid that. But according to policy, people must have their
say after a construction company is chosen.
Source:
Undesnii Shuudan
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