Jul 31, 2025 50 min read Daily News Summaries

Mongolia News Summary for July 31, 2025

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 MongolBeat or its members.

Today's Stories

Politics

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Research and Analysis Department of the Anti-Corruption Agency received 57 petitions and complaints from citizens and legal entities during the period of July 21-25, 2025, and forwarded them to the relevant functional units.

Of the petitions, complaints, and information received, 68.4 percent appear to be criminal in nature, with most complaints related to the disbursement of budget funds. By sector, petitions and complaints mainly pertain to local administrative and self-governing bodies.

Last week, the special hotline 110 for reporting corruption received 80 calls.

Source: ACD

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Representatives from 180 Countries Participate in the 6th World Summit of Speakers of Parliaments

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The 6th World Summit of Speakers of Parliaments started yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, according to the Press Office of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia. This summit aims to strengthen multilateral cooperation, support parliaments and parliamentarians in taking responsibility in international relations, promote democracy, direct parliamentary diplomacy towards peace and understanding, amplify citizens’ voices at the United Nations, and encourage the implementation of international commitments at the national level.

The summit is attended by the speakers of 84 parliaments and 18 deputy speakers from the 180 member countries of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The Speaker of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, D. Amarbaysgalan, was welcomed by Tulia Ackson, President of the IPU, Martin Chungong, Secretary General, Tatiana Valovaya, Director of the UN Office at Geneva, and Orel C. Rattray, Chief of Staff of the UN.

The Mongolian delegation includes Speaker D. Amarbaysgalan, and Members of Parliament J. Bat-Erdene, Ts. Sandag-Ochir, A. Ariunzaya, Kh. Baasanjargal, and G. Ganbaatar. Speaker D. Amarbaysgalan will deliver a speech at the summit during the general debate titled “A World in Crisis: Parliamentary cooperation and multilateralism for peace and justice for all.”

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The State Budget Will Be Discussed and Open to Public Comment for the First Time

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Finance Minister B. Javkhlan:

I provided information to the Cabinet meeting about the progress of the first stage of budget drafting. The Cabinet is working on developing the state budget for 2026. The Prime Minister has assigned the responsibility to provide the public with information during the budget development process. In this regard, I would like to tell you to carefully review article 28 of the Basic Budget Law. Throughout August, suggestions from citizens will be collected and discussions will be held. Starting from August 1, feedback will be gathered through Emongolia. The ministries will make the initial draft and then inform the public.

Thus, the Government will, for the first time, let the public discuss and provide opinions on the budget. Citizens can submit any suggestions. These should be in line with the Government's policy and development plan.

Government officials from the relevant ministries shared the decisions made at the regular Cabinet meeting.

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If Corruption in the Budget Isn't Fixed, Government Corruption Won't Decline!

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: news.mn

Member of Parliament and Minister of Culture (at the time) Ch. Nomin: There are 186,000 children aged 16 to 18 in Mongolia. Of them, more than 30,000 are special needs children who cannot participate in the general education program. It has become necessary to create an environment for teenagers to spend their free time properly and productively. Therefore, we are proposing to give these children a cultural voucher worth 18.3 billion MNT.

Member of Parliament J. Bayarmaa: You are trying to hand out money to adolescents and teach them a mentality of dependence. Let's instead work to increase their parents' employment and income opportunities. Let them earn their own income and pay for entertainment services themselves. By getting kids who have just turned 18 used to receiving free handouts, we are not civilizing them but the opposite. Under the guise of enlightening youth, this is being used as preparation for elections. Although you talk of saving the budget and spending effectively, when it comes down to it, you distribute free vouchers. 18.3 billion MNT is not a small amount of money. Let’s spend this money on kindergartens, schools, or cancer hospitals. Every year 7,000 people get cancer, but there is no cancer hospital. Let's use this 18.3 billion for hospitals.

A year ago, during the discussion of the 2025 budget draft in Parliament, former Minister of Culture Ch. Nomin and Member of Parliament J. Bayarmaa expressed opposing views on the issue of the 18 cultural vouchers. In any case, due to the efforts of Bayarmaa, G. Temuulen, D. Enkhtuvshin, and others to reduce budget spending, and the President's veto, the 18.3 billion MNT allocated for the "cultural voucher" was removed from the state budget. Today, Bayarmaa's stance on properly using taxpayers’ money remains unchanged. However, Nomin, who has since resigned from her ministerial post and is now a regular member of parliament, has reversed her position 180 degrees.

As a result of the upcoming year's budget proposal, new disputes are arising among members of parliament. MPs are now being divided into two groups: those representing specific electoral districts and those from proportional lists, based on the budget allocations.

When preparing the 2026 state budget draft, the Ministry of Finance proposed to allocate 5 billion MNT to district MPs, 2 billion to those on the party lists, and 15 billion for regional investments, collecting input from parliamentarians. However, this faced opposition from listed MPs. For many years, the Ministry of Finance has habitually included this so-called district investment, which effectively acts as a form of bribery for MPs. Originally, in 2010, only 10 million MNT was distributed per MP under the name of district funds; this amount has grown yearly and now reaches billions.

Are these funds used for major development works? Usually not. It is an unwritten rule that the funds are often embezzled under the guise of constructing toilets or building monuments. Spreading taxpayers’ money around small communities benefits politicians but not the country—this is not just a myth. Inefficient allocation of budget monies is why, in the 21st century, many Mongolians still use candles and coal at home.

The state budget should be a major policy for social and economic development. However, our budget has become a patchwork rather than a national budget. MPs are interested in laundering budget money by constructing unnecessary buildings like schools, kindergartens, pools, and cultural centers in every province and county. For example, former MP M. Oyunchimeg used taxpayers’ money to renovate toilets in Chingeltei District—not a joke, but a true story. MP Ts. Anandbazar also recently initiated building a horse milk (airag) centre with budget money. These "district investments" turn into bribery money for MPs but do not improve local livelihoods.

During the government eras of former President H. Battulga, former Speaker Z. Enkhbold, and former Prime Minister N. Altankhuyag—the so-called "Renewal Government" under the Democratic Party—taxpayer funds were used to implement the "New Soum" (New County) project in places like Bayanglig and Buutsagaan in Bayankhongor, or Zamiin-Uud in Dornogovi. Yet, these places remain unchanged today.

Therefore, unless we reduce budget corruption, the clearest example of government corruption, Mongolia’s economy will not expand. Money laundering, bribery, theft, and fraud in the government will not decline. If we are to seriously fight corruption, we must start with the corrupted budget itself.

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Economy

The Fifth Mongolia-China Expo to be Held from August 25 to 30

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: montsame.mn

During a recent government meeting, a working group was re-established to oversee the preparations, organization, leadership, and coordination between public and private organizations for the upcoming "Mongolia-China Expo."

The fifth edition of the "Mongolia-China Expo" will take place from August 25 to 30 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. This expo is of significant importance for elevating the trade and economic relations between the two countries to a new level and represents a concrete step towards reaching the target of $20 billion in bilateral trade volume in the near future.

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry is responsible for overseeing the preparations, and the event will include an economic and trade forum, negotiations, humanitarian exchanges, and an exhibition and sale of goods and products. In addition to Mongolia, enterprises from five other countries including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as enterprises from several provinces and regions of China, totaling over 3,000 businesses, will participate.

There will also be a "Mongolian Culture Exhibition" showcasing national characteristics, culture, and traditions, and presenting the products and services of more than 500 domestic enterprises.

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VAT to be Imposed on Foreign Legal Entities Providing Electronic Services

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Within the framework of the package of draft laws to amend the tax laws, the government is preparing a draft law to amend the Law on Value Added Tax (VAT). This draft stipulates that VAT will be imposed on services provided remotely or electronically by foreign taxpayers operating within the territory of Mongolia.

Specifically, if a legal entity that is not a resident in Mongolia provides services to Mongolia from abroad and obtains annual sales revenue of 400 million MNT or more, they will be registered as a withholding taxpayer. This includes online service providers such as platform operators like "Meta," "Google," "Netflix," as well as providers of video, streaming, advertising, software, and other similar online services, whether individuals or legal entities.

As a result of this amendment, it is expected that tax revenue will increase substantially by collecting VAT from foreign individuals and legal entities. Moreover, this measure aims to ensure a level playing field for business competition and improve tax policy in the digital environment.

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Russia’s Ban on Fuel Exports Will Not Apply to Mongolia

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: news.mn

Russia has officially decided to temporarily ban the export of auto gasoline for one month starting August 1. This year, Russia has imposed several restrictions on the export of auto gasoline. For instance, from March 1 to August 31, a ban was put in place for certain companies, oil depots, and companies with annual production of less than one million tons. Since July, wholesale gasoline prices on the St. Petersburg International Commodity Exchange have been continuously rising, and on July 17, the wholesale price of AI-95 gasoline reached a historic high. Therefore, the ban has been extended to stabilize domestic gasoline prices.

Approximately 75 percent of Mongolia’s fuel consumption is supplied solely by Russia's Rosneft company. Regarding this, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIMR) has reported that the temporary ban on Russian auto gasoline exports does not apply to Mongolia, and fuel imports are continuing as usual. Specifically, there is a provision stating that the ban does not apply to countries with intergovernmental agreements on the sale and purchase of petroleum products with Russia or to member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. During the official visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Mongolia in September 2024, an intergovernmental agreement was reached between Mongolia and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the supply of petroleum products to Mongolia, under which both sides undertook obligations to regularly and continuously supply, purchase, and sell fuel and petroleum products.

According to information provided by MIMR, as of yesterday, there is a national reserve equivalent to 20 days of AI-92 gasoline, 41 days of AI-95 gasoline, 20 days of diesel, and 50 days of TS-1 aviation fuel in the country.

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Russia Restricts Fuel Exports

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Russia has imposed a complete ban on fuel exports to stabilize demand and supply after domestic gasoline prices rose by more than 30%, reaching a historic high. Since April, oil prices have sharply increased on the Russian market. For example, at the St. Petersburg commodities exchange, the price of AI-95 gasoline has risen by 24% since the beginning of the year, reaching 73,000 rubles per ton. "We are taking this measure to stabilize the domestic market as demand in the agricultural sector is increasing due to the harvest season," the Russian government announced.

In March of last year, Russia also restricted fuel exports but exempted member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. This time, similarly, it is reported that the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and five former Soviet states will not be subject to the fuel ban. Experts explain these frequent bans as being linked to insufficient oil production in Russia. Regarding this, officials from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources stated, "This ban, effective from August 1st to 31st, does not apply to governments that have agreements with Russia to buy and sell oil products, nor to member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. During President V.V. Putin's visit to our country last September, a cooperation agreement was signed to supply oil products to Mongolia, obligating both parties to regularly buy and sell fuel. Our country also works with Russian importing companies under long-term contracts. As of now, we have reserves of 20 days for AI-92 gasoline, 41 days for AI-95, 20 days for diesel, and 50 days for jet fuel," they stated.

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Mongolian Coking Coal Prices Rise Again at Chinese Ports

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Due to rising prices in China's futures market, a rapid increase in domestic coke prices, and a supply shortage, the price of Mongolian coking coal reached its highest level of the year at China's main border ports between July 21 and 25. The market sentiment remains optimistic, and trading activity at the ports is high.

Gantsmod Port
The sharp rise in China's futures prices and the accelerated increase in coke prices have had a positive effect on the Mongolian coal market at Gantsmod port, boosting traders' confidence, increasing prices, and raising imports.

On July 25th, the price of Mongolian Grade 5 coking coal at Gantsmod port reached 1,038 yuan per ton (including VAT), up 243 yuan from the previous week and reaching its highest level this year. Meanwhile, the washed coal from Jinqyuan company increased by 250 yuan to reach 1,200 yuan, also setting a new annual high.

As warehouse inventories fell and confidence in price rises increased, customs clearance for coal trucks accelerated. Between July 21 and 26, an average of 1,036 trucks of coal passed through the port daily, a 19.35% increase compared to the average between July 16 and 19.

Active trading has prevented the formation of large coal stockpiles around the port. As of July 27, there were 2.79 million tons of coal in the Gantsmod port's control warehouses, an increase of 0.7% from the previous week, but still at a relatively low level for 2025.

Situation at Sehe and Mandal Ports
Trading activity was also high at the Sehe port. With the end of the Naadam holiday, customs operations accelerated and coal transportation flows recovered. Insufficient supply of some types of coal contributed to the price increase.

As of July 25:
- MAK company's "A" grade raw coal: 510 yuan (up by 10 yuan),
- South Gobi's "A" grade: 460 yuan (up by 10 yuan),
- MAK's Western region raw coal: 545 yuan (up by 15 yuan), all including VAT, according to prices at warehouses at Sehe port.

The sharp rise in futures prices last week raised coal prices at all ports. At Mandal port, traders' market confidence revived and coal prices increased. However, some buyers became cautious due to the cost increase and delayed their purchases.

At Mandal port:
- Washed coal: 900 yuan (up by 165 yuan in the week),
- Raw 1/3 coking coal: 570 yuan (no change).

Customs clearance statistics:
At Sehe port, an average of 853 trucks of coal passed daily between July 21 and 26, a 19.97% increase compared to the previous week.
At Mandal port, this figure was 160 trucks, a 26.98% increase.

However, since the evening of July 25, declines in futures prices have weakened the market's optimistic outlook, so the upward trend in Mongolian coking coal export prices may slow in the near future.

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V.I. Matviyenko: No interruptions to the export of energy and fuel to Mongolia

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

During his participation at the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament held in Geneva, the Speaker of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, D. Amarbaysgalan, met with Ms. V.I. Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

At the beginning of the meeting, Ms. V.I. Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Federation Council, expressed her commitment to further developing the cooperation between Russia and Mongolia, which share a traditional and friendly relationship and a comprehensive strategic partnership. They exchanged views on cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, and education.

In particular, she mentioned that the Russian Government had passed an amendment on February 26, 2025, to the decree "On Prohibiting the Export of Motor Gasoline from Russia." According to the amendment, a complete ban on the export of motor gasoline will be in place for one month starting from August 1, 2025. However, she emphasized that Mongolia will be exempted from this decision. Furthermore, she stated that the export of energy and fuel products to Mongolia would continue without interruption.

Speaker D. Amarbaysgalan expressed his satisfaction with the active cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries, which plays an important role in bilateral relations. He emphasized that the State Great Khural is working to improve and newly establish the legal environment for the broad, multifaceted relations encompassing various spheres of society in both countries. He also expressed the desire to further develop inter-parliamentary cooperation, according to the State Great Khural’s Press and Media Office.

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Changes to Transfers Between Khan Bank Accounts

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: news.mn

Starting from August 4, 2025, transfers between Khan Bank accounts will be conducted using the "IBAN" account number, as announced in advance. In other words, when making internal transfers within Khan Bank, you will need to use your 20-digit IBAN account number. Therefore, customers are advised to access their "Khan Bank" application and find out their IBAN account number before August 4. This change is being implemented for all commercial banks in line with regulatory requirements and under the National Payment System strategy. For interbank transfers, the use of IBAN numbers has already been phased in since last April, and customers have become accustomed to it.

What is IBAN? IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a 20-digit account format recognized by international "ISO" 13616-1, 2 standards. It is a unified coding system for interbank transfers, containing the recipient's country and bank code.

Collective growth in harmony – Khan Bank.

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B. Javkhlan: We Have Prepared a Comprehensive Tax Reform Proposal. It Will Be Submitted Alongside the 2026 Budget Proposal

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The public has continuously called for improvements to the tax environment and for reducing the burden on citizens and enterprises. In response, over the past year and a half, the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with citizens, business and industrial organizations at various levels, and a working group established by the State Great Khural (Parliament), has prepared a plan for a comprehensive tax reform. Today, during a press conference, Minister of Finance B. Javkhlan mentioned this accomplishment. He also stated that the timing for submitting the comprehensive tax reform plan has been coordinated to coincide with the submission of the budget law.

Minister of Finance B. Javkhlan said:

"Members of Parliament have been actively researching and proposing ideas, even initiating their own drafts regarding the legal environment of this sector. We are working to exchange opinions with these members, and once it is submitted to Parliament, to conduct scientific research and coordinate the different proposals, interweaving and integrating them. Finally, through the policies implemented in this sector, we aim to reduce the tax and social insurance burden on citizens and the private sector, as well as wealth creators, as much as possible, and to properly distribute the burden among the higher-income groups. This is the shift in policy we are working towards within the project."

The draft of the 2026 state budget will be submitted to Parliament on September 1 of this year. On September 15, a parliamentary discussion to review the budget proposal will begin. After that, when the autumn session of Parliament opens on October 1, the first review of the proposal will be held.

Notice:
Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social media, and Websites) are not permitted to use our information in whole or in part in any form without permission. Usage is only allowed when citing the original source (ikon.mn) after agreement.

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Diplomacy

Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg to Make Official Visit to the Republic of Finland

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg will make an official visit to the Republic of Finland at the invitation of Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, from July 30 to August 1.

During the visit, Minister Battsetseg will hold official talks with Minister Valtonen, discussing bilateral relations, cooperation, and some issues of international relations. In addition, Foreign Minister Battsetseg will participate in the international conference entitled “Helsinki+50: Honoring Heritage, Shaping the Future”, and will pay courtesy calls on the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho, and will hold an official meeting with Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto.

This visit marks the first official visit at the foreign minister level from Mongolia to the Republic of Finland since the establishment of diplomatic relations on July 15, 1963.

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US Increases Visa Fees by 135%

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

As part of amendments to the consolidated budget law passed on the 4th of this month, the US has decided to increase the application fee for non-immigrant visas (for temporary visits to the country) by $250. This increase will apply to all visa applicants except for citizens of countries participating in the VWP program and the ESTA electronic registration and authorization system implemented by the US State Department. The new fee will go into effect from October 1st of this year.

Although the US Embassy in Mongolia has not yet provided official information on the updated fees to the public, agencies offering such services have already started making announcements. Currently, Mongolians pay a visa application fee of $185 (around 675,000 MNT) for short-term visits to the US. This base fee will become $435 (around 1.5 million MNT) in two months.

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Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Nukaga Fukushiro: A new chapter has opened in inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The Speaker of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, D. Amarbayasgalan, held an official meeting with Nukaga Fukushiro, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament.

At the start of the meeting, Speaker D. Amarbayasgalan emphasized that the State Great Khural of Mongolia attaches great importance to deepening friendly relations and cooperation with Japan, which is our important "third neighbor" and special strategic close partner, sharing common democratic values.

He expressed his deep gratitude for the steadfast support provided by the Japanese government and its people in securing democracy and promoting stable socio-economic development in Mongolia.

In addition, he introduced the strategic plan pursued by the newly formed parliament and the "Three Improvements" policy aimed at legal and institutional reforms. Mongolia will host the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in 2026. The State Great Khural is also working on an initiative to establish an advisory body on land degradation and desertification under the Permanent Committee on Sustainable Development of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and he expressed confidence that the Japanese Parliament would actively support this initiative.

Speaker Nukaga Fukushiro highlighted that the visit of the Emperor Naruhito of Japan to Mongolia has further strengthened the cooperation and close friendship between the peoples of the two countries. He emphasized that Mongolia and Japan seek common interests in economic, diplomatic, and security spheres, and that this meeting marks a new chapter in inter-parliamentary cooperation, according to the Press and Media Department of the State Great Khural.

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Expanding Historical and Cultural Cooperation with Turkey

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Member of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia and Chair of the Mongolia-Turkey parliamentary group S. Zulphar, together with Deputy Chair D. Bum-Ochir, received a delegation led by Kayahan Turkmenoglu, member of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey, yesterday.

At the beginning of the meeting, group chair S. Zulphar remarked that the peoples of Mongolia and Turkey have had a long-standing, friendly historical relationship. He noted with satisfaction that during the state visit of President U. Khurelsukh of Mongolia to Turkey in January of this year, the level of bilateral relations was elevated to a Strategic Partnership. Zulphar emphasized that this historic visit enriched the social and economic aspects of cooperation between the two countries and contributed greatly to expanding development in many areas. He expressed confidence that the visit had set out clear future goals and objectives for bilateral cooperation. He also thanked member Kayahan Turkmenoglu, elected from Van province, for his active and initiative-driven work toward bilateral relations.

D. Bum-Ochir, Deputy Chair of the Mongolia-Turkey parliamentary group, expressed gratitude for Turkmenoglu's initiative and involvement in organizing the program in Van province during the Mongolian President's state visit. He especially appreciated Turkmenoglu's efforts to advance the excavation of the summer palace ruins of Hulagu Khan in Khan village, Van, and his initiative on a joint project that would symbolize the historical and cultural cooperation of the two countries.

Kayahan Turkmenoglu, member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, expressed how pleased he was to welcome the President of Mongolia to Van province. He noted that the discovery of the palace of Hulagu Khan, ruler of the Ilkhanate, in Van would further develop the historical and archaeological ties between the two nations, representing a significant find for both Mongolian and Turkish peoples. Additionally, he emphasized that the project to develop a museum for the Orkhon Inscriptions (Tonyukuk Monument) in Nalaikh District, being implemented by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), serves as a cultural bridge between the two countries, and he expressed support for future Mongolian projects and programs.

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Mongolia and Vietnam to Cooperate in Combating Corruption, Official Crimes, and Narcotics

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: ikon.mn

Prime Minister of Mongolia G. Zandanshatar met yesterday with the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyen Huy Tien. Since the entry into force of the intergovernmental agreement in March 2024 regarding the exemption from visa requirements for diplomatic, official, and ordinary passport holders, travel between the countries has increased. In the first five months of 2025, the number of Mongolian citizens traveling to Vietnam has increased by 64% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, around 800 Vietnamese citizens are working and living in Mongolia. Prosecutor General Nguyen Huy Tien expressed confidence that favorable conditions would continue to be provided for Vietnamese citizens to work and reside in Mongolia.

During the meeting, it was noted that the prosecutorial offices of the two countries have agreed to cooperate in the fight against corruption, official crimes, and the trafficking of narcotics and drugs. In the context of the President of Mongolia's visit to Vietnam in 2023, the relevant authorities of the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on combating transnational drug crimes, which both sides highlighted as an important step bringing legal cooperation between the two countries' institutions to a new level.

As part of the Prosecutor General's visit, a cooperation program to be implemented by the Mongolian Prosecutor General’s Office in 2026–2027 was signed and formalized. Prime Minister noted that the Government of Mongolia will fully support the development of bilateral cooperation in accordance with modern trends, expanding its scope and content, and especially strengthening coordination in the law enforcement sector, according to the Press and Public Relations Department of the Government.

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Infrastructure

The Second Phase of Selecting a Contractor for the Ulaanbaatar Metro Will Be Announced in August

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The eastern depot of the Ulaanbaatar metro project is planned to be built on a 26.6-hectare site in the 28th khoroo of Bayanzurkh district. This depot will centralize the technical service, diagnostics, repairs, and parking activities for the Ulaanbaatar metro's rolling stock. In this regard, today, project officials and representatives of the consultancy services led by "Duhua Engineering" JSC visited the planned site for the depot.

The selection of a contractor for the construction of this project is being organized as an international open tender in two stages. The second stage of the tender will be announced in August, and it is planned to sign a contract with the contractor in October. Thus, construction will begin in 2026. An environmental baseline assessment for the project area has already been completed, and the certificate for the depot construction site is ready.

Regarding the importance of the metro project:
B. Amgalanbayar, a railway engineer for the Ulaanbaatar Metro Project, said: "Once the Ulaanbaatar Metro Project is operational, it will have the capacity to carry 17,200 passengers per hour and will have 15 stations. In terms of structure, 14 of the stations will be underground tunnels, and the terminal station will be above ground near the maintenance depot. Furthermore, the plan is for trains to operate every 4.5 minutes." He also mentioned that the metro stations and stops will be 170 meters long, 25 meters wide, and consist of three underground levels. Specifically, on the B1 level, there will be service areas for passenger convenience; on the B2 level, there will be technical sections like service equipment, servers, signaling and communication, and power control panels; and on the B3 level, the tunnel part will be located. For the rolling stock, the technical set speed is 80 km/h, the average speed is 36 km/h, and the maximum speed is estimated at 100 km/h. Thus, travelling the entire metro line from one end to the other will take 36 minutes one way, or 72 minutes for a round trip.

Kim Jin Nam, Mechanical Design Engineer from the consultancy provider "Duhua Engineering" JSC, said: "A total of 19 trainsets are planned. They will be fully automated, driverless trains. The maintenance depot will include automated repair, washing, control, and parking sections. The parking section will be built fully enclosed to suit Mongolia’s extreme climate. The control area will allow monitoring of the entire metro system. Routine maintenance will be scheduled every 2-5 years, so a dedicated maintenance center is planned. The metro will travel along its route, turn at the western terminus (Tolgoit), return to the eastern depot for washing and maintenance, and then be parked."

Regarding the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) for excavating the metro tunnels, it will be 30 meters long. The calculation shows that using 13 TBMs, the project can be completed and operational by 2030. These machines will drill at a depth of 25 meters underground to construct the tunnel walls. Since the work will be carried out in urban areas, experts note that no vibration will be felt on the surface.

Source: Ulaanbaatar City Mayor’s Office, Press and Public Communications Department

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Mongolia with Large Uranium Reserves is Capable of Establishing a Small-Scale 300 Megawatt Nuclear Power Plant

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

We spoke with Dr. D. Ulambayar, professor at the University of Humanities, regarding the development and safety issues of nuclear energy.

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the founding of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also known as Nuclear Energy Day. Let's begin with the significance of this day and what we should understand about it.

On July 16, 1945, the United States tested the atomic bomb in the desert of Alamogordo, New Mexico, for the first time in human history, and on August 6-8, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. This marked the beginning of the nuclear era.

On December 8, 1953, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, addressing the VIII United Nations General Assembly in New York, declared that "atomic energy must be used for peaceful purposes," which was later referred to as "Atoms for Peace."

In August 1955, the first international conference under the motto “Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy” was held in Geneva. This idea became the political basis for the establishment of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is a specialized agency of the UN.

In 1967, Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato announced the famous three principles of non-nuclear weapons in a speech to the Diet, and in 1971, the Parliament adopted these principles by resolution.

On the use of nuclear energy for the benefit of humankind, we must reflect and deliberate wisely.

Based on the lessons of World War II, Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1967 proclaimed the three principles of being free of nuclear weapons, which were adopted by Parliament in 1971:

Not to manufacture nuclear weapons
Not to possess nuclear weapons
Not to allow nuclear weapons to transit through the country

He also proclaimed four main principles concerning nuclear policy:

Support the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes
Contribute to nuclear disarmament globally
Expand the policy of deterrence using U.S. nuclear weapons
Ensure the three non-nuclear principles

Through the San Francisco (1951) and Washington (1960) treaties, they transferred their security to the U.S. and achieved remarkable economic development.

However, even today, the threat of nuclear weapons remains the greatest danger.

Why is nuclear power important to Mongolia's current energy situation?

Today, the world is rapidly digitizing. Artificial intelligence development has already reached a new stage, with these advancements requiring massive amounts of energy.

Mongolia is 20% dependent on its northern neighbor for energy. Meanwhile, the economy is growing rapidly and the population is increasing.

Therefore, not only Mongolia but the entire world places special emphasis on energy security. Major digital technology companies worldwide have already begun negotiations to acquire nuclear power plants.

The government’s New Revival Policy includes support for nuclear and hydrogen energy development.

At the COP-28 meeting, parties agreed to triple the capacity of nuclear energy by 2050 and recognized the key role of nuclear in reducing greenhouse gases to net zero. Mongolia was one of the 22 participating countries at that time.

At the 2022 spring session of Parliament, the Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Affairs reported on the activities of the Nuclear Energy Commission and related legislation.

Mongolia holds 192,241 thousand tonnes of proven uranium reserves, accounting for 2% of the world’s reserves and ranking 10th globally. There are currently 13 deposits and about 100 occurrences, although exploration has stopped as of today.

A 2009 parliamentary resolution provided for the organization of nuclear energy planning within ten years.

A working group’s report estimated that preliminary planning for nuclear energy would cost 5.7 billion MNT. The resumption of this effort led to the establishment of a working group in March 2024 to prepare the necessary report and begin economic analysis for building and operating a nuclear power plant.

Of the 5.7 billion MNT cost, part of the funding is to come from state agencies, part from international financial organizations, and the remainder (around 2.5 billion MNT) from government financing.

So far, there is no official decision from parliament or the government regarding construction of a nuclear power plant in Mongolia.

Ensuring energy security is crucial, and with global warming and climate change, it is not possible to rely solely on solid fossil fuels.

In the near future, multidisciplinary research and risk assessments, as well as personnel training, are required.

On the 85th anniversary of the victory at Khalkhin Gol, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his visit to Mongolia, declared that Russia is open to cooperating on nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, particularly with modern safe technologies like small reactors.

In November 2000, during Putin’s first visit to Mongolia, the governments of Mongolia and Russia signed an agreement on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

However, Russia’s economy and its Rosatom corporation are currently under financial strain, and there is no official agreement between Mongolia and Russia to build a nuclear plant.

Even the European Union now recognizes nuclear energy as "green." What are your views on this?

In February 2022, the EU officially classified nuclear energy as "green." After the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, the world began to move away from nuclear energy. But this was not due to technological or human negligence, but a force majeure: a natural disaster.

Since 2011, experts note that nuclear safety technology has advanced significantly.

According to the World Nuclear Association's July 2025 data, 63% of the world’s energy comes from coal, 24.76% from renewables (solar, wind, geothermal, tidal), 22% from natural gas, 15% from hydro, 3% from oil, 9% from nuclear, and 0.01% from other sources.

It is now clear that renewable energy alone cannot limit global warming to one degree or drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This makes the research and development of nuclear energy and completely new energy sources extremely important.

What role will nuclear energy play in Mongolia’s future? How will this affect our energy security?

I firmly believe that in the near future, nuclear energy will positively impact Mongolia’s energy security.

Some citizens consider nuclear energy dangerous. How should we correctly explain this to reach public understanding?

There are 440 nuclear reactors operating in 31 countries (32 including Taiwan), supplying 9% of the world’s electricity. Nuclear power provides about a quarter of the world's low-carbon electricity and is the second-largest source after hydroelectric.

Over 50 countries operate about 220 research reactors for research, medical isotope production, and training.

Currently, more than 80 small modular reactor projects are underway worldwide, mainly in the U.S., but also in Russia and China.

According to China's National Nuclear Safety Administration, as of December 31, 2024, 58 nuclear reactors are operating in mainland China. The U.S. leads with 94 nuclear reactors, followed by China.

Installed nuclear capacity is 60.88 GW, ranking third after the U.S. (96.95 GW) and France (63.02 GW), with projections that China will surpass France in 2025.

Currently, 27 more plants with a total capacity of 32.31 GW are under construction, ranking first in the world for 18 consecutive years.

According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, in 2024, nuclear energy accounted for 60.83 GW of installed capacity and supplied 1.82% of China’s total electricity, producing 450.85 billion kWh—placing second globally and accounting for 4.47% of the country's energy supply.

Due to air pollution, climate change, and diminishing fossil fuel resources, focus is shifting to nuclear energy. China's General Nuclear Power Group aims to build 150 new reactors with a total capacity of 200 GW by 2035.

China also plans to build up to 30 nuclear reactors in Belt and Road countries by 2030. By the mid-21st century, China aims to develop fast neutron reactors as the main technology and have 1400 GW of nuclear capacity by 2100.

Your previous presentation mentioned "artificial suns," "nuclear batteries," and "wireless energy," which intrigued many. How relevant are these technologies to Mongolia, and can we implement them?

Experimental "artificial sun" work is progressing successfully in China, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Germany, and the U.S., with post-pandemic construction accelerating at the international consortium near Marseille, France.

Development of "nuclear batteries" is contentious due to intellectual property issues. Research into transferring solar energy to Earth via wireless Wi-Fi technology is also progressing well. The digital revolution allows countries to access new products simultaneously. Such breakthroughs are very relevant to Mongolia.

U.S. start-up Heliogen Inc. made technological advances in November 2019, attracting $100 million from Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Heliogen announced it had used 70 heliostat mirrors and AI to achieve temperatures over 1,000 °C by concentrating sunlight to a single point. Bill Gross explained that focusing sunlight from a thousand mirrors on a single point can produce tremendous heat.

Similarly, China has made progress with its largest solar tower at Aksai Hui, with 11,960 heliostat panels.

Time is of the essence; we must understand the rapid progress and boldly move beyond parochial thinking.

Mongolia holds significant uranium reserves but has made little progress in domestic nuclear technology. How can we make better use of this opportunity? What is your public appeal on International Atomic Energy Agency Day?

We are still only discussing these matters at the research level. It takes at least 10 years to build a nuclear plant. Digital and AI technologies are rapidly entering the nuclear sector.

The main way to combat air pollution, global warming, and climate change, and to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is through new energy technology development—first nuclear, then renewables.

Thus, we must deeply realize that time is gold, recognize the rapid pace of events, and shed parochial attitudes.

What are the main legal, regulatory, or public perception hurdles facing nuclear energy development?

First, improve the legal and regulatory environment, educate citizens, foster scientific discussion, and develop local infrastructure and logistics.

In your presentation, you suggested Mongolia could achieve energy security by 2030. What is the most crucial step to make this a reality?

The world is entering an era of deep qualitative changes and severe geopolitical challenges. The rapid development of digital technologies and new geopolitical factors are dramatically changing world conditions.

Climate change is now causing changes that once took thousands of years in just a few years. According to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Mongolia's sustainable development policy, the target is to meet all energy needs domestically by 2030.

Unforeseen challenges have arisen regarding achieving the Millennium Development Goal by 2030: the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, intensified global warming, and isolationist policies such as those of Trump.

To ensure Mongolia's energy security, the country should start producing liquefied gas from its 8 billion ton coal reserves.

Exploration of methane gas in the Gobi provinces, especially Umnugovi, must be expedited; foreign investment should be attracted, reserves confirmed, and extraction begun.

Additionally, start phased projects such as gas pipelines to Ulaanbaatar, develop hydrogen energy, and finally accelerate research and human resource training for small-capacity nuclear energy. If we can do this, we will achieve energy security by 2030.

Thank you for the information and for this discussion.

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Government: Changes to the Heating Scheme in Ulaanbaatar City

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The regular meeting of the Government was held, and the following decisions were made.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the 2026 budget should support human development and education, and instructed that the opinions of citizens and taxpayers be reflected.

Minister of Finance B. Javkhlan presented to the government members the progress on the preparation of the draft state budget for 2026. According to the Law on Budget, the general budget governors have submitted their budget proposals for 2026 to the central administrative body in charge of finance and budget and other relevant organizations by July 25. In this regard, the Prime Minister of Mongolia G. Zandanshatar tasked the government members and general budget governors to ensure public participation while developing the 2026 budget in accordance with the law.

According to the Law on Budget, the government will hold the budget discussion transparently and with citizen participation. There is no such thing as government money, there is only taxpayers' money. Policies on budget reform, savings, and investment decisions will be made with input from citizens and taxpayers. The Prime Minister emphasized that the 2026 budget must be supportive of human development and education, and instructed relevant officials to organize public discussions starting from August 1 for two weeks, ensuring participation of citizens and taxpayers in the survey.

The suggestions from these discussions will be compiled and ranked, and projects with social importance that contribute to increasing budget revenue will be reflected in the draft budget to be presented at the government meeting.

A report was presented at the government meeting on the progress of winter preparations for the energy sector for 2025-2026 and the repair works at the "Third Thermal Power Plant" JSC. As of today, out of 69 main boilers at thermal power plants, 24 are in operation, 20 are on standby, and 25 are under repair. Out of 49 turbogenerators, 23 are in operation, 13 on standby, and 13 are under repair. The system operation is normal, and scheduled maintenance works are ongoing as planned.

Across all 45 companies in the energy sector, major and auxiliary equipment repairs, technical organization, and investment works for the 2025-2026 winter preparations are at 50% completion.

To increase source capacity, the second block of the Booroljuut Power Plant will be commissioned in December this year, and arrangements are being made to import power from China if needed. The construction and installation of the 220 kV switchyard is planned to be commissioned before the start of winter load.

A scheme change will be made to the heating supply system of Ulaanbaatar city, transferring 50 GCal/h of capacity supplied by "TPP-3" to "TPP-4" and "Amgalan Thermal Power Plant".

The energy sector's enterprises and companies are working to ensure high-quality completion of winter preparations within the planned timeline.

Brief News

A working group has been re-established to prepare, organize, lead, and coordinate joint activities of public and private organizations for the "Mongolia-China Expo" as part of implementing the "Joint Declaration on the Development of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Relations" between Mongolia and the People's Republic of China. The fifth "Mongolia-China Expo" will be held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, PRC, from August 25-30.

A 100-day action plan aimed at improving governance, restructuring, increasing efficiency, and productivity in line with market principles for the state-owned companies under "Erchist Mongolia" LLC was presented at the government meeting. The plan was developed to reduce supervisory board sizes, cut costs, and eliminate inefficient expenses in energy companies.

Minister of Family, Labor and Social Protection T. Aubakir was assigned to analyze the implementation of the 2023-2025 National Tripartite Agreement on Labor and Social Partnership, develop and present a draft new agreement, and ensure the implementation of Government Resolution No. 370 of 2013 on some measures to develop social partnership, and intensify relevant activities by government members and provincial and city governors.

The government discussed the draft agreement between the Government of Mongolia and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to establish a representation office of the FAO and decided to consult with the relevant Standing Committee of Parliament.

The 17th session (COP17) of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification will be held in Mongolia from August 17-28, 2026. The government issued a resolution to intensify the work of the National Committee to provide unified leadership and organization and to coordinate intersectoral activities for organizing the conference.

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The Government Meeting Will Review the Winter Preparations of the Energy Sector

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The regular meeting of the Government is being held today, and the following issues are being discussed:

Specifically, the progress of developing Mongolia's 2026 budget proposal, draft government resolutions on placing land under special state use, reviewing the winter preparation work in the energy sector and the progress of the renovation of Thermal Power Plant #3, implementation of the 2023-2025 national agreement on tripartite partnership in labor and social sectors, draft agreement on establishing the Representative Office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in cooperation between the Government of Mongolia and the UN FAO, forming a working group to prepare and organize the Mongolia-China Expo, and other matters.

The decisions made at the meeting will be delivered directly.

Notice: Media organizations (television, radio, social media, and websites) are strictly prohibited from using our information in whole or in part in any form unless agreed upon, and must cite the source (ikon.mn) if used by mutual agreement.

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Open Tender Announced for the CHP of the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park Project

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

As part of the 24 mega projects aimed at developing Ulaanbaatar city, the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park project will be constructed on a 539-hectare area at Shar khöviin khooloi, in the 13th khoroo of Khan-Uul district, located 30 kilometers from the city center.

A four-story building housing the Business Incubator and Training Production Center of the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park has been put into operation. Now, within the scope of the project, an open tender has been announced for the construction of a 24 MW thermal power plant and a wastewater treatment facility.

Furthermore, to establish an environmentally friendly, sustainable energy source, work is underway with support from the Government of the Republic of Korea and in cooperation with the “Smart Energy Platform Group” to prepare a technical and economic feasibility study for a 10 MW solar power plant.

In preparation for relocating leather factories from Ulaanbaatar to the Emeelt Park, work has also begun to conclude land use right agreements with businesses. By building and relocating leather and wool processing factories to the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park, the degraded soil of the Tuul River basin will be restored.

The project will create 5,600 new stable jobs. It will increase the value of livestock by-products and bring significant economic benefits. As the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park will be developed as an economic special zone for the Argala-Emeelt satellite city, it will provide favorable conditions for people to work and live in the area.

Source: UB City Administration, Information and Media Department

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B.Odbayar: Out of 44 Planned Road Reconstructions in the Capital This Year, 37 Are Completed

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Head of the Capital City Road Authority, B.Odbayar

Within the scope of repair and renovation works on the road and pedestrian sidewalk in the 4th khoroo of Bayanzurkh district, the first deputy governor of the capital city, T.Davaadalai, along with relevant officials and representatives of the contractor company, inspected the site. During this, the first deputy governor T.Davaadalai stated: "We are working to accelerate construction projects during the warm season.

We are currently at the site of the sidewalk repair and renovation work in front of the Standardization and Metrology Agency in the 4th khoroo of Bayanzurkh district.

This year, 59.6 km of pedestrian sidewalks in Ulaanbaatar are being reconstructed using natural stone. Approximately 220,000 square meters of area are being renewed, and as of today, 14 out of the 15 subcontractor companies have completed their work.

For pedestrian sidewalks, we are addressing all previous violations such as sidewalks becoming narrower, sidewalks abruptly ending, organizations unilaterally converting public spaces into parking lots, or constructing buildings by encroaching into these spaces. We will ensure sidewalks meet standards. As for the old sidewalk tiles, they are being handed over to the districts."

Additionally, the parking lot and road projects are being implemented comprehensively together with the sidewalk project. Officials highlighted that in the 15 locations where the 59.6 km sidewalk is being reconstructed in Ulaanbaatar, underground communication channels and relocation of electrical cables are being conducted simultaneously as part of the comprehensive work.

B.Bat-Undrah, director of "Tsagaan Tolgoin Nuuriin" LLC, which is undertaking the construction of the pedestrian sidewalk from East 4-Way to Officer's Circle, said: "Work started in June. After finishing the southern sidewalk, we are now working on the northern sidewalk. The progress is about 70 percent.

We plan to finish before September 1. Material procurement has been done. Previously, the sidewalk here was too wide in some areas and narrow in others, showing poor planning. Also, in sections where organizations had built parking without sidewalks, we are now constructing 3-meter wide sidewalks meeting standards."

Head of the Capital City Road Authority, B.Odbayar, said: "The contractor for the road repair and renovation from Officer's Circle to East 4-Way was selected before the Naadam festival, so work is progressing intensively. While executing the work, some bus stops are being developed as pedestrian and green areas together with the road reconstruction.

This year in Ulaanbaatar, out of the total 44 roadwork locations, work has been completed on 37 so far. For the remaining seven locations, we plan to finish by August 15."

Source: Capital City Governor's Office, Public Relations and Media Department

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The Hurdles of the 2.3 Trillion Tugrik Expressway Bet

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Residents of the capital are promised a congestion-free, stress-free Ulaanbaatar from 2028 onwards. The new expressway running along the Tuul River will allegedly allow people to zip from one end of the city to the other in just a few minutes, with traffic jams reduced by 10-20% and average peak-time speeds rising from 7-13 km/h to 25 km/h. This is expected to save time and lost opportunities tied to congestion. Benefits to the efficiency of transport, trade, and logistics are also touted, hinting at broad positive social and economic impact. This optimistic projection is being confidently presented to the public by city officials, with a mega-project called the “Tuul Expressway” seen as the main tool to achieve it. Officials claim that financing is secured, preparations are done, and a contractor is chosen, so there are no headaches remaining.

However, no one seems willing to speculate on what will happen if the resources run out or if unforeseen problems arise due to rushed and poorly researched decisions. All warnings by experts are often dismissed as mere obstructionism or political maneuvering, with city officials brushing off criticism as soon as it arises. Yet, many past initiatives aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving public transport have failed, mainly due to lack of proper analysis and hasty implementation.

For this reason, let's outline the potential real risks of this project. According to the City Road Development Department, construction of the expressway is scheduled to start this week.

Will We Sacrifice the Tuul River in the Name of Solving Traffic? Building an expressway along the Tuul River is not a new proposal; it dates back more than ten years to the government of N. Altankhuyag, as part of the "Street" project. One of its four major works included a Tuul riverside expressway. Mayor Kh. Nyambaatar and his team have been keen to claim that they are the ones finally daring to implement a goal long talked about by successive city administrations. In reality, however, the project faces major issues regarding the city’s ecosystem, citizens’ right to live in a healthy and safe environment, and water supply, among other fundamental concerns—issues that have deterred earlier administrations. Furthermore, opposition from apartment and residential neighborhood dwellers along the riverbank has also played a role.

The proposed 32km expressway will run from the Bayanzurkh checkpoint and the Nalaikh highway in the east across to the safety roundabout on the western route to the provinces—the entire length of the city, right along the Tuul River, within the protected buffer zone of Bogd Khan Mountain. This means pouring concrete infrastructure right into the heart of Ulaanbaatar's ecosystem. The natural landscape and configuration will inevitably be altered or damaged—the only question is to what extent, and how effectively mitigation can be managed.

Urban planning expert N. Tsend says, “They only talk about the good things—the improved traffic and speed. But the resulting air, environmental, and noise pollution, and the loss of ecosystem services, all also need to be discussed openly, and city officials must address how they’ll tackle these problems.” Despite claims by project officials that all preparations are complete and that feasibility studies and designs are done, with contracts to be modeled after international standards, there has been little transparency about what environmental analyses have been conducted and what measures are planned.

In recent years, officials have cut down willow trees and built flood protection dams along the Selbe and Dund rivers, drastically altering their flow and banks, justified as flood prevention. Now, under the banner of relieving congestion, similar harm could be done to the Tuul River. As the saying goes, “Fools rush in.”

The Difficulties of Land Acquisition According to the City Road Development Department, a total of 115 land plots spanning Bayanzurkh, Bayangol, Khan-Uul, and Songinokhairkhan districts need to be cleared for the Tuul Expressway and associated flood infrastructure. These plots are currently owned or used by citizens and companies with valid rights. Officials claim that the route was carefully chosen to minimize land acquisition impacts. Yet, so far, only about 10% of the necessary plots have been cleared, with negotiations ongoing for the remaining 100. Meanwhile, there are reports that construction is imminent.

Several major public projects have dragged on or stalled due to delays in land acquisition and compensation. The Cable Car project and urban development projects like Erdeneburen Hydropower Plant and Hunnu City are prime examples, some still unresolved. Additionally, private investments such as the “Misheel” knowledge park are located in the projected impact zone. It is unlikely that major companies will easily surrender facilities they have built at great cost. Thus, land acquisition is a formidable risk for the Tuul Expressway, threatening to delay completion and cause budget overruns, potentially rendering current promises meaningless.

Expensive Optimism The Tuul riverside expressway will be Mongolia’s second such project; the first was the 32 km expressway built in 2019 connecting to the new international airport, which cost over 600 billion tugrik. This new road, running through the heart of the city and of similar length, is set to cost 3.8 times more, with a total budget of 2.3 trillion tugrik—about 71.8 billion per kilometer. The difference: one was four lanes, the other six—with higher costs justified by the more complex design involving more bridges, tunnels, and overpasses.

Given Mongolia’s current economic situation, spending so much on a 30km road is a massive risk—arguably an excessive luxury. City officials claim that the funding would be sourced from the city budget (400 billion from bonds), but in the end, the burden will fall on citizens. The Tuul Expressway project must also be carefully integrated with other planned infrastructure such as the New Ring Road, airport branch railway, metro, trams, special bus lanes, and cable transport systems—something experts say is currently lacking.

Architect S. Bakhatzhol, member of the Urban Planners’ Association, notes, “Trying to implement multiple major public transport projects at once is itself a big risk. How the ‘New Ring Road’ project, with its tunnels, interchanges, and elevated roads, will connect with the Tuul Expressway at an infrastructure level is a big point of interest. Poor internal coordination could lead to negative outcomes.”

Don’t Entrust Everything to the Contractors The expressway contract was finally awarded, after two tenders, to Hong Kong’s HaoYuan Group. City officials have loudly proclaimed the result, praising the company’s experience in mining, engineering, trade, and construction. In recent years, city officials have tended to prefer foreign contractors for major projects, citing their experience, capacities, and manpower as strategic assets. However, they seem to forget that the key groundwork—research, analysis, planning, oversight—remains the client’s responsibility. The contractor simply does the work per the prepared specifications and collects payment—they are not concerned with the project’s social, economic or long-term effects.

A similar situation happened with the Ulaanbaatar-Darkhan highway, where Chinese companies were assigned the upgrades but Mongolian companies were left to finish the job. City officials must avoid such extremes and be responsible and vigilant at every stage. Let us also recall real-life examples from Los Angeles and Houston, USA, showing that expanding highways alone will not resolve congestion. In closing, let us share this expert’s advice: “Expressways should not be designed only for cars; they must be planned holistically with urban infrastructure, economics, and population growth in mind.”

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‘IBI Group’ LLC Violated Building Construction Standards

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Residents have reported their opposition to the issuance of a permit to “IBI Group” LLC for the construction of a residential building in the 26th khoroo of Bayanzurkh District.

They claim that the newly constructed building violates building construction standards. Specifically:

"PROHIBITION ON BUILDING IN AREAS WITH OVERPOPULATION DENSITY"

According to Article 6.5 of the Law on the Legal Status of the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (revised version):

6.5. No additional rights for land possession, use, or construction permits for buildings, except for infrastructure and public-use land, road, and green areas, shall be issued in areas where the population and construction density exceed the limits specified in city planning and construction norms and regulations.

Bayanzurkh District’s 26th khoroo is an area with excessive population density, where new construction is prohibited. Yet, on May 20, 2025, “IBI Group” LLC was granted a permit to build a 16-story, 2-block residential building.

"NO SUNLIGHT SHADING CALCULATION CONDUCTED"

Urban planning and construction norms and regulations specify the standards to be followed for building design and construction works.

It is also stipulated that when allocating land, preparing architectural planning tasks, drafting designs, and conducting sanitary inspections for newly planned or redeveloped settlements, complexes, or public and residential buildings within Mongolia, these standards and norms must be strictly observed.

However, when granting the architectural planning task approval and construction permit for this building in the given location, no sunlight shading calculation was performed. This violates section 2.11 of the Urban Planning and Construction Norms and Regulations BNBD 30-01-04.

"NO CONSULTATION WITH NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS"

The Construction Law regulates relations connected with construction activities, building material production, construction work implementation, supervision, and commissioning of constructions.

When issuing a construction permit, the authorities failed to consider the comments, requests, and interests of the local residents, which violates Article 7.1 of the same law.

7.1. The competent authority must consider the following when issuing a construction permit:

7.1.1. The rights and interests relating to the ownership, possession, or usage of land and immovable property affected by construction activities;

7.1.2. The rights and interests of citizens and legal entities to live and work in a healthy and safe environment;

7.1.3. Whether the project complies with the principles stipulated by this and urban development legislation.

When sought for clarification, “IBI Group” LLC did not respond.

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MIAT LLC Receives a New Aircraft

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The national airline MIAT has added another Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft made in Canada to its operations. This aircraft traveled a total distance of 12,265 km by air from Johannesburg, South Africa, and arrived in Mongolia today. In 2024, MIAT LLC began operating flights to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, and domestic routes with the "Mazaalai" named CRJ-700 aircraft it acquired that year. The newly acquired aircraft is named "Irves" (Leopard), and will also operate short-haul flights.

The Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft consumes an average of 1.5 tons of fuel per hour, with fuel consumption per seat at 21.4 liters. Its cabin offers large legroom, wide seats, and increased overhead storage space as advantages. Additionally, it features advanced aerodynamic design and is equipped with modern, powerful GE CF34 turbofan engines that provide up to 61.3kN of thrust during takeoff.

Apart from its geographical suitability, the aircraft is notable for its long-range capability, low fuel consumption, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, which align with MIAT LLC's environmentally friendly operating policies.

Technical specifications of the Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft: - Fuselage length: 32.3 m - Fuselage width: 7.7 m - Engine: GE CF 34-8C5B1 - Engine thrust: 12,670 Lbf - Fuel capacity: 10,989 liters - Seats: 70 - Range: 2,655 km - Cargo hold capacity: 15.5 m³ - Maximum takeoff weight: 34,000 kg - Maximum speed: 876 km/h - Maximum cruising altitude: 41,000 ft

Notice: Media organizations (TV, radio, social media, and websites) are prohibited from copying or using this information in any form, in full or in part, without permission and must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using it after agreement.

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The Company to Build the Fifth Thermal Power Plant Will Be Determined on the 6th of Next Month

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: news.mn

Successive Mongolian governments have included the construction of the Fifth Power Plant in their respective action plans. Unfortunately, to this day, the plant has not been built and remains a "dream project on paper." Therefore, Prime Minister G. Zandanshatar, in a meeting with energy sector officials, stated, "People in the energy sector should focus on a single issue and work on it. One of the main problems facing the sector is to amend and refine the legal framework, especially the Energy Law and related laws, and present them to the government. In particular, amendments to the Concessions Law could attract both foreign and domestic investors. There are conflicting interests within the sector, and it seems as though there is some invisible force behind it. For example, the issue of the Fifth Power Plant. Since this project's inclusion in the five-year plan of 1987, during the 2008-2012 government term there was a decision to use our own funds to build it. However, another project was proposed and this one was stopped. Or lawsuits brought everything to a standstill. This kind of conflict of interest that keeps us dependent on energy imports is unacceptable. The sector is divided into factions. Mongolia has enormous renewable energy potential, yet it is not being used. World coal prices are falling and demand is decreasing. Now is the time to build our power plants and use our coal as real 'black gold.' There is also the opportunity to reduce our expensive energy imports. Presently, our country basically imports $200 million worth of electric power. This money could have been fully used to build the Fifth Power Plant, but lawsuits bring the project down. Law enforcement authorities should pay attention to what issues lie behind this."

In any case, the construction of this long-delayed power plant will now be overseen by the Capital City Governor's Office. Specifically, under the 2024-2028 mega program of the government and the city's infrastructure development policy, a total of $600 million has been allocated for the Fifth Thermal Power Plant, which will become a new energy source. Within this framework, a tender was announced for the construction of a new plant with an established capacity to produce 340 Gcal of heat and 300 MW of electricity in the 20th khoroo of Bayangol district.

In the preliminary selection for the construction of the Fifth Thermal Power Plant, eight domestic and international companies submitted proposals, of which four were found to meet the requirements of the Law on Public-Private Partnership. These include Shunkhlai Holding LLC, Mitime International LLC, and China Western Power Industrial LLC. Of the companies that qualified, "Shunkhlai Holding" was previously eliminated in the 2023 tender for Erdenet Factory's data center equipment. Mitime International LLC and China Western Power Industrial LLC have not previously participated in such tenders. Organizations that met at least 60% of the public-private partnership criteria moved to the next round.

Regarding this, Mr. Ölzidulger, the cooperation and responsible expert for the Fifth Thermal Power Plant, stated, "The Fifth Thermal Power Plant project underwent all the phases detailed in Article 17 of the Public-Private Partnership Law, including preliminary and full evaluations. Out of the eight organizations in the preliminary selection, four passed. One was disqualified due to not meeting external sealing and marking requirements. The financial and technical capacities of the organizations were evaluated according to the established methodology, and those scoring more than 60 points advanced. The selection was organized based on the government’s 2024 decree No. 210 and its annex, which stipulates the rules for selecting private partners and consultants."

The winner of the second round of selection, and thus the company to build the Fifth Power Plant, will be determined on the 6th of next month. Once put into operation, the new plant will provide heat to Tavan Shar, the 21st district, Khilchin town, Bayankhoshuu, and the 3rd, 4th, and 1st micro-districts. Construction is planned to start at the end of 2025 and the plant to be operational in 2028.

However, the overlap of the tender process with the holiday and vacation season has raised some suspicions. In particular, skepticism has arisen because Ulaanbaatar city mayor Kh. Nyambaatar has recently appeared to be close with Chinese partners. There are concerns in the energy sector that a Chinese company may win the $600 million project, especially as the parent company of "China Western Power Industrial," Huashi Energy, is chaired by Li Renchao, who has reportedly been implicated in a financial misconduct case. Additionally, there is information that "Huashi Energy" has significant debts.

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SELENGE: Construction Work on the Thermal Power Plant Continues

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The construction and installation work of a 70 MW capacity thermal power plant being built in the center of Sükhbaatar soum, Selenge aimag is successfully continuing according to plan. The first phase of the thermal power plant is scheduled to be put into operation in 2025, and the second phase in 2026.

The total cost of constructing this facility is 108.4 million US dollars, and Raid Mongolii LLC plans to build and commission it with their own funds within two years. By building this plant in Sükhbaatar soum, the center of the aimag, it will reduce dependency on external energy sources and provide a significant impetus to local development.

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Society

91 Out of 258 Applicants Passed the Selection for Studying Abroad with Loans and Scholarships

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

In order to make the loans and scholarships provided by the Education Loan Fund more accessible and effective, the government made amendments to the relevant regulations last spring. As a result, for the first time, the outcomes of the selection organized under the newly approved procedures have been openly posted on the fund's online system.

This year, for the selection to study for a bachelor's degree at the world's top universities through loans, 186 people submitted applications, of which 70 were accepted, while 116 did not meet the requirements. For the scholarships to pursue master's and doctoral degrees in leading universities in priority fields, 55 people participated and 17 were successful. In the selection process for grants to study abroad for people with disabilities, out of 17 applicants, 4 were successful.

In total, 258 citizens participated in the selection process, and only 35 percent, that is, 91 people, met the criteria to receive loans, scholarships, or grants. In addition, as part of the President's scholarship program "Ilgeelt-2100," 296 students are being enrolled in a preparatory program to study abroad for the academic year 2025-2026, of whom 39 will be studying in Germany, according to information released by the Ministry of Education yesterday.

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Narcotics detected in 11 women working at saunas, massage parlors, and nightclubs with strip shows

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: ikon.mn

Photographs used with special permission from MPA Agency. The General Police Department's Narcotics Control Division tested a total of 255 individuals, including workers at 12 sauna and massage parlors, 10 nightclubs with strip performances in Ulaanbaatar city, and women suspected of prostitution by call services. As a result of these inspections, 11 women were found to have used narcotic substances, and they were held accountable under the Law on Infringements.

Warning: Media organizations (television, radio, social and web pages) are strictly forbidden from using our information in full or in part in any form, except by agreement and with the original source (ikon.mn) clearly indicated.

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Environment

145 Tons of Waste Collected from River Basin Clean-up in Chingeltei District

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

In accordance with directives from the Mayor of the capital city, more than 70 employees and staff from public and private sector organizations, as well as staff from utility maintenance services in Chingeltei District, were divided into three groups to clean river basins and summer resort areas on July 24 and 25.

First area: From below Maihantolgoi-2 camp down to the Shargamoriton bridge.

Second area: From below Shargamoriton bridge down to Goodoi Valley.

Third area: From Goodoi Valley down to the Dambyn post, conducting spot cleaning along the riverbank.

A total area of 85,915 square meters was cleaned, and 145.5 tons of waste were collected and transported using eight vehicles over 15 trips in the summer resort direction. In addition, after completion of the clean-up, 8.8 km along the Selbe River, covering 128,000 square meters of basin area, was disinfected.

Source: Capital City Governor’s Office, Public Relations and Information Department

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Innovation

It is deemed necessary to further improve the updated primary education curriculum

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The team responsible for redesigning the preschool and primary education curriculum, creating original textbooks, and developing exercise workbooks started its work in August 2024.

At that time, the Minister of Education, P. Naranbayar, said, “When you ask a child who is reading fluently what they understood, they often say 'I understood nothing.' Therefore, it is time to reconsider the idea of reading by the minute. Academic education is when children can read, immerse themselves in what they are reading, understand it, and express their comprehension.”

However, yesterday, the National Council of Education, chaired by the Minister, convened and discussed the renewed draft curriculum for preschool and primary education. Parliament renewed the Education Package Law in the 2023 spring session and established the National Council of Education. The Council is composed of representatives from government and non-government organizations, higher education institutions, student and pupil organizations, civil society, and researchers.

At the Council meeting:

They supported the adoption of the "Preschool Education Curriculum"
They considered that the "Primary Education Curriculum" needs further improvement.

The preschool curriculum has been updated by up to 30% and developed with guides and exercise books for teachers. The curriculum for primary education has undergone content changes. The curriculum is being piloted in kindergartens and schools across provinces and the capital and is being improved based on multi-level discussions, expert evaluations, and recommendations.

With the adoption of the revised preschool and primary education curriculum projects, the preschool curriculum and the curriculum and textbooks for grades 1 and 2 in primary education will be updated starting from the 2025-2026 academic year.

Minister of Education P. Naranbayar emphasized the following expectations for changes from the curriculum development team:

To improve skills in reading, comprehension, and the application of what has been understood, reconsider the minute-reading approach, develop textbooks that foster imagination and are aligned with children's psychology and literature, and revive reading materials.
As advanced technologies and the digital world develop, make the new textbooks interactive and compatible with information technology to support children's creative thinking.
To reduce homework and lesson load, give children the right to make mistakes and learn from them, have them write with pencils, reduce time spent on penmanship, and increase time for creative work.
To put an end to the practice of children staying after school for extra classes, design curriculums, textbooks, and exercise books accordingly.
English has become the main foreign language in education. The best way to learn a foreign language is to do so without being aware of the process, with repetition being very important. Young children can watch the same cartoon many times, which should be reflected in the new textbooks.

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Health

41 Injured and Eight Dead in Traffic Accidents During the Holiday

Published: 2025-07-30 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

The Capital City Police Department provided an update yesterday regarding the situation during the Naadam holiday as well as on the campaign to prevent traffic accidents. Nationwide, from July 2 until this past Monday, inspections were conducted on 117,000 vehicles, with violations found in three out of every four vehicles checked. For example, 3,002 individuals were caught driving under the influence on rural roads.

Furthermore, during the holiday period, 41 people were injured and eight died due to road traffic accidents. Compared to the same period last year, the number of people injured has decreased by 56% and deaths by 60%. Most accidents were caused by excessive speeding and overtaking without proper assessment or ensuring safety.

Therefore, the police have placed rest areas and the necessary traffic signs at accident-prone locations, also known as 'black spots.'

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Today's Stories

Politics

Economy

Diplomacy

Infrastructure

Society

Environment

Innovation

Health

Politics

ACD: The Majority of Complaints Concern Crimes Related to the Use of Budget Funds

Representatives from 180 Countries Participate in the 6th World Summit of Speakers of Parliaments

The State Budget Will Be Discussed and Open to Public Comment for the First Time

If Corruption in the Budget Isn't Fixed, Government Corruption Won't Decline!

Economy

The Fifth Mongolia-China Expo to be Held from August 25 to 30

VAT to be Imposed on Foreign Legal Entities Providing Electronic Services

Russia’s Ban on Fuel Exports Will Not Apply to Mongolia

Russia Restricts Fuel Exports

Mongolian Coking Coal Prices Rise Again at Chinese Ports

V.I. Matviyenko: No interruptions to the export of energy and fuel to Mongolia

Changes to Transfers Between Khan Bank Accounts

B. Javkhlan: We Have Prepared a Comprehensive Tax Reform Proposal. It Will Be Submitted Alongside the 2026 Budget Proposal

Diplomacy

Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg to Make Official Visit to the Republic of Finland

US Increases Visa Fees by 135%

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Nukaga Fukushiro: A new chapter has opened in inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries

Expanding Historical and Cultural Cooperation with Turkey

Mongolia and Vietnam to Cooperate in Combating Corruption, Official Crimes, and Narcotics

Infrastructure

The Second Phase of Selecting a Contractor for the Ulaanbaatar Metro Will Be Announced in August

Mongolia with Large Uranium Reserves is Capable of Establishing a Small-Scale 300 Megawatt Nuclear Power Plant

Government: Changes to the Heating Scheme in Ulaanbaatar City

The Government Meeting Will Review the Winter Preparations of the Energy Sector

Open Tender Announced for the CHP of the Emeelt Eco Industrial Park Project

B.Odbayar: Out of 44 Planned Road Reconstructions in the Capital This Year, 37 Are Completed

The Hurdles of the 2.3 Trillion Tugrik Expressway Bet

‘IBI Group’ LLC Violated Building Construction Standards

MIAT LLC Receives a New Aircraft

The Company to Build the Fifth Thermal Power Plant Will Be Determined on the 6th of Next Month

SELENGE: Construction Work on the Thermal Power Plant Continues

Society

91 Out of 258 Applicants Passed the Selection for Studying Abroad with Loans and Scholarships

Narcotics detected in 11 women working at saunas, massage parlors, and nightclubs with strip shows

Environment

145 Tons of Waste Collected from River Basin Clean-up in Chingeltei District

Innovation

It is deemed necessary to further improve the updated primary education curriculum

Health

41 Injured and Eight Dead in Traffic Accidents During the Holiday

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