1 39 MONGOLIAN STUDENTS TO STUDY IN GERMANY UNDER “PRESIDENT'S SCHOLAR - 2100” PROGRAM WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      2 MONGOLIAN FLAG CARRIER TO START NON-STOP FLIGHTS BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND ULAANBAATAR FROM NOV 4 WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      3 WHEN CHINA SNEEZES, MONGOLIA CATCHES A COLD WWW.INTELLINEWS.COM PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      4 MONGOLIA–JAPAN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS INNOVATION FORUM TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 18 WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      5 GREENHOUSE PROPAGATION TECHNOLOGY FOR CONIFEROUS TREES UNDER TESTING WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      6 DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM KOREA TO MONGOLIA'S KHUVSGUL LAUNCHED WWW.AKIPRESS.COM PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      7 8 KILLED, 41 INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENTS IN MONGOLIA OVER NAADAM FESTIVAL WWW.XINHUANET.COM PUBLISHED:2025/07/30      8 CONSOLIDATING PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY IN MONGOLIA WWW.VERFASSUNGSBLOG.DE  PUBLISHED:2025/07/29      9 MONGOLIA’S NEW CHALLENGE: ILLEGAL DRUGS WWW.THEDIPLOMAT.COM PUBLISHED:2025/07/29      10 PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA PARTIALLY VETOES PARLIAMENTARY RESOLUTION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF “GOLD-3” NATIONAL CAMPAIGN WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/07/29      ГАНГИЙН ЭРСДЛИЙН ҮНЭЛГЭЭГЭЭР ТАВАН АЙМАГ ЭРСДЭЛ ИХТЭЙ ГАРЧЭЭ WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     МОНГОЛЫН КОКСЖИХ НҮҮРСНИЙ ҮНЭ ХЯТАДЫН БООМТУУДАД ДАХИН ӨСЛӨӨ WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     НИЙСЛЭЛД ХЭРЭГЖҮҮЛЖ БУЙ МЕГА ТӨСЛҮҮДЭД ХАМТРАН АЖИЛЛАХААР САНАЛ СОЛИЛЦЛОО WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     ОХУ-ЫН ШАТАХУУН ЭКСПОРТЫН ХОРИГ МОНГОЛ УЛСАД ҮЙЛЧЛЭХГҮЙ WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     ЕРӨНХИЙ САЙДЫН АХЛАХ ЗӨВЛӨХӨӨРӨӨ Б.ДАВААДАЛАЙГ ТОМИЛЖЭЭ WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     НИЙТИЙН ЭЗЭМШЛИЙН 50 БАЙРШИЛД ТӨЛБӨРТЭЙ ЗОГСООЛ БАЙГУУЛЖ, ТОХИЖИЛТ ХИЙГДЭЖ БАЙНА WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     “MONGOLZ” БАГ УКРАИНЫ “NATUS VINCERE” БАГТАЙ БААСАН ГАРАГТ ТОГЛОНО WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/30     МӨРӨН НИСЭХ БУУДАЛ АНХ УДАА ОЛОН УЛСЫН НИСЛЭГ ХҮЛЭЭН АВЛАА WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/29     ХОТЫН ДАРГА Х.НЯМБААТАР БЭЭЖИН ХОТЫН ДАРГА ИН ЮНТАЙ УУЛЗАВ WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/29     ЧИНГИС ХААН БАНКНЫ ӨР ТӨЛБӨРТ ХӨРӨНГӨ АВАХААР БОЛЛОО WWW.ITOIM.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/07/29    

Category

Events

Events

Name organizer Where
MBCC “Doing Business with Mongolia seminar and Christmas Receptiom” Dec 10. 2024 London UK MBCCI London UK Goodman LLC

NEWS

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Mongolian Team “Alpha Gaming” Wins the PUBG Mobile Super League – Central & South Asia Spring 2025 www.montsame.mn

Mongolia’s team “Alpha Gaming” has won first place in the PUBG Mobile Super League – Central & South Asia Spring 2025 tournament, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The tournament, which took place from June 12 to 22, 2025, brought together a total of 20 teams from Mongolia, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Two teams, namely “Alpha Gaming” and “Champions Esports”, competed from Mongolia.
As a result of scoring 170 points over eighteen games in three days, Mongolia’s team “Alpha Gaming” won the gold medal and the Cup, along with a prize of USD 36,300. Additionally, member of “Alpha Gaming” Burenbayar Altangerel became Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). The team had previously won 4th place in the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2023 under the name “4Merical Vibes”, but changed their name to “Alpha Gaming” last spring. They won the Super Leagues last spring and autumn.
As for the team “Champions Esports”, they ranked 12th with 93 points and were awarded a prize of USD 7,750.

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Mongolia’s parliamentary speaker highlights strengthening strategic ties with Korea www.koreatimes.co.kr

Korea and Mongolia are marking 35 years of diplomatic relations with renewed efforts to deepen their strategic partnership across economic, technological and cultural fronts, according to Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan, Chairman of the State Great Khural, or Parliament, of Mongolia.
In a written interview with The Korea Times, Amarbayasgalan described the current relationship as having been “elevated to the level of a strategic partnership,” emphasizing shared democratic values and common regional interests. “Over the past 35 years, relations and cooperation between our two countries have expanded across all sectors of society and the economy,” he said.
Amarbayasgalan emphasized that the bilateral relationship, which stems from Mongolia’s “Third Neighbor” policy, is rooted in shared values such as democracy, human rights and the principles of a market economy. “Mongolia deeply appreciates the consistent support provided by Korea during our democratic and economic transition,” he said.
In terms of economy, Amarbayasgalan highlighted the significant potential of mining and supply chains, stating that “Mongolia’s mineral wealth, when combined with Korea’s advanced technology and expertise, offers substantial opportunities for cooperation.”
He referenced the 2023 memorandum on rare metals and the establishment of a joint research center for rare metals as a cornerstone of future Korea-Mongolia collaboration. The project involves establishing four laboratories for research and processing, adding that it will “lay a strong foundation for expanding future cooperation in this field.”
He also mentioned significant infrastructure projects, such as the Solongo 1 and 2 apartment developments and the construction of thermal power plants in 10 provincial centers. “Both sides are working closely to ensure the successful and effective implementation of these projects and programs,” he added.
He said that Mongolia is also working to diversify its economy beyond mining and welcomes Korean support and investment in its agricultural and processing industries under improved preferential tax conditions.
The speaker described the visit of former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo to Mongolia in 2023 as “friendly and cordial.”
It was the first visit by a Korean parliamentary leader in 12 years. Discussions reinforced support for bilateral trade and investment. “We agreed to focus parliamentary support for increasing trade and investment between our two countries,” he said.
People-to-people ties were also a key focus of the talks. “Since 2022, the Mongolian government has exempted Korean tourists from visa requirements. Consequently, 193,000 Korean nationals visited Mongolia last year,” he said, citing the country's growing popularity among Korean tourists, who are attracted by its natural beauty, peaceful countryside, blue skies and wide-open steppes.
Amarbayasgalan confirmed that negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries are well underway, with four rounds having been completed thus far. “This agreement … holds significant importance for expanding trade, services and economic cooperation,” he said. “It will establish a legal framework for collaboration between private businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Mongolian night sky / Korea Times file
Mongolian night sky / Korea Times file
He also acknowledged Korea’s long-standing support in the form of grant aid and concessional loans, which have played a crucial role in Mongolia’s transition to a democratic and market-based economy.
“Between 1991 and 2023, Korea provided $237.7 million in nonrefundable aid,” he said, citing major initiatives such as the Greenbelt program and urban development projects in Ulaanbaatar.
Looking ahead, Mongolia envisages a strategic partnership with Korea in the areas of green energy and digital governance. “There is great potential for cooperation in areas such as wind and solar energy, smart grid development and the introduction of energy storage systems,” said Amarbayasgalan.
He referred to the Memorandum of Understanding on e-governance signed in 2023 by Mongolia’s Cabinet Secretariat and Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety. “The two parties are sharing knowledge and enhancing their human resources capacity in areas such as the digitalization of public services, open data, data security and the use of artificial intelligence in public administration,” he said.
Tourism and cultural exchange are also experiencing rapid growth. “More than 350,000 people traveled between the two countries last year alone,” Amarbayasgalan said. “At the peak of the tourism season, over 100 direct flights operate weekly between Mongolia and Korea.” Plans are in place to increase air connectivity, develop new tour packages and introduce youth exchange programs, including internships.
Cultural initiatives include “Mongolia-Korea Cultural Month,” joint exhibitions, film festivals and artistic performances, all of which are intended to foster deeper understanding between the two peoples. “The friendly relationship between our peoples, along with the linguistic and cultural similarities between our two nations, provide a solid foundation for the continued expansion of bilateral relations and cooperation,” he said.
Regarding regional diplomacy, Amarbayasgalan reaffirmed Mongolia’s commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the wider Northeast Asian region. “Mongolia supports peace and prosperity … and the resolution of disputes through peaceful dialogue,” he said. He noted that Mongolia has hosted the “Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security” every year since 2013, with preparations underway for the session in June.
In his closing message, Amarbayasgalan conveyed his heartfelt thanks to the people and leaders of Korea.
“The strategic partnership between Mongolia and Korea is founded on the principles of democracy, an open society and shared development,” he said. “Our partnership ... contributes to regional stability and peace.” He also reaffirmed Mongolia’s commitment to further strengthening this trust-based relationship in the years to come.
BY
Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.

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“MongolZ” Makes History: The First Asian Team to Win 2nd Place in World Counter-Strike Championship www.montsame.mn

Mongolian National Team, “The MongolZ,” won second place in the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) world championship, held in Austin, USA, marking a monumental achievement in esports history not only for Mongolia but also Asia.
The tournament, which began on June 3, 2025, brought together five Asian, sixteen European, and eleven American teams. Two out of the six Asian teams were from Mongolia. The other team from Mongolia, “Chinggis Warriors,” concluded their competition by losing against the Chinese team, taking 28th to 30th place.
“The MongolZ” was the only team from Asia to advance into the quarter-finals, securing their right to compete in the single-elimination bracket. After defeating the team “FaZe Clan”, then the Brazilian National Team “paiN Gaming” in the semi-finals, “The Mongolz” qualified for the finals. They were to face the world’s leading team from the French Republic, “Team Vitality”, who had lost only 2 out of 39 games and had won 6 out of their last 7 tournaments. The final game of “The MongolZ”, highly anticipated by the team’s loyal fans as well as all of Mongolia, began at 03:30 AM, June 23, 2025.
Youth all across Mongolia gathered at Sukhbaatar Square, “Steppe Arena”, the amphitheater at the National Amusement Park, the Ard Ayush Square in Khovd aimag, and the football field in Darkhan-Uul aimag to watch and support the national team. “The MongolZ” lost the game with a score of 1:2. Although the first round was won by “The MongolZ” at 13:5, the French National Team won the second and third rounds at 4:13 and 6:13 respectively, becoming the champions of the biennial World Cup.
The Mongolian National Team “MongolZ” made history with a silver medal, as they became the first team from Asia to advance to the finals and set a record of injuring an opposing player 36 times in a single match. Team “The MongolZ” became the youngest roster to qualify for the final stage of the tournament, with an average age of 20.8. Moreover, “The MongolZ” set another record for playing the highest number of rounds in one match – 53 rounds. In the 20-year history of the game “Counter-Strike”, no other Asian team has ever achieved the level of success accomplished by “The MongolZ”. Despite falling short in the final, the Mongolian team left a lasting mark on the global esports stage.
The winner of the championship, with a total prize pool of USD 1,250,000, won a prize of USD 500,000, whereas the runner-up team “The MongolZ” won a prize of USD 170,000. The third and fourth places were awarded USD 80,000.

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His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito and Her Majesty the Empress Masako of Japan will pay State Visit to Mongolia www.gogo.mn

At the invitation of Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, the President of Mongolia, His Majesty the 126th Emperor Naruhito and Her Majesty the Empress Masako of Japan will pay a State visit to Mongolia on July 06-13, 2025.
This marks the first state visit to Mongolia by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.
During the visit, President U.Khurelsukh and Emperor Naruhito will hold an official meeting to discuss ways to further deepen the friendly relations and cooperation between the two nations and peoples.
Their Majesties will also attend the opening ceremony of the National Naadam Festival and participate in other official events as guests of honor.
This visit holds historical significance and will play a key role in strengthening the “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” between Mongolia and Japan, two nations that share common democratic values. It will also contribute to deepening "people-centered" ties and cooperation across various sectors.
Notably, Emperor Naruhito previously visited Mongolia in 2007 in his capacity as Crown Prince, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

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2025 FIBA 3x3 World Cup to Be Held on Sukhbaatar Square www.montsame.mn

Mongolia will host the 2025 FIBA 3x3 World Cup on June 23-29, 2025, in Sukhbaatar Square, Ulaanbaatar City. The Governor’s Office of the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and the Mongolian 3x3 Basketball Association are jointly organizing the World Cup.
A total of 40 men’s and women’s teams from 27 countries, including the best teams from Mongolia, the United States of America, the French Republic, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Lithuania, and the People’s Republic of China, will participate in the tournament. Alongside the tournament, entertainment shows and performances, a sports equipment exhibition, as well as a national and international food festival will take place.
Mongolia becomes one of the first Asian countries to host the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. The competition is significant as it will promote the development of 3x3 basketball in Mongolia, motivate national young athletes, and boost sports tourism.

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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Pay a State Visit to Mongolia www.montsame.mn

At the invitation of the President of Mongolia, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a State Visit to Mongolia on June 24-25, 2025.
This visit is the first State Visit by the Head of Uzbekistan since Mongolia and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations in 1992 and it is a reciprocal visit following the State Visit of the President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa to Uzbekistan in 2024.
During the State Visit, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will hold official talks and exchange views on expanding and developing friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries, as well as cooperation in the region and international arenas.
Mongolia and the Republic of Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations on January 25, 1992.

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First cargo shipment via Uzbekistan– Kyrgyzstan–China–Mongolia corridor completed www.qazinform.com

On June 20 this year, as part of efforts to expand the export geography of domestically produced goods and strengthen international transport and logistics ties, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, successfully organized the first pilot cargo shipment via the new international transport corridor: Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan – China – Mongolia, UzA reports. 
This project results from a consistent policy aimed at diversifying logistics routes and exploring new export directions to enhance the global competitiveness of Uzbek products.
New Route – New Opportunities
The transport corridor, which runs through the challenging mountainous terrain of the Altai region and reaches up to 1,500 meters above sea level, is a significant alternative to traditional routes. As part of the pilot shipment, Uzbekistan’s national carrier successfully covered a distance of 4,500 kilometers in 8 days.
This initiative highlights Uzbekistan’s growing potential in transcontinental freight transportation and responds to current challenges in the global logistics market.
Regional Cooperation – The Foundation of Success
The pilot delivery was made possible through the coordinated efforts of relevant agencies and the support of government institutions in Kyrgyzstan, China, and Mongolia. The participation of all four countries in the project reflects a high level of mutual trust and a shared commitment to establishing efficient transport corridors across the Eurasian space.
The Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan notes that developing this route opens up new prospects for increasing trade turnover, optimizing delivery times, and reducing logistics costs.
Strategic Significance
Considering the ongoing changes in global supply chains and the growing interest in Eurasian transit routes, this corridor could play a vital role in strengthening Uzbekistan’s position as a key player in regional and international transport processes.
Establishing resilient infrastructure, organizing regular shipments, and developing effective coordination among participating countries will mark an important step toward forming a new connective bridge between Central and East Asia.
As written before, Kazakhstan, China to launch major joint projects in agriculture, energy and transport.

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Kh.Nyambaatar: We will buy semi-coked coal from China by MNT 200 billion, package it and distribute www.gogo.mn

During a parliamentary session, Member of Parliament J.Zoljargal raised concerns about a plan to import semi-coked coal from China at a cost of MNT 226 billion. In response, Ulaanbaatar city Mayor Kh.Nyambaatar addressed the issue, clarifying the city's position and reasoning behind the decision.
“In recent years, many people have died due to suffocation caused by carbon monoxide poisoning,” Mayor Kh.Nyambaatar told reporters. “The National Committee has made a decision to introduce semi-coked coal into public consumption, believing it will have a positive impact on public health. I am simply implementing that decision.”
According to the Mayor, Mongolia currently lacks a plant to produce semi-coked coal domestically, which is why the product will be imported from China for approximately MNT 200 billion. Once imported, the coal will be packaged locally before being distributed for consumption.
MP J.Zoljargal, however, questioned the rationale behind the decision: “The Mayor has said that fuel will be imported and burned in Mongolia. A bid has already been announced. I was surprised that Mongolia is a coal-exporting country, yet we are planning to import processed coal from China. Why?”
He cited the official bid announcement, which reads: “Fuel made from semi-coke or blue coal will be purchased by MNT 226 billion. The general budget manager is the Governor of the Capital City. Dated 2025.06.10”.

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Rio Tinto reaches $138.75 million settlement over Mongolian mine www.reuters.com

NEW YORK, June 18 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (RIO.L), opens new tab, (RIO.AX), opens new tab agreed to pay $138.75 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the Anglo-Australian mining giant of defrauding investors by concealing problems with its $7 billion underground expansion of the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia.
A preliminary settlement of the proposed class action was filed late on Wednesday with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, and requires a judge's approval.
The lawsuit sought damages on behalf of shareholders of Montreal-based Turquoise Hill Resources between July 2018 and July 2019, when that company was majority-owned by Rio Tinto.
Shareholders were led by funds advised by Chicago-based Pentwater Capital Management.
The settlement also resolved claims against former Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques, who stepped down in March 2021.
All defendants denied wrongdoing, but settled to eliminate the uncertainty, burden and cost of litigation, court papers show.
Rio Tinto and Pentwater declined to comment.
Turquoise Hill had been a single-asset company owning 66% of the Oyu Tolgoi mine, with Mongolia's government owning 34%.
Pentwater accused Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill of fraudulently assuring that the Oyu Tolgoi mine was "on plan" and "on budget," even as it was falling up to 2-1/2 years behind schedule and running as much as $1.9 billion over budget.
In 2022, Rio Tinto bought the 49% of Turquoise Hill it didn't already own for $3.3 billion, fully integrating the mine into its copper portfolio.
The lawsuit stemmed partly from allegations by whistleblower Richard Bowley, who worked at the mine and claimed Rio Tinto knew about problems with the expansion before it publicly disclosed them.
Rio announced the possible $1.9 billion overrun in 2019, and projected total capital expenditures of $6.5 billion to $7.2 billion.
Lawyers for the shareholders plan to seek legal fees of up to 13% of the settlement amount, or about $18 million excluding interest, plus up to $2.6 million for expenses, court papers show.
The company, Hexagon, says AEON will start work later this year in live industrial settings, testing its ability to complement the workforce.
The case is In re Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-08585.
Reporting by Clara Denina in London and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sonali Paul

 

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The Fall of Mongolia’s Coalition Government: As One Chapter Closes, Another Opens www.arctusanalytics.com

What could go wrong in 3 weeks of protest? A lot. A longer version on Mongolia’s current political landscape.
On June 12, the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) appointed Zandanshatar Gombojav, a former Speaker of the Parliament of Mongolia, as the 34th Prime Minister of Mongolia. Zandanshatar’s new cabinet was sworn in on June 17. But, before Zandanshatar was appointed, Mongolia experienced three weeks of political unrest. What prompted as an organic youth protest quickly turned into a bizarre political clout, even mingling with the country’s foreign affairs.
Pressuring the newly elected 126 parliamentarians
On June 3, the Parliament of Mongolia voted no confidence on Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, who has now stepped down after serving for 5 consecutive years. Considering Mongolia’s unstable executive branch, Oyun-Erdene has now become the longest serving PM in modern Mongolia’s history. By the time the parliament voted on the resolution, the Mongolian youth protest had already been continued for three weeks straight. Within the three weeks of this period, what shocked and upset the people was that there was no direct communique nor any effort to find a resolution to the conflict. In retrospect and true at the time of the protests, the Prime minister should have met and talked to the young people. Instead, Oyun-erdene took matters in his own hand and turned political and the Mongolian parliament was now involved. 
Events that have unfolded in the past three weeks demonstrate multifaceted issues in Mongolian political life. Stemmed from a frustration over the Prime minister’s son’s lavish lifestyle, the protest and the ousting of Oyun-Erdene and his coalition government quickly turned into a political ambiguity of democracy, discussions on change in governance model, and a fight between nepotism and meritocracy.
As hundreds of protestors gathered at the Sukhbaatar Square, a secret ballot was drawn either to show confidence or no confidence on Oyun-Erdene’s political request to remain in office. The members of the Parliament were indeed divided. Media coverages shed light on mixed but legit concerns of unstable government, economic concerns, but also how to respond to the people’s demand. To the legislatures, listening to their constituencies were equally important to that of having a stable executive branch. After all, parliamentarians are elected officials, chosen by the people, to represent the people, not to serve a single government or an individual politician. 
Mongolia’s newly elected 126 parliamentarians were put into a difficult position. The protest continued, while becoming ever more diverse. They also began to pressure the members of the parliaments to be on the people’s side.
While this was happening in the government building, the protestors took their demands to social media. The Instagram account, ogtsrokh_amarakh posted social media posts targeting new members of the parliament. In an organized message, the protestors and the constituencies sent, “If you trust [h]im—the Prime Minister—we will not trust you.” 
Parliamentary members, such as Luvsanjamts Ganzorig, Japan-educated architect, Enkhtsetseg Munkhchuluun, Anar Chinbaatar, CEO of Ondo Space, Saranchuluun Otgon, a voice and representative for the disabled and the underserved communities, Uyanga Bold, major advocate for sustainable development, Bum-Ochir Dulam, Oxford-graduate, a leading anthropologist and more members received messages from their constituencies, demanding to vote no confidence to oust Oyun-Erdene. 
Ahead of the vote, the Democratic Party (DP) ministers withdrew from the coalition government and their parliamentary group—all 42 members—abstained from the vote. Ex-President Battulga Khaltmaa, who is now a parliamentary member, had met with members of the DP but quickly left the building without showing his face as journalists chased him.  Mongolia’s current law requires support from a majority of all 126 members—at least 64 votes— for the Prime Minister to remain in office. “As the threshold was not met, the Prime Minister was deemed to have lost the vote of confidence and was therefore considered dismissed under the Constitution.”
On the day of the vote, 82 out of 126 parliamentary members participated in the vote. Of the 82 MPs who participated, 44 supported the resolution, equivalent to 53.6 percent while 38 voted against it. 
To the eyes of the hundreds of protestors, each day’s protest was an opportunity for Oyun-Erdene or the coalition government members to have a dialogue. What has happened in the last three weeks created tremendous opportunities for political elites to protect their interests. The disconnect of the political elites and politicians were so apparent and is abysmal.
First. The ‘Disconnect’ Element 
In the face of allegations of corruption and lavish lifestyle, the Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene should have spoken to the people. The first notable observation is how Oyun-Erdene responded to the protest. There was an obvious disconnect between the Prime Minister and what the people were demanding: transparency and accountability. This was clear from the beginning to the end. But the disconnect became more apparent when Oyun-Erdene did not respond in a timely manner. As the protest progressed days to weeks, the public got more suspicious. 
The missing element, or the disconnect on Oyun-Erdene’s part was he had neglected or disconnected from the fact that the public no longer trusts the anti-corruption authorities. This is a legitimate concern that many of Mongolia’s large corruption cases have not been solved. Hence, when the Prime Minister simply referred his corruption allegations to the Anti-Corruption Agency, the public wanted something more organic from him. Unfortunately, he failed to do that. 
Second. Political and Foreign Policy Element 
The second observation certainly had political elements, and it became more pronounced as days went by. 
When Oyun-Erdene spoke to several media representatives, his response was deeply political. He mentioned that some of his economic policies, for example, the proposed Sovereign Wealth Fund might likely hurt mining conglomerate families. There is a legitimacy to his statement. The Sovereign Wealth Fund, although intended to establish a fund from nationally recognized strategic mining sites for future generations, to spend on education and healthcare, this move can also be attributed as a redistribution of wealth. Additionally, there is also a legitimate concern that because Mongolia’s corruption did not improve in the last couple of years, what guarantees for these funds will actually be allocated to the people?
Based on Oyun-Erdene’s argument, the Mongolian rich families (mostly mining) did not approve the establishment of such a fund to divide their net profit, either via taxation or profit-sharing. Oyun-Erdene later mentioned that even though parts of the protest was organic, the ousting of his government was a smear campaign that was planned months before the social media outbreak. By the second week, foreign media and journalists already arrived in Ulaanbaatar, expecting a resolution. But there were other political elements and shenanigans began to take place. 
The second political element was the suspicion of the Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa seeking a second term as President by making amendments to the constitution. The current law states that Mongolian President will serve one six-year term. But things got weird really quick. 
On June 12, an article was published in The Times, titled, Mongolian Prime Minister ‘Ousted by Putin Ally Smear Campaign.’ The article certainly raised some eyebrows in Mongolia and abroad, particularly in the international relations circle, which refrain from mixing domestic politics to foreign affairs. Indeed, Ulaanbaatar’s foreign policy has and still is independent of party politics. From international relations point of view, calling Khurelsukh a Putin ally just because of his military background and the fact that he attended the 80th anniversary of the end of Second World War seems like a cheap shot and also does not align with Mongolia’s multi-pillared foreign policy. To Mongolian foreign policy experts and international relations circle, this was a non-sense.  The whole point of Mongolia’s foreign policy principle is to avoid a bloc system, such as joining Putin or Xi’s bloc. 
Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh, furious about the article, made a statement on June 15. She stated that the article has in many ways misconstrued the political events that involved many young people seeking for a just society. She bashed the quotations and the citations of “government sources.” Battsetseg stated, “Damaging the country’s reputation in the name of protecting one’s own interests is indeed an act of treason.” 
Considering all these elements, it has been clear that Oyun-Erdene is not exiting quietly but there is also a power struggle within the party. He has made as much noise about Khurelsukh’s intention to ally with neighboring autocracies by seeking a second-term, and the coalition government, calling a coup. Despite the fact that the President himself denied such intention, now the Foreign Minister and other officials are backing Khurelsukh’s statements. Whether this suspicion or allegation will materialize, is in the hands of the legislative body of the Mongolian government. On May 18, the Press Office of the President stated that Khurelsukh will not be seeking a second term in the 2027 election.
Third. Economic Element 
While observers praise the democratic process and the active youth participation as a healthy functioning of a democratic society, on a governance level, an unstable executive branch signals unstable government and there are economic consequences. 
The fall of the coalition government and the transition process will cost tax-payers money. When a new government comes into executive power, their agendas and financial goals alter. In Zandanshatar’s case, one of his government’s goals is to limit government spending and reduce the number ministers. What this means is that if there was any work that had been started within a Ministry during Oyun-Erdene’s government, and that Ministry is dissolved, the work is likely to be stopped. 
From an economic and developmental point of view, despite the fall of the coalition government, the so-called the 14 mega-projects which included some major infrastructure deals with foreign partners, including the Erdeneburen hydro power plant, Siberia Power II, France-Mongolia uranium extraction projects will continue to be pursued. In some cases, these mega-projects change their names under a new administration. One of the Zandanshatar government’s goals will be to dissolve some state-owned enterprises. In any case, these mega-projects will indeed require political stability and a continued flow of massive amounts of foreign direct investment.
Recent developments in Mongolian politics highlight the strength of the country’s democracy, the active engagement of its youth, and the growing demand for transparency and accountability. In observing Mongolia’s political landscape for the last month, what the Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai failed to do during this period was to effectively communicate with the people. But the process which took place, starting with the organic youth protest, demanding financial transparency, a mobilization of diverse groups seeking accountability and responsibility shows nothing but a robust democratic process, and the citizens of Mongolia should be proud of such a democratic system.
BY Bolor Lkhaajav | Policy Consulstant, Op-Ed Contributor – Arctus Analytics

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