All MPRP MPs, including including the party Chairmanr S.Bayar, Secretary General U.Khurelsukh, and Prime Minister S.Batbold, attended the group’s meeting on Thursday. Batbold spoke on his plans for Tavantolgoi and on the Government’s thinking on the new railway route. He also suggested a new way in which to distribute the promised MNT1.5 million to each citizen.

After the meeting, head of the group D.Lundeejantsan told media that no decision has been taken on which of the bidding companies will be asked to work in Tavantolgoi. A policy will be presented to Parliament soon. The Prime Minister favors dividing Tsankhi into two and gave detailed information on talks with foreign and domestic companies. 

Parliament will have to settle the railway issue early as use of both Oyutolgoi and Tavantolgoi depends on it. The Government prefers an east-west route to a north-south one and plans to set up new border ports. A final decision on the railroad route will be taken after considering geopolitics, national security interests and the possible location of processing industries. There are also issues to be settled with the two neighbors such as tariff relief and gas pipes.

The Prime Minister’s suggested method to distribute the MNT1.5 million I based on recommendations by the World Bank and international experts.  Denying that the party groups in Parliament have ever said it is impossible to give MNT1.5 million to each citizen, Lundeejantsan said the distribution depended on many factors, including revenue from Tavantolgoi and Oyutolgoi, railway policy, infrastructural development and the apartment program. “Our stand has always been that the money must be given, and a way has to be found,” he said.