Head of the Mongolian Labor Union S.Ganbaatar has asked for a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the increase in electricity rates. He is yet to receive a reply to his letter sent just before the New Year.

“It is wrong to provide support to some companies by making people may more. The decision was taken without considering other options. The problem the energy sector faces is related to the incompetence of its officials and we oppose this move to make the people bear the burden for their actions,” said Ganbaatar.

Saying that corruption and fraud marked the spending of public funds in the sector where low-quality products were regularly bought at the behest of officials, Ganbaatar remarked that the Government has not raised either minimum wages or pension, but has decided to raise the tariff which will lead to increasing unemployment by hitting small and medium industries hard,.

Referring to the Government’s contention that the increases will not be much, Ganbaatar said the calculation was not “realistic”. “Indeed, news of increased tariffs has already raised product prices,” he said.