On September 1, the State Social Insurance General Office (SSIGO) changed the banks that process pension and subsidy payments from the Social Insurance Fund from. On Monday, the Confederation of Trade Unions (CTU) came out against that decision, saying all commercial banks should be allowed to process pension and subsidy payments.

The CTU says the change is not in the best interest of citizens and violates the rights of pensioners. The CTU says the change also violates an agreement between the SSIGO and commercial banks that was reached in December 2010.

The CTU has expressed that the decision obstructs citizens’ interests, violates pensioners’ rights along the Constitution and cooperation rules between SSIGO and commercial banks that was passed in December, 2010. The CTU says Mongolia’s 164,000 pensioners should be allowed to choose the bank they wish to use from 15 commercial banks.