Parliament on January 27 approved the appointment of new ministers to fill the vacancies created when the DP pulled out of the coalition government.

D.Khayankhyarvaa was appointed finance minister by 67.9 percent of voting MPs; D.Tsogtbaatar was appointed nature, environment and tourism minister by 64.7 percent of voting MPs; J.Enkhbayar was appointed defense minister by 67.8 percent of voting MPs; Ts.Dashdorj was appointed road, transportation and urban development minister by 64.2 percent of voting MPs; and N.Khurelbaatar was appointed health minister by 71.7 percent of voting MPs.

MPs also decided to change the government structure. They approved a measure eliminating the post of first deputy prime minister, with 80 percent of voting MPs voting in favor. The MPs agreed to transfer the duties of the first deputy prime minister to the deputy prime minister and the justice and internal affairs minister. The deputy prime minister will assume the first deputy prime minister’s duties on the Authority for Fair Competition and Consumers and with the Standardization and Measurement Office, and the justice and internal affairs minister will assume the first deputy prime minister’s duties at the Intellectual Property Office and the State Registration General Office.