The 2011 state budget presented by the Government and
approved by Parliament shows a deficit of MNT779.5 billion with no indication
so far on how this will be met. Last year’s budget had a much lower deficit,
amounting to MNT358.6 billion, and this

Parliament passed on December 23 the law draft on procedures
to amend the Constitution. Earlier, the final discussion at the Standing
Committees had been marked by acrimony and dispute, but the approval by
Parliament was comparatively uneventful.

Speaker D.Demberel thanked the working group for

MP S.Oyun answers our reporter’s questions on the election
law.

Why is there no progress with the law drafts on the
Parliament election?

We have talked for long but little concrete has been
achieved. Parliament has not discussed any of the drafts in the last

The Millennium Challenge Foundation (MCF) has handed over
ambulance vehicles with medical equipment and training facilities worth USD285
million to hospitals and health organizations throughout the country. One
Toyota Landcruiser worth USD44,500 was handed over to the Chief of the Health
Organization in each

Aimag Governors and Heads of Civil Representatives’
Assemblies (CRAs) attended a day’s training in Ulaanbaatar on December 22. We
asked the Head of the CRA of Selenge aimag, J.Sanjjav, some questions.

How much more money has been allocated to Selenge aimag from
the budget

The Standing Committee on Nature, Environment, Food and
Agriculture decided on December 22 to forward to Parliament the proposal to
allocate MNT1.8 trillion to a national program on climate change that will be
spent on environmental protection, including post-mining reclamation.

E.Bat-Uul was against the

The Government has decided to spend USD24,307 remaining of
the soft loan of USD300 million from the Chinese Government on some
construction work for Ulaanbaatar Railway. Minister of Finance S.Bayartsogt has
been asked to incorporate the necessary amendments in the original loan
agreement to

The Government meeting on December 22 approved the agreement
reached during Prime Minister S.Batbold’s visit to Russia to raise the equity
capital of the Russia-Mongolia joint venture Ulaanbaatar Railway by USD250
million. Minister of Road, Transportation, Construction and Urban Planning,
Kh.Battulga was authorized to

Chinese National Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and
Tserendejid Byambajav, the visiting chief of general staff of the Mongolian
armed forces, met in Beijing Tuesday and pledged to enhance bilateral military
cooperation. Liang highlighted the recent developments of the bilateral
cooperation between the two economies,

A Korea Development Bank (KDB) delegation headed by its
Chairman and CEO, Euoo-Sung Min, recently called on Prime Minister S.Batbold to
express their interest in cooperating with Mongolia in running the recently
established National Development Bank. The KDB also wants to collaborate with
Mongolia