Politics
Parliament Moves 2027 Budget Bill to Next Stage
Published: 2026-11-02
Parliament moved the 2027 budget bill to its next stage at the Oct. 30 plenary session, referring it to the Budget Standing Committee. Unuudur.mn calls it the third discussion, preparing for a fourth; urug.mn labels it the fourth. The committee’s 10 packages include shifting money between current and capital spending and renaming projects, without raising total spending. Parliament must approve the budget by Nov. 15.
The government submitted the bill on Aug. 31. Urug.mn’s article body cites 41 trillion tugrik revenue, 43 trillion spending and a 2 trillion deficit, but its heading gives 31.9 trillion spending and a 3.99 trillion deficit. Lawmakers and auditors noted 76 of 282 planned construction and major repair projects, worth 1.8 trillion tugrik, lacked approved designs. After the government withdrew its Oyu Tolgoi dividend bill, a proposal emerged to direct the 2 trillion tugrik budgeted from the dividend to the Accumulation Fund.
Coverage:
Housing order contract registration rules take effect November 15
Published: 2026-11-02
The Government has adopted a new procedure for registering housing order contracts, and it will take effect on November 15. Peak News reported on November 2 that the Government decided to introduce the rules to prevent fraud tied to housing order contracts and to protect the rights and interests of citizens. The rules follow the Government’s decision to act against fraud linked to these contracts. The initial report does not describe the registration steps, the agency responsible for registration, or any penalties for non-compliance. Those details were not included in the source material, so the practical requirements for developers and buyers remain unspecified ahead of the November 15 start date.
Coverage:
Draft Resolution Would Move Clocks Forward Every Summer From 2027
Published: 2026-11-02
MP G.Khosbayar drafted a resolution to apply daylight saving time every year and posted it on D.Parliament on October 26, 2026 for public comment. Under the draft, starting in 2027, clocks would move forward one hour at 02:00 on the Friday-to-Saturday night in the last week of March. They would return to standard time at 00:00 on the Friday-to-Saturday night in the last week of September. Work and service start times would remain unchanged. The Government would align transport timetables, information systems, payroll and health advice, with at least 60 days’ public notice before the first change. Parliament’s Economic Standing Committee would oversee implementation. Khosbayar says the draft aims to use daylight hours better and cut lighting electricity use. Archive materials show daylight saving was used in 1983 and 1985, revived in 2001 and 2015, and ended in 2007 and 2017.
Coverage:
DP Lawmakers Press Prime Minister Uchral on Debt, Subsidies and Budget Theft
Published: 2026-11-02
Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers questioned Prime Minister N. Uchral in parliament last Friday over next year’s draft budget. MP B. Jargalan said new loans, aid and debt guarantees would add 11 trillion tugriks in debt to the roughly $40 billion the country already owes. DP caucus head B. Tuvshin said major state and strategic mining entities, such as Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi, Oyu Tolgoi LLC and Erdenet, contributed 48.5 trillion tugriks in taxes, insurance and dividends over ten years, enough, he said, to build oil, steel and copper processing plants and several thermal power plants. He noted that 851 of the 1,460 days in the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) program have passed. Uchral replied that all assets in the consolidated report must be reflected in the budget, and that local governments sometimes approve budgets above state limits and shift spending between categories, which undermines transparency.
Coverage:
Ulaanbaatar Council Schedules Nov. 9 Session on Winter Preparations, Meat Reserves and City Tax Rate
Published: 2026-11-02
The Ulaanbaatar Citizens’ Representatives Khural’s Council held its 29th meeting on Nov. 2 and reviewed the agenda plan for the Khural’s regular ninth session, which it scheduled for Nov. 9. The Council was briefed on four items slated for that session: preparations for the 2026-2027 winter season, the build-up of meat reserves, amendments to the capital’s 2026 budget, and a change to the percentage rate of the city tax. The report did not give details of the proposed budget amendments or the new tax rate, and no decisions on any of the items were reported. The items will be formally taken up at the Nov. 9 session.
Coverage:
2027 Presidential Election to Follow 2021 Law, With Nominations Starting April 30
Published: 2026-11-02
The 2027 presidential election will follow the 2021 law because parliament did not amend the Law on Presidential Elections. Nominations run from April 30 to May 2, and parties and coalitions must submit candidates’ names to the General Election Commission by May 5. Each party first selects one candidate internally. Only the five parties and coalitions that won 2024 parliamentary seats may nominate. Candidates must be native-born citizens aged 50 or older who have lived in the country permanently for at least five years. Citizens abroad can vote at embassies, consulates and permanent missions. Candidates file asset declarations with the Anti-Corruption Agency, which posts them online from the first campaign day. The 15-day campaign uses eight permitted formats. After voting, every polling station holds a 100 percent manual control count with media and observers present. Voters will receive an ink mark showing they have voted.
Coverage:
DP Caucus Says No Government Talks Held and Sets Four Positions on 2027 Budget
Published: 2026-11-02
Democratic Party (DP) caucus leader B. Tuvshin said the caucus has held no talks so far on cooperating with the government or joining it, and he criticized the government’s performance. On the draft 2027 budget, the DP caucus agreed on four positions. It opposes distributing Oyu Tolgoi revenue to citizens or using it for budget spending, and wants it placed in the Wealth Fund as the law requires. It also calls for adopting the budget in line with the Budget Framework Statement, limiting growth in spending, and opposes a provision directing 50 percent of the Local Development Fund from the central level. Tuvshin added that DP chair O. Tsogtgerel collected signatures on a petition to dismiss the government, and 41 members of parliament signed. The DP Political Council will decide when to submit it. Next week, the caucus plans to hear a briefing on falling copper and coal exports and disruption in budget revenue.
Coverage:
Economy
Oyu Tolgoi Rockfall Investigation Findings Due Wednesday
Published: 2026-11-02
A rockfall triggered by a tremor in the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine on Thursday, Oct. 29, affected 15 workers in the area. Two injured employees were brought to Ulaanbaatar and are being treated at Intermed hospital. Oyu Tolgoi LLC CEO S. Munkhsukh told the press that the other 13 workers underwent full medical checks and are in normal health, and that the two hospitalized employees sustained no life-threatening injuries.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources formed a working group to determine the cause and circumstances of the accident and carried out an on-site inspection. The group includes representatives of the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority and the Professional Council for Mineral Resources. Its findings are due on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
“The rescue operation was carried out without delay.” - S. Munkhsukh (isee.mn)
Coverage:
Oyu Tolgoi Dividend Spending Bill Withdrawn; Border Restrictions Cut Exports
Published: 2026-11-02
The government withdrew its bill to spend 2 trillion tugrik of expected Oyu Tolgoi dividends on social and energy projects on Oct. 23, five days before a public survey ended, and said the dividend would go to the Accumulation Fund. Parliament’s Budget working group kept 17 of 52 projects in the state budget, costing about 577 billion tugrik.
Meanwhile, restrictions at China’s Ganqimaodu crossing since Oct. 15 have cut Oyu Tolgoi’s concentrate exports by 70%, to three or four convoys a day. CEO S. Munkhsukh said convoys fell from 12-13 to four; officials say maintenance ends in late December. Prime Minister N. Uchral said the government may have to yield in talks with Rio Tinto over the 3 trillion tugrik dividend from its 34% stake, while Munkhsukh said the figure remains under discussion.
“It must be resolved quickly.” - S. Munkhsukh (news.mn)
Coverage:
Euro92 makes up 52.5% of recent AI92 gasoline imports as regular AI92 is supplied more heavily to provinces
Published: 2026-11-02
The fuel operations headquarters issued a supply update on November 2 at 15:15. According to the bulletin, Euro92-standard gasoline accounted for 52.5% of the AI92 gasoline imported over the last five days. Separately, the bulletin said that over the past weekend, petrol stations in the capital mostly distributed Euro92 gasoline, and the number of vehicles queuing for the more expensive fuel was relatively low. The 52.5% figure refers to the share of imports over five days, while the weekend statement describes what capital stations distributed. The headquarters also said that regular AI92 is being supplied more heavily to the provinces. The bulletin did not provide import volumes, prices, or queue counts.
Coverage:
Meat prices run 47% above last year, pressuring processed-food makers
Published: 2026-11-02
Meat and meat product prices rose 46.9% year on year in September, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO), as national inflation reached 12.9% and food prices climbed 20.8%. Beef increased 48.4% and mutton and goat meat 58.5%. In the NSO consumer basket, mutton rose 55% in a year, from 15,722 tugrik on October 1 last year to 24,308 tugrik on October 1 this year. The year-on-year increase in meat prices peaked in the summer months, with the meat group up 52.4% in July. The start of the autumn season has steadied prices slightly, but boneless beef in Ulaanbaatar still averaged 34,737 tugrik per kilogram in the NSO’s October 5 report. Producers of sausages, dumplings, and canned meat face higher raw-material costs, and itoim.mn reported that processed-product prices could rise if meat prices do not fall.
Coverage:
Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi posts MNT 1.5 trillion net profit through third quarter
Published: 2026-11-02
Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi’s net profit reached MNT 1.5 trillion through the third quarter, 50 percent above its MNT 1 trillion annual plan. The company sold 28.1 million tonnes of coal in the first 10 months of 2026. Sources report year-on-year gains of 8.9 million tonnes and 48.3 percent; one calls the volume exports. The source’s detailed statement puts first-nine-month sales revenue at $1.964 billion, up 68.1 percent. Its coal exports via Khangi port reached 5.8 million tonnes, 7.5 times the January level, the source says. In 2026 it plans MNT 480.3 billion in dividends to the National Wealth Fund and MNT 1 trillion to the state budget.
“A company that brings revenue into the National Wealth Fund and pays dividends on 1072 shares has no right to work poorly.” - B. Chagnaadorj (isee.mn)
Chagnaadorj is the company’s chief executive.
Coverage:
Central Bank Proposes Government Bonds to Cover 4.8 Trillion Tugrik Capital Gap
Published: 2026-11-02
Bank of Mongolia Governor S.Narantsogt briefed Parliament’s party caucuses on November 2 on a plan to cover the central bank’s 4.8 trillion tugrik capital shortfall over the next five years by issuing government securities. The bank submitted a draft resolution on 2027 monetary policy guidelines last month. Narantsogt said the central bank has provided 15.7 trillion tugrik of quasi-fiscal financing since 2012, and that more than half of its interest costs go to interest on its own securities. The 2027 guidelines include 17 measures targeting six channels that affect inflation.
“Resolving a central bank’s capital shortfall through special government bonds is international practice.” - S.Narantsogt (ikon.mn)
“Stabilizing inflation through monetary policy alone is limited, and underlying issues such as quasi-fiscal financing and debts between state bodies must be resolved.” - S.Narantsogt (urug.mn)
Coverage:
Coal Exports to China Fall 11% in September as Diesel Supplies Tighten
Published: 2026-11-02
Mongolian coal exports to China fell in September to their lowest level of 2026, with a diesel shortage and continued restrictions on coal transport at the main border crossing cited as factors, according to EADaily, citing Mysteel Global and Mongolian customs data. Total coal exports reached 8.41 million tonnes, about 11 percent below the previous month. It was the first decline this year; exports had risen steadily to a record 11.3 million tonnes in April. Mysteel reported that diesel stocks, supplied mainly by Russia, had dropped to roughly 13-15 days of normal consumption. Diesel is critical for open-pit mining equipment and for hundreds of trucks hauling coal to the Chinese border. EADaily links the shortage to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries. On October 8, the Government instructed local officials to clear congestion at six points near the Gashuunsukhait-Ganqimaodu crossing to speed coking coal shipments to Chinese steel mills.
Coverage:
Published: 2026-11-02
Mongolia’s Financial Regulatory Commission has warned that a platform called “Aurum foundation” (aurum.foundation) is likely engaged in financial fraud. According to the commission, the platform offers citizens, particularly young people, AI-based virtual asset trading and promises monthly returns of 10 to 17.5 percent on investments. It also advertises online banking services through the same address and says users can grow their assets by completing multilevel marketing tasks, while collecting money from the public. The commission said these features resemble a financial pyramid and the activity may be illegal. It urged the public to stay cautious, not to use the platform, not to link it to their online banking accounts and not to invest in it.
Coverage:
Kazakh Border Checks Push Russia-Bound Cargo Toward Routes Through Mongolia
Published: 2026-11-02
Tighter Kazakh border checks are slowing Russia-bound cargo, and logistics firms are advising shippers to consider routes through Mongolia. Citing The Moscow Times, importers report waiting an average of 20 days at the Kazakh border, on a journey that previously took about 20 days in total. A freight forwarder said Kazakh customs have intensified checks on Chinese and Kyrgyz crossings since last summer, scrutinizing electronics, machinery, auto parts, drones and very low-value declarations. Several carriers halted trucks through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan between October 28 and 30. On October 30, Kazakhstan’s transport ministry announced stricter checks on large and heavy vehicles, after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev criticized lost transit revenue. Nearly all trucks bound for Russia and Belarus now face extra weight inspections. Logistics firms suggest shipping directly to Russia, through Mongolia, or via Far Eastern ports. In October, the Kazakh route cost $12,000-13,000 per truck; direct shipping to Russia costs 10-15 percent more.
Coverage:
Khan Bank Draws $210 Million From World Bank Group’s IFC for Small Business Lending
Published: 2026-11-02
Khan Bank has drawn $210 million from a $300 million financing package approved by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank Group member. The funds target long-term lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, especially women- and youth-led businesses and rural and agricultural firms. IFC supplied $130 million from its own resources, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Commercial Bank of Dubai provided $70 million, and another $10 million came from an IFC currency-risk swap. It is the first lending to Mongolia by the two banks under IFC’s syndicated loan program, and IFC’s first tugrik financing to a Mongolian commercial bank. The swap lets Khan Bank manage exchange-rate risk on foreign funding while expanding long-term tugrik loans. Khan Bank CEO R. Munkhtuya said:
“This $210 million financing is another important achievement that takes our partnership to a new level.” - R. Munkhtuya (ikon.mn)
Coverage:
Diplomacy
Driving theory test now available in Mongolian in South Korea as Mongolia requests digital visa applications
Published: 2026-11-02
South Korea has introduced its driving theory test in Mongolian at 27 licensing test centers, with 1,800 questions translated and the service fully available from October 29, 2026. B. Enkhbayar, head of the Cabinet Secretariat, attended the launch while in Seoul for the 10th session of the Mongolia-South Korea Intergovernmental Joint Committee on October 30. An intergovernmental agreement signed during President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Mongolia covers mutual recognition and exchange of driver’s licenses for short-term driving of passenger vehicles, and South Korean citizens can now take Mongolia’s theory test in Korean in Ulaanbaatar. At the committee, Mongolia raised multi-step visa procedures and double fees and requested digital visa applications. Both sides agreed to draft a joint roadmap for easier travel and begin talks soon.
Coverage:
Khurelsukh’s Tour of Germany, Finland and Belarus Yields Partnership Declaration and Belarus Roadmap
Published: 2026-11-02
President U. Khurelsukh made state visits to Germany, Finland and Belarus on October 19-26. In Germany, at the invitation of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, both presidents adopted a joint declaration to expand and strengthen their strategic partnership. In Finland, the first Nordic country to recognize Mongolia, in 1963, the sides agreed to cooperate on a women, peace and security project and to send five students to the University of Eastern Finland under the Mission 2100 program. In Belarus, on his first state visit there as head of state, the sides set a 2027-2029 roadmap, following a 2025-2027 roadmap drawn up during Alexander Lukashenko’s 2024 visit to Mongolia. Analyst P. Myagmardorj of the University of Humanities said:
“We should turn relations into real business and material interests, rather than keeping Germany at the abstract level of a ‘third neighbor.’” - P. Myagmardorj (news.mn)
Coverage:
India Steps Up Support for Oil Refinery Project and Signals Interest in Coal Purchases
Published: 2026-11-02
Indian officials held a high-level meeting in New Delhi on Oct. 27 to speed up the oil refinery under construction in Mongolia with India’s concessional loan financing. Organized by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and led by Secretary General Sudhakar Dalela, it covered construction progress, commissioning preparations and Indian government support. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had directed Indian agencies to step up assistance after his official visit in June 2026. Participants included the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Export-Import Bank of India, Engineers India Limited, Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and refinery CEO D. Altantsetseg.
On Nov. 2, Indian Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve told MP J. Chinburen the project carries $1.7 billion in loan financing. He said India is interested in rare earth cooperation and in buying coal, and that direct flights now link the two countries.
Coverage:
Government and UN Food and Agriculture Organization Sign Deal to Set Up Country Office
Published: 2026-11-02
The government and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) signed an agreement to establish an FAO representative office in Mongolia. Representatives of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry and FAO leadership finalized the deal in Rome during the World Food Forum. Mongolia joined FAO in 1973, and a 2009 memorandum of understanding created a programme assistant post in the country and set out related costs. That memorandum underpinned FAO’s activities in Mongolia, but no agreement defining the legal status of a representative office had been concluded until now. According to the ministry, the agreement improves opportunities for cooperation with international partners on sustainable development of the food and agriculture sector, food security, climate-adapted production and farming, and growth in the volume and variety of agricultural products. Officials described it as an important step toward a longer-term, effective partnership.
Coverage:
Infrastructure
Prime Minister Orders Faster Power Plant Repairs Ahead of Winter Peak
Published: 2026-11-02
Prime Minister N. Uchral visited Thermal Power Plant No. 3, Thermal Power Plant No. 4 and the National Dispatching Center, ordering faster repairs. Installed capacity is 1,905 MW against central-region demand of 1,797 MW, with 1,956 MW forecast at winter peak. Dispatching Center CEO G. Baljinnyam said the gap is planned to be covered by imports from China and the new 700 MW Sukhbaatar plant. Last winter, boilers and equipment suffered 158 failures. The government released 5.4 billion tugrik from its reserve fund for urgent repairs.
Uchral ordered Plant No. 3’s turbogenerator No. 7 into service next month and No. 9 finished in next year’s first quarter. Plant No. 4 fully renewed boiler No. 3’s heating surface and sought support for deferring repayment of a 253 billion tugrik Development Bank loan for its 89 MW expansion.
“The government will support every issue that can be resolved.” - N. Uchral (unuudur.mn)
Coverage:
Ulaanbaatar connects its new West water source, the country’s largest, to the central network
Published: 2026-11-02
Ulaanbaatar began receiving water from its new West source on the morning of November 2, when a 9 km pipeline, 700-1,000 mm in diameter, was connected to the city’s central water network at 10:00. Built under the second compact between the Mongolian government and the US Millennium Challenge Corporation, the source is the largest in Ulaanbaatar and in the country. It started supplying 14,000 cubic meters a day, against a capacity of 130,000-144,000. Residents use an average of 190,000-210,000 cubic meters daily from the city’s 10 existing sources. Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WSSA) head Ts. Torkhuu said the engineering is now in place to supply 350,000-360,000 cubic meters a day.
“Ulaanbaatar will have no water problems until 2050-2055.” - Ts. Torkhuu (gogo.mn)
Coverage:
Capital City Council Backs Road Fee Discount for Odd-Even Restriction Days
Published: 2026-11-02
The Capital City Citizens’ Representatives Khural’s Council backed a proposal to cut next year’s road usage fee for vehicle owners who could not drive on days covered by odd-even number restrictions. Reviewing an amendment to its 2024 Resolution No. 24/29, the council noted that residents currently pay the fee for the full year even when authorities restrict vehicle movement for set periods. It also supported a discount for vehicles that could not travel for 14 days under the temporary odd-even arrangement introduced for the COP17 international conference and school-year preparations. The capital’s road fund collected 211.9 billion tugrik in 2025, up 141.2 billion tugrik, or threefold, from 2024. For 2026, it plans to raise 240 billion tugrik from vehicle tax and road usage fees, with 204 billion tugrik collected in the first nine months.
Coverage:
Selenge Signs Partnership Deal for 150 MW Thermal Power Plant in Mandal
Published: 2026-11-02
Selenge Province signed a public-private partnership agreement on Nov. 2 to build a 150 MW thermal power plant in Mandal soum. Governor N. Lkhagvadorj signed the partnership contract for the project. The agreement gives the province a second major energy source, with the opening of a 70 MW thermal power plant in the provincial center, Sukhbaatar city, only two days away at the time of signing. With both projects, Selenge is carrying out two major energy developments, which the report says create an opportunity to raise regional energy supply and, over time, strengthen the province’s energy independence. Details on the private partner, cost and construction schedule were not disclosed in the report.
Coverage:
Thermal Power Plant No. 5 Construction Reaches 35% at Ulaanbaatar Site
Published: 2026-11-02
Construction of Ulaanbaatar’s Thermal Power Plant No. 5 has reached 35% completion, with overall project progress at 44%, the capital’s Unified Project Authority reported. Work began on May 4 at the 26.4-hectare ash-pond site of Thermal Power Plant No. 2 in Bayangol District. Design is 57% complete and procurement and equipment orders 45%. Foundations for the boiler, turbine and chimney are finished, while foundations for administrative and auxiliary buildings continue. About 420 workers and engineers and roughly 70 machines are on site. Project chief engineer G. Olziibaatar said:
“Construction is proceeding according to the approved schedule, and we plan to complete the main building foundation work this year.” - G. Olziibaatar (gogo.mn)
The 300 MW plant, budgeted at $658.5 million, is scheduled to enter service in 2028 and supply 270 MW to the grid. Cambodia’s Mytime International is the contractor.
Coverage:
Construction Starts on 60 km Road Linking Zuuvch-Ovoo Uranium Site to Ulaanbadrakh
Published: 2026-11-02
Argalant Trans LLC of Dornogovi Province began construction on Nov. 1 of a 60 km road linking the Zuuvch-Ovoo uranium project site to Ulaanbadrakh soum center. The company signed a contract for the work. The sources describe a two-year construction period and a planned completion in the third quarter of 2028. Transport Minister B. Delgersaikhan and Dornogovi Governor O. Batjargal attended the opening ceremony. The Mongolian-French joint venture Badrakh Energy LLC runs the uranium project, which aims to create more than 1,600 direct and indirect jobs and involve local firms as subcontractors and suppliers. The Investment Agreement sets targets for local employment and national company participation. Badrakh Energy CEO Corali Prin said:
“A road is not just infrastructure connecting two points. It connects people, increases the flow of goods and creates new opportunities for local development.” - Corali Prin (news.mn)
Coverage:
2027 Budget Draft Funds Border Port Upgrades and Buir Lake Water Port Works
Published: 2026-11-02
Parliament is reviewing the draft 2027 state budget as line-ministry allocations are published. The Ministry of Finance is set to spend 5.3 trillion tugrik in 2027. The draft fully funds a 63.5 billion tugrik upgrade of the Khangi border port in Khatanbulag soum, Dornogovi Province, and a 51.7 billion tugrik upgrade of the Artsuuri border port in Zavkhan Province. It also provides 14 billion tugrik in total for 35 kV single-circuit overhead power lines at the Khavirga and Burgastai border ports and for a substation expansion. For infrastructure to develop a water port on Buir Lake in Khalkhgol soum, Dornod Province, 10 billion tugrik is budgeted overall, including 3 billion in 2027, while 269 million tugrik covers the study, feasibility assessment and design. The draft also allots 30 billion tugrik to tax information system infrastructure, servers and tax office equipment.
Coverage:
Society
Mongol Pride Day on Nov. 10 and Republic Day on Nov. 26 Bring Two Nationwide Days Off
Published: 2026-11-02
Two nationwide days off fall in November: Tuesday, Nov. 10, and Thursday, Nov. 26. Nov. 10 is Mongol Pride Day, marking Chinggis Khaan’s birthday on the first day of the first winter month of the lunar calendar. The Academy of Sciences dated his birth to 1162, and the day has been observed since 2012. This year is the 864th anniversary. Nov. 26 is Republic Proclamation Day, commemorating the 1924 adoption of the first Constitution and the proclamation of the republic. It is the 102nd anniversary and has been a holiday since 2016. A further day off follows on Dec. 29, National Freedom and Independence Restoration Day.
Wrestling tournaments for 128 high-ranked wrestlers are scheduled: the Chinggis Khaan Cup on Nov. 10 and an event marking the republic anniversary on Nov. 26 at the Mongol Wrestling Palace.
Coverage:
Night electricity discount for ger-district households runs through March 2027
Published: 2026-11-02
Ulaanbaatar’s ger-district households began receiving discounted night electricity rates on November 1. The discount applies to power used between 21:00 and 09:00 and runs through March 31, 2027, according to the state-owned Ulaanbaatar Electricity Distribution Network (UBCTS). Eligible households must have no outstanding electricity payments, use power for domestic purposes or to heat their dwelling, and have a time-of-use meter. The discount covers consumption of up to 1,500 kWh for households connected at 220V and 380V; usage above that is not discounted. The Energy Regulatory Commission sets the size of the discount. In 2025, consumption of 1,500 kWh at 220V and 3,000 kWh at 380V was discounted 100%. The scheme has run every November 1 since 2017.
Coverage:
Emergency crews log 104 incident calls nationwide in a week, including 48 fires in the capital
Published: 2026-11-02
Emergency services recorded 104 hazard and accident calls nationwide from October 26 to November 1, covering the capital’s eight districts and 33 soums in 18 aimags. Of those, 74 were building fires, nine were forest or steppe fires, two were biological hazards and 19 were human-activity-related accidents. Responders saved nine lives and moved 65 people out of smoke-affected zones. In the capital alone, 48 fire calls and six rescue calls were logged last week, and officers saved one life and protected MNT 2.3 billion in property. The Capital City Emergency Department urged residents to keep home heating safe, sweep chimneys regularly and keep carbon monoxide detectors running. If an alarm sounds, people should go outside for fresh air. Symptoms include headache, ringing ears, vomiting and fainting; call 103.
Coverage:
Specialized family and children’s court opens and begins accepting cases in the capital
Published: 2026-11-02
A specialized Family and Children’s Court began operating on November 2, 2026, and is accepting family and child-related cases and claims. Parliament passed the Law on Judicial Resolution of Family Cases on July 3, 2026, and it took effect on November 1. To implement it, courts of first instance and appeal for family and children’s cases were established in the capital. The new court structure includes a Children and Family Division staffed with child and family specialists, mediators and their assistants, and psychologists, allowing judges to weigh family circumstances, children’s needs and psychological factors alongside legal questions. Mediation services are linked to court proceedings. The first-instance court is in Songinokhairkhan District, behind the Dragon center. The appeals court is in Bayanzurkh District, in the Kino Uildver building.
Coverage:
Road Traffic Violations Reach 7.8 Million, Double the Same Period Last Year
Published: 2026-11-02
Authorities registered 7,861,373 violations of the Law on Road Traffic Safety as of October 30, double the figure for the same period last year, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office. Courts imposed penalties in 25,415 cases and authorized officials in 7,835,958. Violations of rules on starting movement, turning and lane use accounted for 1,069,921 cases, or 13.6 percent. Other violations included more than 478,000 cases of not wearing seat belts and over 355,000 of parking on pedestrian crossings and obstructing pedestrians. Separately, prosecutors supervised 44,860 criminal cases during October 26-30. In that week, 1,266 complaints and reports of suspected crimes were registered, 903 new cases were opened, and prosecutors prepared indictments in 518 cases, including 241 offenses against human health and 90 against traffic safety and vehicle operation rules.
Coverage:
Apartment Fraud Has Harmed 2,208 Victims With 173 Billion Tugriks in Losses, Police Say
Published: 2026-11-02
Police say apartment fraud has harmed 2,208 residents and caused losses of 173 billion tugriks. A sub-working group investigating housing fraud began work in July, and cases with those totals are registered with it. The General Police Department highlighted one case in which a single apartment was sold to 65 people. The victim, identified only as B, saved for 10 years and signed a pre-order contract with a company identified as E, transferring about 50 million tugriks as a down payment after being offered below-market prices, flexible loan terms and quick completion. B learned of the duplicate sales when trying to move in, then contacted police. Police advise buyers to check company and property information on Opendatalab.mn, Egazar.mn and Mcis.gov.mn, have pre-order contracts notarized, review the builder’s financial stability, confirm the unit has not been booked by others, and verify contract terms against documents.
Coverage:
Environment
Draft 2026-2030 air pollution plan proposes 58 measures and 14.9 trillion tugrik
Published: 2026-11-02
The National Committee for Air Pollution Reduction opened its draft 2026-2030 air pollution plan to public discussion at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 2. The draft has seven chapters and 58 measures, with 14.9 trillion tugrik proposed in funding, and projects a cut of about 55% from current pollution levels by 2030. Energy supply measures account for 9.8 trillion tugrik. A 2022 JICA study attributed 55.6% of Ulaanbaatar’s air pollution to ger districts and 28.9% to vehicles. Environment Minister Ts. Sandag-Ochir said the committee plans to discuss and approve the plan next week, and that it targets processing 600,000 tonnes of coal a year into improved fuel at a planned pyrolysis plant tied to the Baganuur mine.
“The plan must not be a wish list of the working group.” - B.Battushig (ikon.mn)
Coverage:
Health
National Study to Probe Hepatitis D Rate 12 Times Above Global Average
Published: 2026-11-02
A national study is set to begin to explain why hepatitis D infection in Mongolia runs 12 times above the global average. The SATREPS project involves the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Japan’s Tokushima University and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Researchers plan a nationwide blood survey with lifestyle questionnaires and want to make delta virus testing cheaper, since it is currently limited mainly to second- and third-tier facilities. About 280,000 people, or 8.1 percent of the population, have chronic hepatitis B, which hepatitis D depends on.
“Mongolians often give treatment and injections at home, and it is doubtful whether infection-prevention rules are well followed.” - Takaaki Koma (gogo.mn)
“Our country is 12 times above the world average, yet there is no funding or support for a national study.” - Ch.Battogtokh (gogo.mn)
Coverage: