Politics
MPP Caucus Backs 10-20 Percent Cuts to 2027 Budget Spending
Published: 2026-10-26
The MPP (Mongolian People’s Party) caucus in parliament said it will cut and adjust current and capital spending in the proposed 2027 budget by 10-20 percent. The government is withdrawing investments planned with MNT 2 trillion in Oyu Tolgoi dividends after seeking public input, and the 2027 budget proposal will consequently be revised. The caucus said the spending adjustment is intended to finance essential costs, including livestock vaccines, school meals, energy, and equipment for education and health services. Members discussed budget-related issues at a closed October 26 meeting and also heard information from parliament’s ethics subcommittee. Lawmaker B. Kherlen presented recommendations issued under laws and rules governing parliament and members’ ethics.
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Government Withdraws Bill to Direct Projected Oyu Tolgoi Dividends
Published: 2026-10-26
The government has decided to withdraw its one-time bill on financing urgent social and basic-infrastructure projects, which accompanied the proposed 2027 budget. The bill would have allocated MNT 2 trillion from projected state dividends from Oyu Tolgoi to projects in energy, education, ports, agriculture, health, culture, environmental protection, and transport. The decision followed an e-Mongolia survey in which 95,621 people participated; 55,173 preferred support for health, education, and housing through the Savings Fund, while 24,479 chose to retain the funds in it. Prime Minister Uchral was expected to brief the MPP caucus on the budget implications. The projected MNT 3 trillion dividend remains a budget estimate, rather than money already received or a confirmed disbursement.
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Basic Pension Supplement Ready for November 1 Payments
Published: 2026-10-26
Mongolia will begin adding a basic pension supplement to eligible old-age pensioners’ payments on November 1, after the revised 2026 state budget moved the measure forward from January 1, 2027. Family, Labour and Social Protection Minister T. Aubakir said preparations are complete and software is ready to calculate individual parameters because pension-determination conditions differ. The state-funded supplement is linked to years worked and will range from 100,000 to 300,000 tugriks, according to reports. It will cover 435,000 older people who meet the age threshold: 55 for women and 60 for men. The Finance Ministry allocated 96.3 billion tugriks for November payments, while the revised 2026 budget includes 196.3 billion tugriks for the program. Regular pensions are separately planned to rise 10% from January 1, 2027.
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Proposed Standards Law Would Create Three-Tier Laboratory System
Published: 2026-10-26
Parliament has advanced a revised bill on standardization, technical regulation and conformity-assessment accreditation to its first reading. The bill, submitted by the government on July 6 and first considered by the Economic Standing Committee on October 14, would clarify mandatory conformity assessments, product certification, safety markings and import controls. The government would approve the list of products requiring mandatory assessment. It would also organize laboratories into inspection laboratories at local level, certification laboratories at regional centers and reference laboratories that would verify disputed test results and issue final decisions. A unified database would combine standards documents, accredited organizations, certification results, laboratory tests and technical-inspection information, except legally protected information. The proposal would make national standards available free of charge. If enacted, it is scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2027.
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Constitutional Court Rejects MPs’ Exemption From Administrative-Offense Penalties
Published: 2026-10-26
The Constitutional Court has found unconstitutional a provision that barred courts from imposing penalties on members of parliament under the Law on Administrative Offenses. The disputed clause, Article 41.7 of the Law on Parliament, generally prohibits the forced detention, arrest, pretrial detention, search of the home, office, vehicle or person of an MP, and the imposition of administrative-offense liability through court proceedings, except in cases specified by law. The court’s middle chamber ruled that the portion preventing courts from imposing such liability conflicts with Article 14.1 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and courts for everyone lawfully residing in the country. The ruling specifically concerns the protection from administrative-offense sanctions and does not address the other protections listed in the provision.
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Published: 2026-10-26
The Anti-Corruption Agency is continuing a criminal investigation involving N. Tserensambuu, a former executive of Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC. The agency said he was arrested as a suspect in connection with alleged abuse of official authority under Article 22.1 of the Criminal Code. That provision concerns officials who allegedly misuse their authority or position to obtain an advantage for themselves or others. Reports said Tserensambuu was detained for 48 hours, but the agency said he was not kept in custody after that period. The investigation remains ongoing. The reports do not state the underlying transaction or conduct being examined, and no finding of guilt has been reported.
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Report Links Tuul Expressway Advance Payment to Alleged Appointment Change
Published: 2026-10-26
An isee.mn report, citing unnamed sources, says investigators examining former Ulaanbaatar Mayor H. Nyambaatar have identified possible irregularities in the release of a MNT500 billion advance payment for the Tuul Expressway project. According to the report, Nyambaatar allegedly replaced B. Gantulga, acting head of the Investment Division within the Finance and Investment Department, with T. Davaadalai through a new order before the funding was released to the project contractor. The report says the person involved did not have legal authority to issue the required guarantee, potentially creating an economic advantage for others. Investigators are also reportedly examining about 20 state tenders allegedly won by companies linked to Nyambaatar. The Anti-Corruption Agency reportedly asked the National Police Interpol office on October 9 to publish a Blue Notice.
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Published: 2026-10-26
A preliminary hearing in the case involving former Bank of Mongolia Governor N. Bayartsaihan is scheduled for October 27 at the first-instance Criminal Circuit Court for Bayanzurkh, Sukhbaatar and Chingeltei districts. The Anti-Corruption Agency completed its investigation, after which prosecutors issued an indictment and referred the case to court, isee.mn reported. Prosecutors indicted Bayartsaihan under Article 22.1, Part 3 of the Criminal Code, concerning abuse of official authority. The provision applies when offenses described in the article’s first and second parts are committed by politically influential people or senior officials at state-owned, locally owned, or state- or locally participating companies and state enterprises. A conviction carries a lifetime ban on public service and imprisonment from five to 12 years. The report does not specify the conduct underlying the charge.
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Minister Says Economy Cannot Support MNT 1 Million Minimum Wage
Published: 2026-10-26
Labor and Social Protection Minister T. Aubakir said the economy cannot support raising the minimum wage to MNT 1 million, responding to a demonstration by the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions outside the ministry on October 23. The unions demanded that the government honor an agreement to raise the minimum wage to that level. Aubakir said the union should support its demands with scientific and economic calculations. He said businesses were already closing and that such an increase would add pressure on companies. The minister said the issue would be addressed through tripartite negotiations before the end of the year, with measures to defer the increase.
“Mongolia does not have the economic capacity to raise the minimum wage to MNT 1 million.” - T. Aubakir (isee.mn)
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Petition to Exempt Garages and Heated Parking From Property Tax Nears 100,000 Signatures
Published: 2026-10-26
An online petition seeking to remove property tax on garages and heated parking spaces in Ulaanbaatar had collected 97,889 signatures as of October 26. O. Batkhuu launched the petition through the E-Zasag.mn platform on October 6. City residents have paid property tax on garages and heated parking since June, at rates ranging from 0.6% to 2.0% of assessed value depending on location and zoning. The petition proposes amending the Property Tax Law to exempt one garage or parking space owned and used by an individual or family. Its author argues that such spaces protect vehicles from harsh weather and reduce parking on streets, sidewalks, entrances and public areas. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, the proposal can go directly to the prime minister, be presented to a cabinet meeting and potentially be submitted to Parliament as draft legislation.
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DP Parliamentary Group Postpones Meeting Again as Attendance Falls Short
Published: 2026-10-26
The DP parliamentary group again postponed its October 26 meeting after only three members attended, following another cancellation the previous week for lack of quorum. B. Tuvshin was elected group leader on October 12 and had planned to name deputy leaders at his first meeting on October 19, but that session was also delayed. Deputies B. Jargalan, Ch. Lodoisambuu and Kh. Temuujin have submitted requests to leave their deputy leadership posts. Tuvshin said members working abroad and in rural areas had asked for the postponement, and that the group could convene an extraordinary meeting. He said the planned agenda includes discussion of the Supreme Court’s practice of returning cases. Reports said the 42-member DP group is divided into two sides, though Tuvshin said there was no obstacle to holding a meeting.
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Parliamentary Committees Prepare 2027 Budget and Review Supreme Court Nominee
Published: 2026-10-26
Parliament’s Standing Committee on Legal Affairs and several working groups are scheduled to meet on October 26 to advance legislation and review the 2027 budget. The legal committee will meet a nominee for Supreme Court justice and conduct second-stage review of amendments to the 2027 budget framework statement and the 2028-2029 fiscal projections. It will also hold third-stage review of the 2027 state budget and proposed budgets for the National Wealth Fund, Social Insurance Fund and Health Insurance Fund, before sending opinions to the relevant committees. Working groups will prepare the budget bills and related legislation for debate, consider amendments to the Tobacco Control Law, and prepare the Housing Law bill. A separate working group under the Standing Committee on Human Development and Social Policy will prepare the Social Work Law bill and accompanying legislation.
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MPP Group Holds Closed Discussion on 2027 Budget
Published: 2026-10-26
The MPP parliamentary group held a closed meeting on October 26 to discuss the 2027 budget proposal and receive an update from Parliament’s Subcommittee on Ethics. MPP group leader J. Batjargal was scheduled to present issues related to the budget discussion, while MP B. Kherlen, chair of the ethics subcommittee, was to brief members. Parliamentary party groups and councils typically meet each Monday to coordinate positions on bills expected during the week and discuss current political matters. The DP parliamentary group and the HUN Party council were also scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Reports had identified the 2027 budget and accompanying bills as likely subjects for the week’s parliamentary agenda. The MPP meeting was reported as closed, and no decisions or conclusions from its budget discussion were announced in the source reports.
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Journalists Group Urges Deeper Scrutiny of 2027 Budget
Published: 2026-10-26
The Mongolian Economic Journalists Club has issued a critical assessment of the government’s proposed 2027 budget, arguing that parliamentary debate has increasingly been shaped by political bargaining and compressed timelines. The group said planned spending for the presidential-election year would be 28 percent above the expected 2026 level, continuing a pattern of faster expenditure growth in election and pre-election years. It also warned that higher recurrent spending, including public-sector wages, could create lasting pressure on future budgets. The club called for every budget allocation to be published as detailed open data, with project codes enabling spending to be tracked from planning through implementation. It urged Parliament to treat approval and oversight of the budget as a core constitutional responsibility.
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Researcher Warns of Rising Fiscal and Debt Risks in 2027 Plan
Published: 2026-10-26
N. Oyunbadam, governance program manager at the Open Society Forum, said the proposed 2027 budget combines expanding recurrent expenditure with a projected MNT 2.3 trillion deficit and rising debt exposure. She said government debt is expected to reach 49.6 percent of GDP, close to the statutory 50 percent ceiling, while Mongolia is increasingly borrowing at rates closer to commercial terms. Oyunbadam also pointed to incomplete project information, including road projects without specified lengths and facilities without stated capacity, which complicates assessment of costs and benefits. She called for cuts to avoidable recurrent expenses, publication of investment data in usable formats, and inclusion only of projects with designs and feasibility studies. The proposal includes financing the deficit through domestic and foreign bonds.
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Economy
Khaan Bank Secures US$130 Million for Green Lending
Published: 2026-10-26
Khaan Bank has signed a five-year US$130 million long-term green-financing agreement led by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), marking AIIB’s first financing for a Mongolian financial institution. AIIB will provide US$80 million, the Korea Development Bank US$20 million, and two Asian regional banks a combined US$30 million. The facility combines Mongolian tugrik and US dollar funding, with a US$50 million-equivalent portion being raised in tugriks. Khaan Bank plans to lend the money to renewable-energy, energy-efficiency, green-building, pollution-reduction, water-management, wastewater-reuse and green-transport projects. The deal supports the country’s Paris Agreement commitments and long-term Vision 2050 and Green Development Policy objectives. Khaan Bank Chief Executive R. Munkhtuya said the financial sector has an important role in meeting the 2035 emissions-reduction target.
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Parliament Receives Bill to Create Crop Index Insurance System
Published: 2026-10-26
Nineteen members of parliament have submitted a bill to establish crop index insurance, proposing a dedicated legal framework for sharing agricultural risks and paying compensation. Lawmakers say about 15,000 households and 1,500 businesses cultivate more than 600,000 hectares annually, leaving farm income and food supply exposed to drought, floods, hail and market volatility. Instead of requiring assessments of losses on every field, the proposed system would use official, regular and verifiable index indicators to determine insured events and payouts. It also addresses the risk that an index may not fully match an individual farmer’s losses. Insurers and a collective risk fund would cover medium-level risks, while reinsurers, a reinsurance fund and reinsurance mechanisms would cover the highest level. The state could subsidize part of premiums within the approved annual budget.
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Copper Powder Reaches Japan as Export Delays Persist
Published: 2026-10-26
Taliin Metal Powder LLC has exported its first one tonne of copper powder to Japanese metallurgical company JCP after two years of engagement, chief executive B. Askhar said. The nationally funded plant, which began pilot operations in 2022, can produce up to 1,500 tonnes annually and uses cathode copper from Achit Ikht LLC. JCP tested the product for uses including equipment components, copper filters and electronics parts; Askhar said small changes in copper content or oxidation can make final products defective. The company says paperwork and customs classification disputes delay exports, while environmental-plan guarantees are an operational burden on the factory. It ships to Japan through Russia’s Vladivostok port because transit through China has proven difficult, but the route costs three times more than Tianjin. The company seeks deeper sales ties with China and sees South Korea as a potential opportunity if a free-trade agreement addresses tariff barriers.
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Oyu Tolgoi Debt and Interest Costs Draw Fresh Scrutiny
Published: 2026-10-26
A News.mn commentary examined Oyu Tolgoi’s financial position, saying project debt reached USD 19.64 billion by the end of 2025, including USD 6.83 billion in accumulated interest. It reported that Finance Minister Z. Mendsaikhan said July negotiations with Rio Tinto lowered daily loan-interest costs from MNT 13.6 billion to MNT 10.2 billion, about USD 2.83 million. The commentary said Mongolia owns 34 percent of the mine and has received no dividends to date, while reporting substantial project debt. Citing Rio Tinto information, it said ore reserves exceed 1.1 billion tonnes. It also said Rio Tinto plans to develop the Shivee Tolgoi and Javkhlant deposits in Mongolia, which are held by Entrée Resources, as part of the Oyu Tolgoi joint venture.
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Diplomacy
Belarus and Mongolia Sign 2027-29 Cooperation Roadmap
Published: 2026-10-26
During President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh’s October 24-26 state visit to Minsk, Mongolia and Belarus set a 2027-29 cooperation roadmap. The two countries’ foreign ministers signed the roadmap after the presidents’ meeting and official talks. Khurelsukh’s trip was the first state visit to Belarus by a Mongolian head of state. The presidents exchanged instruments of ratification for their 2024 Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation, bringing that agreement into force. The sides concluded nine documents covering agriculture, light industry, customs, accreditation, education, health, sports and communications. The roadmap provides for cooperation in trade, industry, agriculture, forestry, science, education, culture and tourism. The presidents also discussed using the interim trade agreement between Mongolia and the Eurasian Economic Union to increase bilateral trade and investment. Diplomatic relations began on January 24, 1992.
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Infrastructure
Bus Drivers Fined After Coordinated Break Disrupts Service
Published: 2026-10-26
Ulaanbaatar transport inspectors fined bus drivers 25,000 tugriks each after several vehicles stopped together at the Bayankhoshuu terminus on October 23 for what was described as a tea break, disrupting passengers. The Public Transport Policy Department said the drivers were found at fault under Article 14.6.9 of the Law on Violations and were warned that repeated breaches could lead to termination of employment contracts. Separately, the Ch:25 route faced delays on October 26 after vehicles queuing for fuel at the Dari-Ekh station blocked the road and sharply increased congestion. The Transport Management Center said it was using short-turn operations to reduce passenger waiting times.
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Intercity Passenger Fares Set to Rise From November 5
Published: 2026-10-26
The National Center for Road Transport announced that fares for intercity public passenger transport will rise from November 5, 2026. The agency cited increases in gasoline and diesel prices, as well as higher vehicle-use and operating costs. It said the tariff revision is intended to keep intercity passenger transport services operating normally and sustainably. The announcement did not say by what percentage fares will rise or give the tugrik increase for particular routes. It also did not provide a new fare schedule. The notice concerns intercity public passenger transport, without further details about specific routes or individual fare levels. The agency said the revised tariffs would take effect on the stated November date.
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Society
Police Detain Three Over 628.5 Grams of Drugs Hidden in Cargo
Published: 2026-10-26
Mongolian police have detained three citizens over an alleged attempt to smuggle 628.5 grams of a psychotropic substance known locally as ice into the country from Turkey. The substance was found during an inspection of air cargo that entered Mongolia on the night of February 10. Investigators allege the group concealed it among pine nuts for profit. The General Police Department’s Anti-Drug Division is investigating the case. Police, customs and intelligence authorities regularly conduct joint inspections aimed at preventing cross-border drug and psychotropic-substance offenses. Police also urged people to inspect carefully, or decline, sealed parcels, food items, luggage and other goods offered through international flights or cargo services. Illegal cross-border transport of narcotic or psychotropic substances carries a prison sentence of five to 12 years under Mongolia’s Criminal Code.
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Police Warn of Briquetted-Fuel Delivery Scams
Published: 2026-10-26
Police warned on October 26 that scammers are posting social-media advertisements offering to sell and deliver briquetted fuel, then calling prospective buyers to demand an advance payment equal to 50 percent of the price. The fraud has caused financial losses, according to the warning. Residents were advised not to transfer deposits in response to unverified advertisements or phone calls. Tavan Tolgoi Fuel said briquetted fuel should be purchased only through official sales points, using the Khutula application and a physical national ID card. For the 2026-27 heating season, Ulaanbaatar is expected to use 427,000 tonnes of fuel, including 120,000 tonnes of briquettes made from washed and enriched thermal coal from Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi and 307,000 tonnes of semi-coke fuel.
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Supreme Court Sets Closed October 29 Review in Double-Murder Case
Published: 2026-10-26
The Supreme Court will hold a closed cassation hearing on October 29 in the case involving Ts. Dagvadorj, E. Gan-Erdene, E. Nomin-Erdene and minor defendant Kh. Enkhsaikhan. The review follows complaints from the legal representative of a 16-year-old victim, G. Otgontuya, and her lawyers. A lower court sentenced Dagvadorj to life imprisonment in a closed prison for the murders of the 16-year-old girl and 32-year-old T.Z., and found that he threatened two other defendants to make them conceal and move the girl’s body. The other three defendants were acquitted, and an appeals court upheld that ruling. The hearing will remain closed to protect minors and participants, while the court will publicly announce its decision and later publish a summary online.
“For us, this is not simply a court hearing; it is an important day after two or three years of anguish, tears, hope and waiting for justice.” - G. Otgontuya (zarig.mn)
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Published: 2026-10-26
Turkish law-enforcement authorities detained former Mongolia national football team player O. Odbayar and his girlfriend, D. Mandukhai, on October 23 in connection with a drug investigation, according to Unuudur. Police reportedly detained the two Mongolian citizens during an operation against drug dealers in the Sariyer district of Istanbul. The report says they had been sought internationally through Interpol Red and Blue Notices. Mongolia’s police narcotics unit had sought Odbayar on allegations that he repeatedly sent substantial quantities of narcotics to Mongolia and arranged for acquaintances to sell them. Turkish authorities also suspect he may have joined an international drug-trafficking network and helped distribute its products. The report describes the detentions as the result of joint measures by Mongolian and Turkish authorities targeting suppliers of methamphetamine, known locally as ice. Turkish authorities will investigate before deciding on any transfer to Mongolia.
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Underage Drivers Linked to Six Deaths in 24 Prosecuted Cases
Published: 2026-10-26
The Transport Prosecutor’s Office has referred 24 cases involving underage drivers to court from 2024 through October 20, 2026. The cases, involving violations of vehicle-safety and operating rules, affected 27 people: two sustained minor injuries, 11 moderate injuries, eight severe injuries and six died. All 24 defendants were boys: one was 15, five were 16 and 18 were 17. Three were driving motorcycles and 21 cars when crashes occurred; one had consumed alcohol. Courts imposed prison sentences on five children, restricted travel for two, placed 11 under behavior-correction measures without sentencing, and exempted four from criminal liability. Two cases remain before the courts. The prosecutor’s office urged parents to secure vehicle keys and explain the legal and safety consequences of unlicensed driving.
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Environment
Helicopters Planned to Complete Nomrog Fire Damage Assessment
Published: 2026-10-26
Authorities are preparing aerial support to assess damage from the October 8 forest and steppe fire in Nomrog Strictly Protected Area, Khalkhgol soum, Dornod Province. A 13-member field team has surveyed accessible areas around Khanchandmanyi Mountain, Khotol Lake, Arsumiin Gorge, and the Nomrog and Degee rivers, but marshes, ravines, snow, and missing roads prevent ground access to much of the reserve. Officials said two National Emergency Management Agency helicopters will support assessments at nine locations, including three landing sites, after fuel is sent from Ulaanbaatar. A preliminary estimate put the burned area at 468,965.7 hectares, or 80 percent of the reserve. An investigation continues into the fire’s cause, while a separate working group will address compensation.
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Working Group Studies Radiation Laboratory for Dornogovi
Published: 2026-10-26
A 21-member working group has begun studying the establishment of an international-standard nuclear and radiation measurement and testing laboratory in Dornogovi Province. At its first meeting last Friday at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the group was tasked with assessing the site, technical requirements, financing, legal framework, international standards and accreditation, then preparing recommendations. Officials said Orano Mining and Badrakh Energy could provide funding, subject to further examination of financing terms and an agreement. If established, the laboratory would measure radiation in soil, water and air around uranium exploration and mining areas, help identify potential risks early, and support evidence-based assessment of effects on people, livestock and the environment. Research and planning are due for completion next month.
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Government Plans to Bring 10.5 Million Livestock Into the Economy
Published: 2026-10-26
Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Minister Ts. Iderbat said about 10.5 million of the 76.9 million livestock grazing nationwide this autumn are planned for slaughter for meat production and economic circulation. Authorities estimate that about 15.1 million head will be supplied for domestic food needs and livestock and meat procurement. Safety reserves include 12,100 tonnes of natural hay and 4,900 tonnes of manufactured feed; hay preparation had reached 57% and feed stockpiling 75%. Herders also prepared natural hay, straw and green fodder. More than half the country has adequate pasture capacity, while officials are reviewing herders’ requests to winter livestock in state-special-use areas, border zones and natural complex areas. Through mid-October, meat and meat-product exports totaled 36,700 tonnes worth USD 139.7 million, down year on year.
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Tests Find Severe Soil Contamination Near Thermal Power Plant No. 4
Published: 2026-10-26
A soil-contamination study around Thermal Power Plant No. 4 found severe contamination at eight of 12 sampled locations, according to the Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Biology. Two sites were rated moderately contaminated and two lightly contaminated under the MNS 3297:2019 urban-soil hygiene standard. Researchers measured E. coli, Salmonella/Shigella and Clostridium perfringens as part of a project to reduce contamination near energy and industrial zones. After applying the Bio-Arius biological treatment, three sites were rated moderate, seven low and two clean. E. coli-positive sites fell from 10 to three, while Salmonella/Shigella-positive sites declined from nine to one. The study concluded that microorganisms in the treatment can help restore soil polluted by fecal and other waste.
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Health
Ulaanbaatar Family Health Centers to Extend Hours From November 7
Published: 2026-10-26
Family health centers in Ulaanbaatar will begin extended hours on November 7 as influenza and influenza-like illnesses increase. The centers will operate until 8 p.m. on weekdays, 5 p.m. on weekends, and 4 p.m. on public holidays. Influenza and influenza-like illness typically peaks in November, according to the city health department. The extended schedule is intended to make health services more accessible during the cold season, when influenza cases rise. Influenza vaccination in the capital was reported at 96% and is continuing. Authorities are also preparing to assign 86 additional public-health workers in Songinokhairkhan, Bayanzurkh, Chingeltei, and Sukhbaatar districts. The measures are focused on maintaining access to services during the seasonal increase in respiratory illness.
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School Health Screenings Find 41% Need Further Assessment
Published: 2026-10-26
A nationwide preventive health screening program for children has found that 41.2% of those fully examined need additional assessment and diagnosis, with dental disease the most common concern. The Health Ministry and Education Ministry are running the school- and kindergarten-based program from October 1 through December 1 for children aged three, six, 11 and 15. Of 198,302 children reached so far, 130,450 had completed medical examinations. Results classified 26.3% as normal, 24.1% as low risk requiring primary-care monitoring, 41.2% as medium risk, and 8.4% as high risk. Developmental delay and weight changes were common among high-risk children. Assessments also cover vision, growth, heart risks, spinal curvature, flat feet, mental health and puberty, depending on age. Parents receive results and advice through E-Mongolia.
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Parliament Passes Stricter Tobacco Controls and Bans Flavored Vapes From 2027
Published: 2026-10-26
Parliament has passed amendments to the Tobacco Control Law, with new provisions taking effect on January 1, 2027. The law bans the import and sale of electronic cigarettes with added flavors or scents, including banana, vanilla and watermelon varieties, while retaining tobacco-flavored electronic cigarettes as an option for adults seeking to quit smoking. It also brings electronic cigarettes and other previously unregulated tobacco products under legal control. Excise taxes on all tobacco products will rise through 2031, and unique codes will be introduced to track production, imports and sales. Smoking will be prohibited on streets, public squares, playgrounds and indoor spaces, while health-warning coverage on cigarette packs will increase from 50% to 70%. Lawmaker O. Nominchimeg said the measures are intended to protect children and teenagers.
“There is no harmless electronic cigarette.” - O. Nominchimeg (itoim.mn)
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