Politics
Parliament Schedules Third Reading of 2027 State Budget
Published: 2026-10-30
Parliament’s plenary session on October 30 scheduled the third reading of the 2027 State Budget bill, along with the 2027 budgets of the National Wealth Fund, Social Insurance Fund and Health Insurance Fund. The government submitted the bills on August 31; the law requires parliament to approve the budget by November 15. The draft projects balanced consolidated revenue of 41.3 trillion tugrik, spending of 43.6 trillion and a deficit of 2.3 trillion. Lawmakers also planned a second reading of amendments to the 2027 budget framework statement and 2028-2029 projections, and a first reading of an accompanying amendment to the Law on Budget Stability. Separately, a majority of members voted to send the government’s revised Law on Social Welfare, submitted July 2, to the Human Development and Social Policy Standing Committee to prepare for its first reading.
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Published: 2026-10-30
Parliament’s plenary session discussed the draft Law on Regulating Children’s Participation in Social Networks, and 80 percent of members attending supported debating it. The bill would bar children under 13 from creating or using social media accounts and require safe-use and security settings for ages 13 to 16. It also provides for parental oversight, protection of children’s personal data and technology safeguards against banned or harmful content. Mobile operators would record each subscriber’s identity and age category when issuing phone numbers and would be held liable if they did not.
“Parents need to know what content their children watch on phones and about cyberattacks, so Article 8 of the draft sets out parents’ rights and responsibilities.” - P. Naranbayar (eagle.mn)
“Holding parents accountable cannot fully control children’s social media use, so we judged a technological solution the most independent and reliable.” - Ch. Nomin (eagle.mn)
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Prime Minister Uchral Says Oyu Tolgoi Dividend Is Confirmed but Amount Remains Unset
Published: 2026-10-30
Prime Minister N. Uchral told parliament during question hour that Oyu Tolgoi will pay the state a dividend, though the amount is not yet set. Democratic Party (DP) caucus leader B. Tuvshin said the 2027 budget includes 3 trillion tugrik from the dividend, while the Finance Ministry told a standing committee that no distribution decision had been made. Tuvshin asked whether the sum is really an Entrée licence payment. Uchral said the government made no commitments to the investor and that the dividend, once due after 10 years, is now expected in 2027. Because Entrée holds a strategic deposit, parliament must decide any licence transfer, and a working group led by the justice minister will negotiate with the licence holder.
“Receiving the dividend is confirmed, but the amount has not been set.” - N. Uchral (gogo.mn)
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Welfare Minister Disputes Claim of 200 Kazakh Recipients, Cites 182 Cases
Published: 2026-10-30
Family, Labor and Social Protection Minister T. Aubakir is responding to reports that Mongolian welfare benefits may have been paid to more than 200 Kazakh citizens. Isee.mn reported that the National Security Council directed the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to inspect organizations in Bayan-Ölgii Province, where officials reportedly found payments continuing to people who had left Mongolian citizenship. Reports also question his appointments to welfare agencies. On October 30, Aubakir said 182 people are involved, not 200, and cited weak coordination between agencies. He said the problem is nationwide and that checks are also covering recipients who took other countries’ citizenship.
“I did not grant any welfare. There is a case of 182 people who reportedly received welfare earlier. My ministry and I identified this violation and handed it to the ACA to investigate.” - T. Aubakir (urug.mn)
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Justice Minister Works on One-Facebook-Account-Per-Citizen Rule as Lawmakers Object
Published: 2026-10-30
Justice and Home Affairs Minister G. Temuulen said his ministry is working on a rule limiting each citizen to one Facebook account, verified by phone number and national ID, to counter defamation and false information. The ministry is also drafting a bill on online safety, misinformation, and defamation, which it plans to present to the government within the month before submitting it to parliament. MP Kh. Baasanjargal said he would not support such a bill, arguing that linking personal data to accounts risks monitoring of citizens’ opinions. MP Kh. Temuujin said the state should not initiate it, noting that anonymity can protect whistleblowers. Urug.mn noted that South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled a real-name verification requirement for online posts unconstitutional in 2012.
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Lawmaker Challenges Constitutional Court Decision on Detaining MPs Under Violations Law
Published: 2026-10-30
MP Ts. Davaasuren said the Constitutional Court’s decision at its October 26 session infringes on lawmakers’ powers. He said it means MPs could be detained for 30 days, or held for 700 hours, under the Law on Violations, and warned that opponents could be held on pretexts when parliament considers issues such as dismissing the government.
“At its intermediate session on the 26th of this month, the Constitutional Court made a terrifying, serious decision.” - Ts. Davaasuren (tug.mn)
Lawyer O. Batkhuu said ordinary citizens face fines of 400,000 tugrik, license suspension, or 7–30 days’ detention for drunk driving, while the law bars courts from imposing Violations Law penalties on MPs, which he said undermines equality. The Constitutional Court will take the issue up at a full session, and parliament will make the final decision.
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Economy
Rockfall Injures 15 Workers at Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine, No Deaths Reported
Published: 2026-10-30
A rockfall in the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine in Khanbogd soum, Umnugovi Province, injured 15 workers at about 18:00 on October 29. Oyu Tolgoi LLC reported a seismic-like event along a rock fault zone that caused a tremor and a collapse in a drift at the +1300 production level. No one was killed. Thirteen workers have been released from medical supervision, and two are being treated in Ulaanbaatar with injuries that are not life-threatening. A working group including the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority is investigating the cause on site. Oyu Tolgoi LLC director S. Munkhsukh said the collapse affected 20-30 meters of a 160 km underground network, that mine operations were not disrupted as a whole, and that a Rio Tinto group-level inspection will be conducted.
“The company cannot take the position that this is not serious. This is a matter of human life.” - S. Munkhsukh (itoim.mn)
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Border Convoy Cuts at Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod Slow Oyu Tolgoi Copper and Coal Exports
Published: 2026-10-30
Vehicle convoys crossing the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod border port have been cut from 13-15 to 3-4, according to isee.mn, which reports that Oyu Tolgoi lost $300 million in opportunity over the past 14 days as copper concentrate piled up. The Umnugovi border port administration said Gantsmod began using a driver facial-recognition system in August, slowing crossings; the Chinese side said the work will continue until December. Coal shipments through Gashuunsukhait have also fallen: roughly 1,300 driver-operated and automated vehicles normally cross daily, compared with just over 1,000 per day over the past four days. Separately, the fuel rapid response headquarters attributed poor petrol supply over recent days to Russian railway repairs. The report notes Mongolia imports most of its fuel from Russia and relies on China as the main market for its mining products.
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Anti-Monopoly Authority Leads New Inspection Team Coordinating at Fuel Stations
Published: 2026-10-30
The fuel rapid response headquarters has formed an additional inspection working group, led by the Anti-Monopoly Authority, that is set to coordinate at fuel stations starting October 30. The team brings together inspectors from the Capital City Governor’s Office, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the disability agency, along with staff of the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority. Anti-Monopoly Authority head B. Amarsanaa said monitoring runs in two directions, inspection and advisory support, and this group will concentrate on advisory support, working with government, the private sector and other relevant organizations. He said the group was set up at the day’s headquarters meeting to work over the coming days.
“Rather than getting information on social media, people now need to get it from Benzin.mn. I think our work will help keep this information accurate and clear.” - B. Amarsanaa (tug.mn)
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Third-Quarter VAT Refunds Begin Transferring to Citizens’ Accounts, 120.2 Billion Tögrög in This Round
Published: 2026-10-30
Mongolia’s tax authority began transferring third-quarter 2026 value-added tax (VAT) refunds to citizens’ accounts on October 30. The authority said this round transfers 120.2 billion tögrög to 1,429,368 people, which works out to roughly 84,000 tögrög per recipient on average. The refund is based on electronic payment receipts for purchases made between July 1 and September 30, 2026. The scheme refunds value-added tax linked to purchases documented by those receipts. Out of the refunds, 41,020 citizens paid 779.4 million tögrög in taxes, the authority reported. Transfers began on October 30, about a month after the covered purchase period ended on September 30.
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Anti-Monopoly Agency Opens Cases Over Fuel Station Payment Violations and Artificial Shortage
Published: 2026-10-30
Mongolia’s anti-monopoly agency opened cases under the Law on Offences after an inspection of fuel supply and distribution found serious violations that harmed consumers. Inspectors found that an attendant at a Petrovis LLC filling station took payments from customers into a personal account rather than through the official cash register when selling fuel. At a Gaz Oil Neft LLC station, sales were halted even though adequate fuel stock remained, creating an artificial shortage. The fuel operational headquarters directed filling stations to improve internal controls and urged companies to impose disciplinary penalties, up to dismissal, on staff who accept money into personal accounts or give resellers preferential treatment. A branch manager who committed the same violation earlier was fined 2 million tögrög, and oversight will be tightened further.
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17 of 52 Projects Planned With Oyu Tolgoi Dividends Move Into 2027 State Budget
Published: 2026-10-30
A parliamentary working group has finished the draft 2027 budget and will fund 17 of the 52 projects originally planned with Oyu Tolgoi money from next year’s state budget, Budget Standing Committee chair N. Naranbaatar said. The Government withdrew its bill to spend 2 trillion tögrög of Oyu Tolgoi dividends on investment, so the group removed that sum from revenue and spending. The 17 projects will be financed by trimming current and capital spending by 10-20 percent. Naranbaatar said the Government submitted a budget with spending of 43.6 trillion tögrög and revenue of 41 trillion, and cited a deficit of 2 trillion. He said the draft now expands by roughly 8 trillion, including salary and pension increases and 3.5 trillion from state-owned companies. It provides for exporting 105 million tons of coal next year.
“Calling every salary and pension increase an election-year budget is one-sided.” - S. Erdenebat (urug.mn)
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Economist Warns 1 Million Tögrög Minimum Wage Demand Could Lift Prices and Cut Jobs
Published: 2026-10-30
Economist B. Enkh-Amgalan has detailed the risks of the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions’ (CMTU) demand to raise the minimum wage from 792,000 tögrög to 1 million tögrög. He said employers would pay more in taxes and social insurance contributions, which would likely have a positive effect on the state budget. Because wages make up most operating costs, he said, businesses could raise prices, adding to inflation. Small companies, which he said make up most businesses, would feel the strain most, and some could close, reducing employment. Fines and penalties calculated from the minimum wage would also increase. Workers paid exactly the minimum would gain, he added, though he questioned how many there are. The wage floor rose from 420,000 tögrög in 2020 to 792,000 in 2024.
“Decisions should rest on research, take employers’ circumstances into account and follow consultation with the Government.” - B. Enkh-Amgalan (isee.mn)
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Fiscal Council Warns 2027 Budget Changes Add Unsupported Projects and Risk Spending Rebounds
Published: 2026-10-30
The Fiscal Stability Council found that most investment projects added to the 2027 draft budget during the third reading fail to meet legal requirements or development policy. At the Budget Standing Committee’s October 27 session, members made 278 proposals to change revenue and spending. The source separately says 19 were supported, 159 were not supported and members themselves withdrew 82. Net current spending fell 184.3 billion tugrik, and the deficit holds at 2.0 percent of GDP. But cutting every budget holder’s spending by the same percentage ignores their differing functions and risks reversal in a supplementary budget. Of 167 new projects, 58 breach Article 29.3.5 of the Budget Law, and 60.5 percent of them are missing from the 2027 development plan. Seventeen projects cut with the expected Oyu Tolgoi dividend returned under state-budget funding.
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Food Minister and South Korean Envoy Discuss Phasing Out Beef Taxes in Proposed Trade Pact
Published: 2026-10-30
Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Ts. Iderbat met South Korean Ambassador Choi Jin-won on October 29 to discuss agricultural trade and cooperation. The sides talked about concluding an economic partnership agreement next year, which could fully exempt Mongolian beef from the 25-40 percent tax over five years. South Korea currently runs several projects through KOICA and KOPIA, including building a food safety management system and a safety framework for livestock products. The Mongolian side said it is focusing on supplying triangular rice, green fodder and pine nuts, noting that air transport could lower pine nut shipping costs. Iderbat also said Mongolia will study export options for bulky, low-priced crops such as surplus wheat and potatoes. He stressed that Mongolia must resolve highly contagious livestock diseases and meet South Korean standards for meat and meat products.
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Stock Exchange Aims to Connect Businesses and Investors Beyond Share Trading
Published: 2026-10-30
The Mongolian Stock Exchange aims to become a bridge linking business growth and investment opportunities rather than only a venue for share trading, said acting Chief Executive Officer B. Anar. He spoke on October 29 at the “Mongolia’s 2027 Economic and Investment Outlook” event. Anar said the exchange will work to make the market more open, transparent, and liquid for international investors and to expand long-term private-sector financing. He said growth should be measured by market quality, liquidity, product diversification, and foreign investor participation, not by numbers alone.
“The Mongolian capital market is not just a market where shares are traded; we aim to develop it into real financial infrastructure connecting long-term financing for businesses, projects, and the state and private sector.” - B. Anar (ikon.mn)
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Tourist Arrivals Reach 919,104 Through October 29, Leaving 80,896 to One Million Target
Published: 2026-10-30
Mongolia received 919,104 tourists between January 1 and October 29, 2026, according to preliminary statistics released by the Tourism Professional Association. That equals 91.9 percent of the annual target of one million visitors, leaving 80,896 arrivals to reach the goal. The government has designated tourism as one of the priority sectors of the economy and declared 2023–2028 the “Visit Mongolia Year,” setting the one-million target with the involvement of government, the private sector, and professional associations. Sector researchers believe the country could receive one million tourists in 2026 if the current pace of growth is maintained. Detailed statistics are available at mto.mn/statistic.
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Diplomacy
Immigration Heads Agree to Launch Dialogue on Easing Travel Between Mongolia and South Korea
Published: 2026-10-30
B. Enkhsukh, head of Mongolia’s Agency for Foreign Citizens and Naturalization, met Cha Yong Ho, head of South Korea’s Immigration Service under the Ministry of Justice, in Seoul on October 29. They agreed to launch a new Immigration Dialogue mechanism soon to consult on and resolve problems citizens face when traveling between the two countries. The sides also exchanged views on drafting and implementing a Roadmap to ease mutual travel in phases, improving visa conditions and border-crossing procedures for Mongolian tourist groups, and cooperating on cases of citizens turned back at the border. According to figures from South Korea’s Ministry of Justice and Mongolia’s embassy, 60,989 Mongolian citizens live in South Korea on a temporary or long-term basis in 2026. Authorities urged Mongolian citizens traveling to or living in South Korea not to overstay visas, to obey local laws and to travel responsibly.
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President Khurelsukh Wraps Up Germany, Finland and Belarus Visits With $95.5 Million in Deals
Published: 2026-10-30
President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh completed state visits to Germany, Finland and Belarus in October 2026, with deals totaling $95.5 million. In Berlin, the two heads of state signed a joint declaration, and a business forum produced six documents and $35.5 million in contracts. In Finland, six documents worth $10 million were signed. In Belarus, on October 24–26 at President Alexander Lukashenko’s invitation, the leaders exchanged ratification instruments for the friendship treaty signed June 3, 2024, and agreed a 2027–2029 cooperation roadmap. An October 26 Minsk business forum produced 17 agreements and memorandums worth $50 million. The sides agreed to triple trade turnover, a goal not yet achieved. Khurelsukh described Belarus’s role:
“Belarus is an important transport and logistics gateway for us to the European market, while Belarus sees us as its gateway to Asian markets.” - Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh (news.mn)
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Japan’s Prime Minister Pledges Support for Nömrög Fire Recovery in Call With Uchral
Published: 2026-10-30
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi spoke by phone with Prime Minister N. Uchral on October 29 about the fire in the Nömrög Strictly Protected Area in Dornod Province. News.mn, citing NHK, reported that the fire started at Bichigtiin-Ondor in Khalkhgol soum, 45 kilometers from the border, and burned 80 percent of the reserve. Takaichi expressed concern over the damage and said the Japanese government is examining the extent of the losses closely. Experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) left for Mongolia on October 27, and Takaichi said Japan plans cooperation on restoration based on their findings, which may include equipment and human resource development. Uchral welcomed the science-based approach. The leaders also agreed to strengthen ties on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.
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Infrastructure
Darkhan Power Plant Runs at 30 MW After Equipment Fault Halts Station
Published: 2026-10-30
A fault at the Darkhan Thermal Power Plant in Darkhan-Uul Province halted the station completely at 20:56 on October 29. Officials’ preliminary findings point to a vacuum breaker failure in the main distribution switchgear that caused an electric arc and fire risk; protection systems automatically shut down all equipment. Crews isolated the damaged equipment and drew voltage from the Central region power system, restoring operation with four boilers and three turbines at 30 MW. Heat and power are back to normal across most of the province, and the return to normal plant operation is 70 percent complete, though eagle.mn earlier reported that some soums and neighborhoods still lacked supply. Deputy Prime Minister N. Nomtoibayar, who chairs the State Emergency Commission, inspected the work on October 30. Chief engineer B. Batjargal said equipment load runs two to three times above normal, and CEO M. Jargalsaikhan said the plant, commissioned in 1965, needs a new plant, upgrades and replacement equipment.
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Ulaanbaatar Heating Network to Pause New Connections From November 1 to March 1
Published: 2026-10-30
Ulaanbaatar District Heating Network JSC announced it will stop switching operations and new connections to the unified grid and centralized heating systems from November 1, 2026 to March 1, 2027. The company said the pause follows the start of the 2026-2027 winter peak-load regime and is meant to keep supply uninterrupted for customers as the heating season begins and ends. During this period it will not make tie-ins from heating centers and branch lines or connect new customers to the network. Projects and investment works funded by state or local budgets or foreign loans and aid, along with unavoidable emergency switching orders, will be arranged within the relevant legislation during the stated period. In the 2026-2027 heating season, more than 14,500 buildings in the capital will receive heat, while 266 buildings and facilities have obtained technical conditions to connect to heating supply.
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Prime Minister Uchral Says Oil Refinery Would Cover About Half of Fuel Demand
Published: 2026-10-30
At parliament’s October 30 question hour, MP J. Zolzhargal pressed Prime Minister N. Uchral on long-term fuel supply, asking who would operate an oil refinery once commissioned and how prices would be adjusted if imports prove cheaper than domestic output. He noted fuel and blasting materials account for over half of mining costs and said he wants fuel produced from coal.
“Motorists do not know whether they will have fuel tomorrow.” - J. Zolzhargal (gogo.mn)
Uchral said the refinery would meet about 50 percent of domestic demand once operating. The government has submitted a draft Law on Petroleum to parliament, and a selection process covering 16 areas produced a crude oil supply agreement.
“This is progress; we have broken out of the deadlock.” - N. Uchral (gogo.mn)
He said parliament’s review of the long-running PetroChina tax dispute also ended that issue.
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127.1 km Bypass Rail Line Opens to Divert Freight From Ulaanbaatar
Published: 2026-10-30
A 127.1 km railway linking Bagakhangai, Khöshigiin Khöndii and Emeelt was opened on October 11, 2026, creating a freight route around Ulaanbaatar rather than through the city center. Estimates cited by tug.mn show the line can carry 20 million tonnes of cargo around the capital in its first year and up to 25 million tonnes annually afterward, equivalent to about 1,800 heavy trucks a day kept off city roads. Trains passing through the capital’s rail branches have closed road traffic for an average of 144 minutes a day, and the new line is expected to cut that noticeably. Beginning October 30, 34 types of explosive and hazardous cargo are no longer transported through central Ulaanbaatar. Roads and Transport Minister B. Delgersaikhan oversaw the project, which involved more than 160 domestic companies and over 4,000 engineers and technical staff.
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Cabinet Backs 100,000-Home Housing Program as Economists Question Pricing
Published: 2026-10-30
The cabinet backed the “National 100,000 Housing” program, to run from 2027 to 2030 with a goal of cutting at least 50,000 ger-district chimneys. The program would require no down payment, tie terms to household income, charge lower mortgage rates in ger districts and rural areas than in the city center, and split mortgage access 50:50 between the capital and provinces, with priority for first-time buyers. In a news.mn opinion piece, economist A. Tsagaankhuu said the 3.9 million tögrög per square meter set for the “Solongo 1, 2” project is about 15 percent above market prices. Ch. Otgochuluu estimated a 50-square-meter flat at that price would cost about 1.4 million tögrög monthly, against average monthly income of 2.1 million for the lowest-earning 20 percent of households.
“Without disclosing this, even a well-intentioned program will not reach the target group.” - Ch. Otgochuluu (news.mn)
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Bus Route X:7 to Terminate at Yarmag 3rd Stop From November 1
Published: 2026-10-30
The capital’s Public Transport Policy Department has changed the route of bus line X:7 to improve public transport access for residents of Khan-Uul District’s 12th and 13th khoroos and reduce waiting times. The route, formerly Tuul Village-Bio Combinat-Khangarid Complex, becomes Tuul Village-Bio Combinat-Yarmag 3rd Stop. Under the revised alignment, buses will turn around at the Yarmag 3rd Stop. The change takes effect on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Passengers are asked to travel according to the updated route map. Feedback and requests about the service are accepted by phone at 70044040, and the authority says they will be resolved.
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Society
Basic Pension of 100,000 to 300,000 Tugrik Set to Begin November 1
Published: 2026-10-30
A basic pension, the first tier of the multi-tier pension system, is set to begin payments on November 1. Parliament approved amendments to the Law on Pensions Paid from the Social Insurance Fund on July 2, 2026, establishing the legal framework; preparations to start disbursement are under way. The pension will go to people receiving pensions from the Social Insurance Fund or military pensions who have reached age 55 for women and 60 for men. Amounts range from 100,000 to 300,000 tugrik and will be set according to the individual’s current pension and the number of years worked while paying social insurance contributions. The state budget will fund the pension in full. The stated aims are to raise the income of older citizens and strengthen social guarantees.
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Police Warn Homebuyers After One Apartment Is Sold to 65 People in Housing Fraud Case
Published: 2026-10-30
The General Authority of Police has warned the public about a housing fraud case in which one apartment was sold in duplicate to 65 citizens. A sub-working group investigating apartment fraud, formed in July, has registered cases with 173 billion tugrik in losses: 2,208 citizens’ cases per ikon.mn, two thousand per isee.mn. In the case police described, Citizen B saved for 10 years and signed a contract with a company identified as “E,” transferring an advance of about 50 million tugrik. B was drawn by a below-market price, flexible loan terms and a quick completion date, then learned the apartment had been sold to 65 people in total. Police advise buyers to check opendatalab.mn, egazar.mn and the construction system mcis.gov.mn, notarize contracts, research the developer’s stability, confirm no one else has booked the unit, and verify contract terms against documents.
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Supreme Court Upholds Ts. Dagvadorj’s Life Sentence, Overturns Two Acquittals in Teen Murder Case
Published: 2026-10-30
The Supreme Court announced its ruling on October 30 in the case over the killing of a 16-year-old girl, after a closed hearing on October 29. It upheld the life sentence for Ts. Dagvadorj, who was convicted of killing two people, a 16-year-old girl and a 32-year-old woman, and upheld the acquittal of E. Gan-Erdene. It overturned the acquittals of E. Nomin-Erdene and Kh. Enkhsaikhan and ordered preventive measures, including a personal guarantee. The court said lower courts failed to assess whether Nomin-Erdene’s failure to help a person in life-threatening danger was a crime, and misjudged evidence and law in Enkhsaikhan’s case. The girl’s mother, G. Otgontuya, said the case will be reheard.
“I fought for justice in the belief that every child must be loved and protected in society.” - G. Otgontuya (gogo.mn)
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Environment
Snow and Windstorms Forecast Through the Weekend, With Light Snow Due in Ulaanbaatar October 31
Published: 2026-10-30
Snow is forecast on October 30 for the Khangai and Khuvsgul highlands, with 0.0-2.0 mm possible in Bayan-Ulgii, Uvs, parts of Zavkhan, western Khuvsgul and northern Bayankhongor, and Altai winds reaching 15-17 meters per second. Ulaanbaatar will have fewer clouds and no snow, with northwest winds of 5-10 meters per second and highs of 0 to +2 C, five degrees colder than the previous day. On October 31 snow and snowstorms are expected in Zavkhan, Khuvsgul, Arkhangai, Bulgan, Tuv, Khentii, Selenge and parts of other provinces, and on November 1-2 in smaller areas including Selenge, Dornod, Khuvsgul and Zavkhan. Winds of 18-20 meters per second may bring dust storms to the Altai, Gobi and steppe. Ulaanbaatar’s 10-day outlook shows light snow on October 31 and November 4, with nights of -6 to -11 C in most of the city and -13 to -18 C around Yarmag-Songino, and daytime highs of -2 to +3 C.
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Published: 2026-10-30
The draft 2026-2030 action plan to reduce air pollution is going out for public consultation. The National Committee for Air Pollution Reduction prepared the document together with relevant ministries, agencies and capital city organizations. The draft sets seven objectives and includes 61 measures in total. An open discussion of the draft will take place on November 2, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Ikh Nomin Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Residents and the wider public can also read the draft through a QR code link and send in their comments. The announcement came from the National Committee for Air Pollution Reduction and was published as a promotional item.
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Researchers Find Most Steppe Biomass Burned in Nomrog Reserve Fire
Published: 2026-10-30
Scientists assessing the fire in Nomrog Strict Nature Reserve, Khalkhgol sum, Dornod, have finished fieldwork and sample collection in hard-to-reach areas, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change reported. Around Soyolz, Tsetsegt, Orch and Zaraa mountains, the Galdastai River and Bichigt Tolgoi, the team found most above-ground biomass of the steppe vegetation burned. Preliminary observations put burn intensity in affected birch forest at relatively low to moderate. Laboratory analysis of roots, soil and ecosystem recovery capacity will precede the final damage assessment. Separately, 27 experts discussed developing site-specific restoration plans.
Botanist M. Urtnasan voiced concern for wildlife:
“The biomass burned to nothing, so I felt concern that animals could face a shortage of winter forage.” - M. Urtnasan (ikon.mn)
Reserve specialist K. Terbish said:
“If those citizens had come and familiarized themselves with the safety instructions, the situation would not have come to this.” - K. Terbish (ikon.mn)
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Innovation
School Students Begin Week-Long Break Under New Four-Quarter Calendar
Published: 2026-10-30
General education school students attend classes October 30, then begin a first-quarter break. Several outlets report classes resume Monday, November 9, but Peak News said they begin November 10. The break reflects a new four-quarter school year, introduced for 2026-2027 by Education Minister’s Order A/211 of July 8 for schools of all ownership types. The first quarter previously ran 16 weeks. Ulaanbaatar students have an independent-study week December 21-25, then a three-week winter break from December 28, returning January 18, 2027. In the third quarter, Ulaanbaatar students break March 22-26 and resume March 29; rural students do independent study that week, break the next and return April 5. Education Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan wrote that summer break will start earlier: after May classes for primary grades and from the second week of June for middle and high school. Parents and guardians are urged to supervise children.
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Health
Seasonal Flu Reaches Activity Level Nationwide, With Children Most Affected
Published: 2026-10-30
The Ministry of Health has instructed provincial and Ulaanbaatar health organizations to assess the spread of influenza and influenza-like illness, evaluate risks and ensure readiness for prevention and response. According to the October 28 assessment, seasonal influenza has moved to the activity level nationwide. Children up to age 15 account for 77.1 percent of people with influenza or influenza-like illness, and 49.6 percent of that group are aged five or under. Children up to 15 also make up 81 percent of patients hospitalized with acute, severe respiratory symptoms. Recommendations include implementing the resolution granting paid leave or remote work to parents and guardians caring for sick children up to age six, following the 2026-2027 seasonal influenza prevention and response plan approved by the Health Minister, improving home visits, and ensuring family health centers care for children during the day without inconvenience.
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Lawmakers Submit Overhaul of Health Law to Shift Focus From Hospitals to Public Health
Published: 2026-10-30
Lawmakers T. Munkhsaikhan, P. Ganzorig, O. Saranchuluun and B. Kherlen submitted a revised Law on Health to Parliament Speaker S. Byambatsogt on October 30. The 2011 law has been amended 31 times, which sponsors say weakened coordination between policy, regulation and implementation. The 9-chapter, 53-article draft would shift the system in stages from a hospital-centered model to one centered on public health, prioritizing prevention. It organizes care around three pillars: public health, hospital care and pharmaceutical care. It also aims to align state, local and health insurance funding.
“The Law on Public Health Care and Services was adopted two years ago, yet the Law on Health lacks enough provisions supporting public health, so the revised draft puts this policy first.” - T. Munkhsaikhan (gogo.mn)
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Nationwide Screening Finds Dental Disease and Anemia Among Young Children
Published: 2026-10-30
The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education are running preventive and early-detection health checks in kindergartens and general schools nationwide from October 1 to December 1, 2026. Risk assessments of screened children rated 26.3 percent as normal, 24.1 percent as low risk, 41.2 percent as medium risk requiring further assessment and diagnosis, and 8.4 percent as high risk. Dental disease dominates among medium-risk children, while developmental delay and weight changes appear most among high-risk children, the Ministry of Health reported. Dr. D. Batsuren of the Achlakhui family health center said tooth decay, tonsillitis, gum inflammation and anemia are most common among three-year-olds. The checks cover ages 3, 6, 11 and 15. More than 70 percent of children due for screening have been covered. The ministry urged parents and guardians to bring children for checks and follow medical advice.
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