ULAN BATOR, Mongolia, March 18 (NNN-MONGOLIA WEB) – The extraordinary session of Mongolia’s State Great Khural, the country’s parliament, opened here today (Monday), to review issues like revisions of taxation and mining laws.
“Our country is now experiencing poverty and debt crisis. So, we all need to strengthen our unity, in order to create a bright future of the country and ensure economic security,” Gombojav Zandanshatar, speaker of the Mongolian parliament, told lawmakers, during the opening ceremony of the extraordinary session.
“When we strengthen our unity and solidarity, we will overcome and solve any problem. I hope that we will be able to successfully discuss and approve all issues which have been planned to discuss, during the extraordinary session of the parliament,” he added.
During the extraordinary session, which will run until March 29, lawmakers in Mongolia’s unicameral parliament are expected to discuss several issues, including draft revisions to taxation law and minerals law of the country, and appointment of the head of the country’s top anti-corruption body.
The extraordinary session came, after Mongolian President, Khaltmaa Battulga, submitted an official letter to Zandanshatar on Feb 20, to call an extraordinary session of parliament.
“Autumn session of the Mongolian parliament closed on Feb 2, after parliament failed to discuss the majority of the 23 originally scheduled draft bills and resolutions, during the fall session of 2018, due to the halt in the functions of parliament for over 40 days, caused by disagreement between the chairman of parliament and lawmakers,” Battulga said.
More than half of the lawmakers in the 76-seat parliament, most of them belonging to the ruling Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), have boycotted plenary sessions and meetings of standing committees of parliament for more than 40 days, demanding then parliament speaker, Miyegombo Enkhbold’s resignation over alleged conflicts of interest.
Enkhbold was removed from his post by the majority of parliament in an ad hoc meeting on Jan 29, and the former head of the cabinet secretariat, Zandanshatar, replaced him.– NNN-MONGOLIA WEB
