On April 14, parliamentary standing committees convened to consolidate their positions on the bills and resolutions to be discussed in the main session this week.

Standing Committee on State Structure

     At its regular meeting, the standing committee convened with an attendance of 57.9 percent to discuss the revised bill on development policy, planning and management, draft resolution on changes to border crossings of Arvaikheer and Taragt soums of Uvurkhangai Province, and Ulgii and Bugat soums of Bayan-Ulgii Province, and on announcing the 2020 city and local council elections.

In this regard, lawmaker S.Byambatsogt introduced the bill and resolution. 

“The revised draft aims to ensure the sustainability of Mongolia's development policy and planning, to define the principles to be followed in development policy and planning at the national level, to develop and implement development policy effectively, and to monitor and establish an integrated and rational system,” he said.

The bill on development policy, planning and management had 66.7 percent approval of the standing committee.

“Based on proposals of the General Election Commission, the Standing Committee on State Structure developed the draft resolution on setting polling day and the announcement of the 2020 city and local council elections,” S.Byambatsogt said.

The draft resolution stipulates that the upcoming elections local councils to be held on October 15, 2020, which was supported by the standing committee. The draft resolution will be sent through to Parliament for final review.

Standing Committee on Budget

     The Standing Committee on Budget convened to discuss amendments to the Law on VAT, approving the rate of custom duty, exempting from VAT payment and amendments to the Law on Real Estate Tax. During the meeting, the Mongolian National Audit Office’s operations report for 2019 was presented.

Lawmaker Sh.Radnaased noted that the government cannot support the measure on increasing VAT refund.

The majority of the members of the standing committee did not support the proposed changes to the Law on VAT.

The bill on exempting VAT payment received 64.3 percent approval from the standing committee.

Moreover, bill on custom duty rate was supported by 66.7 percent of members. Some 60 percent of the members of the standing committee supported the amendments to the Law on Real Estate Tax.

Standing Committee on Legal Affairs

      The standing committee discussed the revised draft on archives and amendments to the Law on Witness and Victim Protection.

Speaker of Parliament G.Zandanshatar introduced the resignation of Head National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia J.Byambadorj.

The resignation was approved, with 72.7 percent of members of the standing committee agreeing to put the issue through to Parliament.

The amendments to the Law on Witness and Victim Protection saw 81.8 percent approval.