On Friday, eleven ministers of Prime Minister J.Erdenebat's new Cabinet were approved, taking their offices and receiving their seals.
Prime Minister J.Erdenenbat submitted the names of nine nominees for his proposed 13 ministries, Deputy Prime Minister, and Cabinet Secretariat to the Speaker of Parliament M.Enkhbold on Friday, omitting the earlier nominations of G.Unurbolor for Minister of Construction and Urban Development, Ts.Tsengel for Energy Minister, J.Tsolmon for Health Minister, and Ts.Anandbazar for Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.
Local media reports that the reason for the omission of these nominees is that the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) cited conflicts of interest and opposed the nominations. The IAAC noted that Ts.Tsengel’s wife privatized the heating pipeline network of Darkhan Province; former Vice Minister of Health Dr. J.Tsolmon transferred ownership of her company engaged in healthcare to her daughter; G.Unurbolor owns a number of construction companies; and Ts.Anandbazar has not declared some of his properties, and he has a sibling who owns an agriculture company. The MPP says nominations for ministers of these four ministries will be discussed in the near future.
Prime Minister J.Erdenebat submitted nominations for 15 new ministers of his Cabinet to the President last Thursday. On the following day, President Ts.Elbegdorj delivered an official letter in response, calling on the new Prime Minister to reconsider the nominations and stating that he could not approve the nominations.
The official letter stated, “The submitted proposal of the nominations of the ministers does not comply with the Mongolian People’s Party’s promise to the nation, and it conflicts with principles to operate legislative and executive governance with responsibility at a professional level under reciprocal monitoring.”
The Mongolian People’s Party stated in their action plan that they would form a professional Cabinet, but the nominations for the ministers proposed by the board of the party has resulted in controversy.
The approved ministers are as follows:
- Deputy Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh (former Deputy Prime Minister under Altankhuyag)
- Cabinet Secretariat MP J.Munkhbat (General Secretary of the MPP)
- Minister of Nature, Environment and Tourism MP D.Oyunkhorol (former Minister of Nature, Environment, Green Development and Tourism)
- Minister of Foreign Relations MP Ts.Munk-Orgil (former Finance Minister)
- Minister of Finance MP B.Choijilsuren (Director of Khurd Group)
- Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs MP S.Byambatsogt
- Minister of Labor and Social Protection MP N.Nomtoibayar
- Minister of Defense MP B.Bat-Erdene (former national wrestling champion)
- Minister of Education, Culture, Sciences and Sports J.Batsuuri
- Minister of Roads and Transportation D.Ganbat (Executive Director of Mongolian Railway)
- Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry Ts.Dashdorj (former Member of Parliament)
