MPP: Lawmakers drive their own cars
During its weekly meeting on April 11, the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) caucus in Parliament supported the draft amendment to the state budget.
Chairman of the Standing Committee on Budget Ch.Khurelbaatar informed that as the main challenge for the economy in 2022 is inflation, the tugrug depreciation must be addressed by amending the state budget.
“The border situation is not improving due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, foreign trade issues are likely to continue for some time because of tensions between Ukraine and Russia. So we are changing our outlook that the economic situation would improve in 2022. In this regard, the MPP caucus supported the amendment to the state budget. The Monetary Policy Council raised the monetary policy rate. In line with this, it will be ineffective unless the fiscal policy is implemented,” he reported.
Lawmaker J.Sukhbaatar underscored, “People misunderstand that each member receives 4 billion MNT from the state budget. There has never been such an arrangement. This money is related to the right of a lawmaker to invest in provinces or districts. It is misinformation that members receive 20 million MNT when initiating a law. This has never happened before. Members’ telephone bills are not paid from the state budget. Each member receives 500,000 MNT per month for gasoline. Members have one advisor, one assistant, and two local representatives. In general, the total expenditure of Parliament is 50 billion MNT per year.”
“Only the speaker of Parliament and chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of standing committees are driving official state cars. All other members drive their own cars. Postage and communication costs are 100 percent paid by parliamentarians themselves. In the past, these costs were covered by the state budget. Members receive funding to pay their gasoline bills once a month. People see that there are a lot of large cars parked at the State Palace, but they are all private cars. I can responsibly say that no large cars are used for official use,” Chairman of the MPP caucus D.Togtokhsuren said.
Legislator Kh.Bulgantuya mentioned that out of the more than 110 state-owned organizations operating, a few are working profitably. Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene announced that some of these unprofitable state-owned organizations would be liquidated, while others would be merged and placed under public monitoring through the Mongolian Stock Exchange. They will also switch to austerity mode. Speaker of Parliament G.Zandanshatar gave instructions regarding the state budget amendment and austerity procedures, she said.