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-weekly review-

The main sensation of last week was the unexpected request of MPs lead by G.Uyanga to dismiss the Prime Minister Ch.Saikhanbileg and the political hot topic is continuing this week as well. The request on PM dismissal signed by 19 MPs was supposed to be discussed last week at the session of the Standing committee on State structure and presented to the plenary session but was delayed as MPP asked for a break.

Hot issue featuring letters addressed to fathers of PM Ch.Saikhanbileg, S.Bayartsogt head of the GOM chancellery by G.Uyanga, is expected to be discussed at the Thursday plenary session.  So the main agenda of the party caucuses in the Parliament included the dismissal of Ch.Saikhanbileg: for or against. 

The “Justice” coalition of MPRP-NDP had already expressed their position to not support the dismissal of the PM. Only MPs G.Uyanga, L.Tsog and O.Baasankhuu hold their strong position to dismiss the Premier.

Four members of MPP had signed the request on dismissal though non of them appeared at the Standing committee session with the caucus delaying to express their official position. However, the MPP caucus expressed yesterday that they DO SUPPORT dismissal of the Prime Minister.

The DP caucus once again confirmed that it would protest against the PM dismissal though no official statement was made so far.

The MPP has 26 seats and they are on it. Even the caucus will add the voted of independent members G.Uyanga, O.Baasankhuu and L.Tsog, the caucus would not get enough votes to dismiss the PM. However, the DP members may push the button against. So there a suspicion at certain level that though MPP could not dismiss the PM, but there is a play around, to negotiate and agree on certain issues with the DP during the legal break.

Political community say that MPP may play with this although G.Uyanga’s request to dismiss Ch.Saikhanbileg was a show that won’t move forward. The “objective” is UB election mandate. DP is willing to increase the existing 14 mandates (votes) up to 22 against the MPP intention to keep as it is. And the justification is very simple, the DP may get more votes in UB but MPP is very much experiences to win in the countryside. So the explanation seems more valid as MPP intends to negotiate with the DP on UB votes playing with the PM dismissal. Perhaps MPP won’t get DP consent to not increase the UB mandates, but they can extend for another three days their play as the current 5 day break to delay the discussion on dismissal.

So better not be surprised is the MPP shall propose to extend the current break for another 3 days. Along with that there is also speculation that the request on dismissal was presented as Ch.Saikhanbileg did not open vice premier position to ex-President N.Enkhbayar who supposedly warned G.Uyanga and et al that he is against to dismiss the Prime Minister. But nobody can guess what kind of small and big plays are heating up behind the curtains.

It’s highly expected that the PM issue shall not be discussed on Thursday but many other issues are waiting their approval at the Parliament level, including protection of Noyon mountain, a highly significant issue among the public and arena for civil society organization along with defining the state ownership in Gatsuurt deposit.

The first discussion of the Parliament draft resolution to protect the Noyon mountain was supposed to be turned into final discussion, but as members of MPP caucus left the session, the issue stands still. And the state ownership in Gatsuurt is on hold as DP caucus asked for 5 day break on it.

“Important and so far significant” issues are expected to be discussed on Thursday whereas both MPP and DP are on “break”.

The Thursday agenda also includes the open discussion on including the Tost and Tosonbumba mountain range located in Gurvantes soum of Umnugobi aimag into the special protection area list. The issue shall be presented by the Standing committee on Environment, Food and Agriculture.

By A.Tuya

For Mongolian version please click here

Монгол эхийг унших бол энд дарна уу