Parliament overrides President's veto on budget amendment

Politics
amina@montsame.mn
2017-11-09 13:10:48
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Parliament discussed and resolved to override the President’s veto on the 2017 budget amendment, on November 9.

The 2017 budget amendment adopted on October 26 authorizes a MNT 300 thousand allowance for all public servants.

In connection to the discussion, President Kh.Battulga attended a plenary meeting of the Parliamentary Session held last Thursday.

“MNT 55 billion is a huge sum and it should be spent on employment creation and construction of kindergartens and schools,” the President stressed. He also said the National Security Council will meet under a closed regime before the end of this year.

Z.Enkhbold, Chief of Staff of the President, expressed his stance saying that public servants’ wage can and should be increased instead of a single-benefit allowance. “Civil servants’ wage amounts to MNT 1.5 trillion. It is possible to increase wage by 10 percent,” he said.

A number of MPs expressed their positions over the 2017 budget amendment. S.Chinzorig, MP and Minister of Labor and Social Protection brought up the Child Allowance which has not been issued since August. “MNT 104.5 billion was allocated in the 2017 budget amendment for Child Allowance. If the veto should be accepted, we cannot issue Child Allowance until the end of this year,” he said.

L.Enkh-Amgalan, MP, pointed out the lack of discussion of the real issues Mongolia is facing, such as increasing crime, cancer cases, unemployment and debt. “The President has put a veto twice in a short period of time. We should address these issues instead of putting and discussing vetoes,” he said.

“Mongolia must discontinue the IMF programme. It is wrong to distribute money in the form of welfare,” said D.Erdenebat, MP.

“Civil servants refused to receive the MNT 300 thousand allowance, which can instead be given to the elders,” said O.Baasankhuu, MP.



The President addressed the plenary meeting at the end of the discussion. “Within the authority of President, I put two vetoes and will continue to do so when it is a matter of the national interest of Mongolia,” he said. The President also said that a meeting of the National Security Council was postponed due to the change of Cabinet and the upcoming meeting will discuss certain matters seriously.

As such, the Parliament voted to override the President’s veto by 85.2 percent.
Kh.Aminaa
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