Ts.Sharavdorj details OT contract

The following is an interview with the Secretary General of the Secretariat of the Parliament Ts.Sharavdorj.





He gave some clarification regarding current issues in Mongolia:



-Several MPs have submitted a request demanding the resignation of Ts.Nyamdorj, the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs. When the request will be discussed by Parliament?



-According to the Parliament Law of Discipline, the related Standing Committee should discuss it first, this issue of a Government member resigning. After the standing committee’s conclusion, the issue will be brought into discussion within a week. Following this Law of Provision, I think this matter will be discussed within this week.



-There is some information that says a legislative organization delivered an official letter to Parliament asking permission to investigate the four MPs who were present when N. Ehnkhbayar was arrested because of their interference with the police operation.



-Those MPs made a complaint that their power and health was abused during N.Enkhbayar’s arrest. Parliament will discuss it but Parliament hasn’t received an official letter.



-Will the Sub-Committee on Parliament Member Immunity hold a meeting regarding the issue about the invasion of MP’s power?



-The discussion to hold meeting or not has not taken place. Members of Parliament are citizens of Mongolia too. MP’s rights can’t be invaded without reason. They should seize their rights that are indicated in the Constitution.



-Several MPs mentioned at a press conference that the Research Center at the Office of the Parliament studied the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) contract and drew a conclusion that Mongolia won’t make profit from this contract. Could you please give more information about that?



-I should give the proper information about the issue. The OT contract is being complained about and discussed from various sides. The Research Center didn’t make an evaluation of the OT contract issue. On March 4th 2009 the Draft Law of Shareholders and Investment in Oyu Tolgoi was submitted to Parliament.



Accordingly, the Standing Committee on Economy appointed a working group to arrange the draft contract that would be made between the Parliament of Mongolia and Ivanhoe Mines.The Head of the Economic Standing Committee Ts.Bayarsaikhan delivered to me an order to conduct a study through the Research Center of Parliament. I ordered the Research Center to conduct an in depth study and make a factual evaluation.



The research conclusion was submitted to the standing committee on April 4th, 2009. The research conclusion stated that until 2022, when Mongolia starts to receive dividends, we will be in debt because of a USD 3.7 billion loan including it interest. If Mongolia starts paying back the loan in 2022, we will pay USD 408.3 million back and in the 63rd year, it will allocate money to the State Budget. If we consider that we will receive a dividend of USD 200 million annually, for roughly 60 years Mongolia’s budget will be under certain pressures. Since 2009, the Research Center has not made another conclusion.

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