On February 7, Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar met with more than 700 citizens of Umnugovi province following local protests about plans to open a port in the Tsagaandel mountain basin and other border-area concerns.
Many participants asked the Prime Minister to reconsider the port decision. G.Zandanshatar acknowledged the issue was decided at the intergovernmental and parliamentary level but promised a local response: “I will not lie and say I will resolve this issue in your favor. However, let us work together on how to manage it in a way that is friendly to the environment and local people. Let us establish a working group that necessarily includes representatives of local citizens and conduct a detailed environmental assessment again.”
Residents also complained that a well-known company had allegedly encroached on Mongolia’s border strip and carried out subsoil excavation, and that the border-guard agency had not acted on their reports. In response, the Prime Minister said he would establish a joint working group to investigate border-area claims. He directed that the group include local representatives and ordered the Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia (IAAC), the General Police Department, and the General Intelligence Agency to work in the border area. “If the citizens’ information is confirmed with facts, the officials responsible will be held strictly accountable,” he said.
On energy and local infrastructure, the Prime Minister noted the Dalanzadgad Thermal Power Plant which has operated for more than 20 years, has become overloaded as construction and population have increased. To address the city’s power needs, officials decided to issue bonds and build a 50 MW plant financed by the province; the Bank of Mongolia has issued a permit and the project has officially started, the prime minister said.
G.Zandanshatar also reported transport and airport plans: in 2025, Gurvansaikhan airport handled 724 flights and 22,367 passengers, with 5–7 flights regularly received during the summer. He said the airport will renovate facilities and pursue opportunities to host international flights.
On February 7, Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar met with more than 700 citizens of Umnugovi province following local protests about plans to open a port in the Tsagaandel mountain basin and other border-area concerns.
Many participants asked the Prime Minister to reconsider the port decision. G.Zandanshatar acknowledged the issue was decided at the intergovernmental and parliamentary level but promised a local response: “I will not lie and say I will resolve this issue in your favor. However, let us work together on how to manage it in a way that is friendly to the environment and local people. Let us establish a working group that necessarily includes representatives of local citizens and conduct a detailed environmental assessment again.”
Residents also complained that a well-known company had allegedly encroached on Mongolia’s border strip and carried out subsoil excavation, and that the border-guard agency had not acted on their reports. In response, the Prime Minister said he would establish a joint working group to investigate border-area claims. He directed that the group include local representatives and ordered the Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia (IAAC), the General Police Department, and the General Intelligence Agency to work in the border area. “If the citizens’ information is confirmed with facts, the officials responsible will be held strictly accountable,” he said.
On energy and local infrastructure, the Prime Minister noted the Dalanzadgad Thermal Power Plant which has operated for more than 20 years, has become overloaded as construction and population have increased. To address the city’s power needs, officials decided to issue bonds and build a 50 MW plant financed by the province; the Bank of Mongolia has issued a permit and the project has officially started, the prime minister said.
G.Zandanshatar also reported transport and airport plans: in 2025, Gurvansaikhan airport handled 724 flights and 22,367 passengers, with 5–7 flights regularly received during the summer. He said the airport will renovate facilities and pursue opportunities to host international flights.