The 2025 Spring Session of the State Great Hural officially opened today (March 17, 2025) at 10:00 AM with 74 members in attendance, representing 58.7% of the legislature.

The opening session was attended by Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court, the Prosecutor General, members of the Cabinet, the Chief of Staff of the President’s Office, the Secretary of the National Security Council, heads of parliamentary oversight agencies, as well as ambassadors and heads of international organizations based in Mongolia.

The session was opened with remarks from Chairman D. Amarbayasgalan, who emphasized that during the parliamentary recess, MPs engaged directly with citizens and stakeholders across various regions, gaining deeper insights into pressing issues. He highlighted that he and fellow MPs visited central, western, eastern, and southern provinces, meeting with over 25,000 citizens, including herders, cooperative members, business owners, civil servants, legal professionals, and students. He noted that citizens are not demanding unrealistic changes but rather expect the parliament to function as it should, fulfilling its legislative and oversight duties effectively. Key concerns raised by the public include employment, income security, access to quality education, healthcare services, infrastructure, and economic development—all of which should be central to parliamentary decision-making.

Chairman Amarbayasgalan underscored the need to accelerate legislative reforms supporting Mongolia’s mega projects, ensuring a strong legal framework for economic development. He stressed that the parliament must work in full cooperation with the government to advance national interests. He also addressed the importance of amendments to the Law on Legislation to reinforce a human-centered legal policy, economic expansion and fair competition laws to support a business-friendly regulatory environment, and sustainable fiscal policies to prevent economic strain while ensuring long-term growth. He noted that while major policy decisions will be made with economic sustainability in mind, the parliament will maintain strict oversight to ensure that government policies align with the nation’s financial stability and the well-being of its citizens.

The chairman highlighted Mongolia’s economic performance at the end of 2024, citing a 4.9% GDP growth rate, 9.2% inflation, a -1% budget deficit, a $622 million balance of payments surplus, and foreign currency reserves reaching $5.5 billion. However, by February 2025, inflation had risen to 9.6%, the foreign trade surplus stood at $294 million, and currency reserves had dropped to $4.4 billion, enough to cover 4.5 months of imports. Meanwhile, coal prices—Mongolia’s main export—had fallen more sharply than expected, leading to a 38.9% decrease in budget revenues compared to the same period last year. Chairman Amarbayasgalan stated that maintaining economic momentum is critical under the current global economic climate. He called for structural changes to Mongolia’s economy, including policy-driven support for domestic industries while ensuring continued investment in infrastructure to boost long-term competitiveness.

The chairman acknowledged public criticism regarding MP attendance and engagement, emphasizing that lawmakers must uphold their oath of office and fulfill their responsibilities with integrity. He committed to ensuring greater transparency by regularly disclosing MP attendance records and strengthening public engagement. He urged working groups tasked with legislative review and oversight to accelerate their efforts and present their findings within established deadlines.

Following his speech, the Mongolian national anthem was played, after which the session proceeded into a closed-door meeting to hear a briefing from the National Security Council, as per parliamentary regulations.