Ulaanbaatar, Dec 21 Protesters against massive theft coal in Mongolia did not succumb to provocations, showed wisdom, their actions can be seen as support for the government that initiated anti-corruption investigations, Ganhuyag Chuluun, the former Deputy Minister of Finance of Mongolia (2010-2012), the executive director of the ARD financial group, said in an interview.
The financier gave an interview on the eve of hearings scheduled for December 21 in the Mongolian parliament in the case of large-scale theft in the export of coal. Reports of abuse have sparked massive protests that have been taking place in front of the Government Palace in Ulaanbaatar since early December. According to various reports from the Mongolian media, the amount of damage ranges from 1.8 billion to 13 billion dollars. Earlier, the deputy head of the investigation department of the Anti-Corruption Agency of Mongolia said that the country's ex-president Khaltmaagiin Battulga, seven deputies and the governor are connected with the coal theft case in the country. The Minister of Economic Development of Mongolia, Khurelbaatar Chimed, announced on social networks on December 19 that Khaltmaagiin Battulga had left the country. As reported by the Isee portal, Battulga received permission from the investigator of the Anti-Corruption Agency for treatment in the Republic of Korea.
«The demonstration itself has been going on for more than two weeks. But the winter in Mongolia is very cold, and now it's the New Year, besides, the government and parliament have begun to fulfill the first demands of the protesters, so the intensity of the protest began to weaken,» he said ex-deputy minister.
According to him, it cannot be denied that some «particularly informed citizens tried to turn the demonstration in the wrong direction, to start a revolution.» «But the Mongols were smart in not giving in,» he said.
«Today, some demonstrators are talking about the immediate arrest and execution of those suspected of theft or the establishment of direct presidential power. Such wreckers themselves sow distrust among the people. But the demonstration has achieved its main result,» he stressed.
The protests continue, but today the situation has stabilized in a non-violent form, Chuluun explains.
«I would like to congratulate law enforcement and government leaders for taking the protest to its current level by engaging in constructive negotiations and taking concrete action in response. This is a success. We must not repeat the bitter events of July 1, 2008 (when in Ulaanbaatar there were clashes between opposition supporters and law enforcement agencies, five people were killed, about 400 were injured — ed.) This is the fundamental interest of Mongolia, and any actions that threaten our most valuable, our freedom and independence, must be stopped. I think that our current government was able to approach this issue very correctly and wisely, and young people from among the protesters showed themselves to be smart and cautious,» he said.
He stressed that the anti-corruption investigation was initiated by the team of Prime Minister Luvsannamsrein Oyun-Erdene and in fact the protesters express their support for them.
«As far as I understand, this demonstration is being held in support of the policy of the current government. This government and its head Oyuun-Erdene himself raised the problem of the Development Bank and theft of coal in order to combat theft, authorized representatives were appointed to these places. And this the government started fighting against those who stole… People took to the streets to support these decisions. Governments must be stable. We must preserve this government,» Chuluun added.