The movement noted that the Cadastral Authority granted those mining licenses after a decision by the Minister of Trade and Industry B. Jargalsaikhan on February 8 stating that any exploration or mining licenses should not be granted, transferred or canceled until after the new minerals law was approved, which parliament passed on July 8.

“Unfortunately T. Zandanshir, Chairman of the Cadastral Authority signed and granted 814 licenses between February and October,” said D. Ganbaatar, a member of the Resolute Reforms Civil Movement.

He pointed out that the granting of those licenses broke the first two articles of the rules to be followed in implementation of the new law on mineral resources.

The law on implementation states that if exploration or mining licenses were granted prior to the approval of the new law, they must be re-registered under the new law which was approved on July 8, 2006.

Furthermore, the second article states that if the owner of the exploration or mining licenses wants to establish a community or company to own the licenses, it should be registered or could be transmitted to the legal person within six months after the law went into effect (August 26).

“The State Cadastral Authority and Chairman of T. Zanashir are not breaking any laws and or governmental resolutions,” Ch. Altanbaatar, Chairman of the Cadastral Department of Mining and Geology told MonInfo Monday.

“The decision of the Minister of Trade and Industry temporarily prohibited new petitions to own exploration and mining licenses until the new law was approved and valid. Those license petitions were received prior to the decision and were granted under the law.”

On October 12 the Soyombo movement representatives informed the Prime Minister about the state Cadastral Authority’s actions and the decision of Minister Jargalsaikhan.

S. Ganbaatar, Leader of the Soyombo movement said that the Prime Minister assigned duties to the Minister of Trade and Industry to establish a working group in order to examine the processes of licenses granted between February and October, 2006.

The working group said they will finish their examination this week and the Prime Minister would give a reply to the Soyombo movement representatives.

The Soyombo movement requested that the Prime Minister cancel those licenses which were granted during a legal lull and should take measures against the officials who broke the law.

The movement is protesting all illegal activity of high ranking government officials and asked the Prime Minister to meet every two weeks about mining issues which are related to state organization in order to open all information to the people.

The Prime Minister was unavailable for comment.