Prime Minister M. Enkhbold had informed Gundalai about his decision to replace him at a Cabinet meeting on December 29.

In a letter submitted to Parliament, the Prime Minister said that during Gundalai’s tenure as Minister of Health he had caused international cooperation to stagnate. He said that L. Gundalai had changed and dismissed international project and program managers and staff such as ADB-funded ‘Health Sector Development Project’ manager S. Sonin, and R. Otgonbayar, the team leader of the project ‘Master Plan of the Health Sector’ funded by Ministry of Health and Social Care of Japan, and that he had also replaced 20 coordinators of 20 projects funded by the World Health Organization and the head of cancer center.

According to the Prime Minister’s letter, another reason for dismissing Gundalai was his poor behavior towards representatives of international organizations, which had destroyed the reputation of the Mongolian Government of Mongolia.

The Prime Minister’s letter also said that some of Gundalai’s tender activities were bewildering. For example, Gundalai allegedly delayed a MNT 2.4 billion tender to purchase magnetic-frequency tomographic and cancer-treatment equipment, which was later changed to ultrasound equipment for 300 soums.

But Gundalai refuted the allegations, saying: “All the tenders have been resolved and I have been working hard for the sake of the people of Mongolia. You are pushing me away because you are scared of me. I will be in politics of Mongolia. Resignation does not mean a loss.”

Democratic Party MP E.Bat-Uul said: “There is a contract made between the MPRP and the Mongolian People’s Party about establishing a National Coalition Government. Isn’t it a case that violates the contract by dismissing the Minister? The dismissal of Gundalai shows that the National Coalition Government cannot work within Cabinet principles.”

Civil Will Party MP S. Oyun said: “Even B. Erdenebat, the Fuel and Energy Minister, had a problem with a tender of solar electricity converters at the Ministry, and Ts. Tsengel, the Minister of Roads, Transport and Tourism, could have been dismissed when two trains crashed and three people died in the accident. Why is only Minister L. Gundalai the only one to be dismissed?

“The Civil Will Party is in a position to dismiss the whole Cabinet. The Cabinet was comprised of members who were randomly selected when they did not have any plan or program within their individual sector.”

The head of the DP faction in the Parliament, L. Gansukh, agreed with Oyun, and said the DP was in a position to dismiss the whole National Coalition Government on the basis that Ts. Tsengel had not been forced to step down because of political allegiances.