Source: News.mn    Date: April 10, 2010

Prime Minister S.Batbold has been chosen the new chairman of the MPRP. The incumbent head and former Prime Minister, Mr. S.Bayar, told delegates to the party conference before the meeting began on Thursday morning that he wanted to resign and proposed the name of Mr. Batbold as his successor. A vote was taken among the 194 members present, and all 191 valid votes were for Mr. Batbold. When in power, the MPRP tradition has been to have the same person as Prime Minister and party chairman. Mr. Batbold’s assumption of chairmanship will have to be ratified by the party’s general body.
Mr. Bayar said in his brief address that events have justified his decision last year to resign as Prime Minister and now he wanted to hand over responsibility for the party also to Mr. Batbold. “Today’s priority is adoption and implementation of an efficient economic policy, and creation of a proper business environment. Mr. Batbold is the ideal man for this,” Mr. Bayar said. He noted that Mr. Batbold is “a born diplomat, preferring to work through consensus”, and this has gained him notable successes. However, he warned half in jest that Mr. Batbold would have to learn to say “No”, too. “Politics is harsh and sometimes there may be no alternative to being firmly in opposition to harmful developments”.