Trending on X, 6 PM: Enkhtsetseg and Naidalaa's aide, Boldtömör, Altangerel, Altankhuyag, Z. Enkhbold, attendance, rights commission, Delgermaa

Below are the eight topics Mongolian users discussed most on X between 14:33 and 18:14 on October 28. Engagement was relatively low this cycle; post metrics were recorded at 18:25.

1. MP M. Enkhtsetseg says Energy Minister B. Naidalaa's aide assaulted her; the aide denies it and the minister apologises

A confrontation at the State Palace was the most discussed topic of the cycle. MP M. Enkhtsetseg said that while she was giving journalists an interview criticising appointments in the energy sector, an aide to Energy Minister B. Naidalaa interrupted her and struck her hand; she said she had reported the incident to the relevant authorities. According to her, 10 MPs have signed a motion to dismiss the minister.

The aide, B. Ichinkhorloo, apologised for interrupting the MP but said she did not assault her and was trying to stop what she called false information. Minister B. Naidalaa said he apologised on his aide's behalf if she had been disrespectful to the MP, and asked the MP to provide evidence for her claim that unqualified people were being appointed in the sector. Full story: https://www.egov.mn/en/article/mp-m-enkhtsetseg-says-energy-minister-b-naidalaas-aide-assaulted-her-the-aide-denies-it-and-the-minister-apologises

2. Questions raised over Boldtömör Eröö Gol's declared iron ore export prices

Users widely shared an article published by the daily Ödriin Sonin (DNN.mn) and other news sites. According to the article, Boldtömör Eröö Gol LLC declares its iron ore at $27 per tonne at Mongolian customs, while the Chinese buyers may have declared the same product at $55 per tonne at Chinese customs. The article suggests this may point to long-running tax avoidance. That is the publication's assessment: no official ruling or company response has been issued so far.

3. T. Altangerel appointed to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre's arbitrator list

According to the Mongolian Bar Association, Dr T. Altangerel, a lawyer and international arbitrator, has been appointed an arbitrator of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) by decision of its selection committee. She also serves as an arbitrator for the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA) and the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB).

4. N. Altankhuyag: "My hopes of running for president are fading"

Remarks by former Prime Minister and MP N. Altankhuyag were carried by several outlets today. He said he had been through the courts five times, acquitted three times and seen his case sent back twice, adding that "sending a case back means 'convict him'" and that his hopes of standing in the presidential election were fading. He also said Mongolia had become "as if it had one khan", but added that he still intends to compete for the presidency.

On October 23 the Supreme Court declined to hear the so-called Development Bank case on supervisory review, so under the appeal court's ruling the part of the case concerning N. Altankhuyag will be retried at first instance.

5. Supreme Court leaves fines on Z. Enkhbold and B. Enkh-Amgalan in place (new development)

A case discussed on X earlier reached its final stage today. The full bench of the Supreme Court's criminal chamber declined to hear on supervisory review the case of Z. Enkhbold, former head of the President's Office, and former MP B. Enkh-Amgalan. The appeal court's fines of ₮40 million each therefore stand. Full story: https://www.egov.mn/en/article/supreme-court-declines-to-review-case-of-z-enkhbold-and-b-enkh-amgalan-leaving-their-fines-in-place

6. Parliamentary attendance and L. Oyun-Erdene's remarks

According to a tally by iSee.mn, MPs Kh. Battulga and D. Batbayar have not attended any of the 11 plenary sittings since the autumn session opened. Kh. Battulga was recorded with one medical leave, eight foreign trips and two unexcused absences, while D. Batbayar was on medical leave for all sittings. Former Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene took leave three times and missed three sittings without excuse.

Separately, L. Oyun-Erdene's comment that "I am watching politics. I have been in touch with Kh. Nyambaatar on some matters" circulated on news sites.

7. Human Rights Commission member selection: deadline extended amid criticism

By a resolution dated October 26, Parliament's Standing Committee on Legal Affairs extended the call for candidates for membership of the National Human Rights Commission; applications are now accepted until 17:30 on November 6. Some users criticised changes to the selection rules, saying a requirement that candidates must not have held political or party leadership posts in the past five years had been removed, and called for it to be restored under the hashtag #ХараатБусХЭҮК ("independent NHRC"). We were unable to independently confirm the substance of that change from official sources.

8. World Wrestling Championships: E. Delgermaa reaches the semi-finals

At the freestyle world championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, world silver medallist E. Delgermaa beat Russia's Elizaveta Petliakova 3:2 in the women's 68 kg quarter-finals to reach the semi-finals. Her next opponent is Kyrgyzstan's M. Zhumanazarova, an Olympic silver and bronze medallist. Three Mongolian wrestlers were also scheduled to compete for bronze medals this evening.

Methodology: We ranked posts from about 200 major news and influential accounts found through X search, plus more than 50 keyword searches, by an engagement score (likes + 2× reposts + views/100), and checked the facts against news sites. Posts that could not be verified or that carried a risk of defamation were left out. Views expressed by individuals on X do not represent the position of egov.mn.