Khaltmaagiin Battulga

Khaltmaagiin Battulga (Mongolian: Халтмаагийн Баттулга, Khaltmaagiin Battulga, [xɑɮtʰ.maː.ɡiːŋ ˈbɑtʰ.tʰʊ.ɮɐɢ], also referred to as Battulga Khaltmaa; born 3 March 1963) is a Mongolian politician and sambo wrestler who has served as President of Mongolia since July 2017. He served as Member of the State Great Khural from 2004 to 2016 and Minister of Roads, Transportation, Construction and Urban Development from 2008 to 2012. Before his career in politics, Battulga was a sambo wrestling champion. He was the Democratic Party's candidate in the 2017 presidential election and was elected President with 50.6% in the run-off, the first-ever run-off election in modern Mongolian history.[1] Mongolians are sharply divided about his role in the 2019 Mongolian constitutional crisis.

This is a Mongolian name. The given name is Battulga, and Khaltmaagiin is a patronymic, not a family name.

His Excellency

Khaltmaagiin Battulga
Халтмаагийн Баттулга
5th President of Mongolia
Assumed office
10 July 2017
Prime MinisterJargaltulgyn Erdenebat
Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh
Preceded byTsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
Personal details
Born (1963-03-03) 3 March 1963
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Political partyDemocratic Party
Alma materSchool of Fine Arts of Mongolia
Khaltmaagiin Battulga
Medal record
Representing  Mongolia
Men's Sambo
1983 Kiev –52 kg
1986 Saint-Jean-de-Luz –52 kg
1990 Moscow –57 kg

Background

Battulga is a second child. His father and mother are both from Bayankhongor Province (the only province that he won in the first round of the election). The family was allocated a traditional ger in the Yarmag district in Ulaanbaatar after they lost everything in the flood of Tuul River in 1966. Battulga grew up in the streets of Yarmag and went to a local secondary school. When he graduated from eighth grade, his teacher recommended that he apply to an art school given his talents. Battulga graduated in 1982. While studying at the arts school, Battulga sold his paintings to tourists around the Bayangol Hotel area, learning sufficient English to help sell his artwork. However, he does not have any higher education record and is well-known as the uneducated president.

Battulga grew up around Mongolian traditional wrestling, as his father was a coach. Battulga was a member of the Mongolian National wrestling team in 1979-1990 and won the world cup championship in Ulaanbaatar in 1989. Wrestling allowed Battulga to travel internationally at a period when travel abroad for Mongolians was not allowed. Battulga was awarded a Merited Sportsmen of Mongolia in 1995 before being selected as the Chairman of the Mongolian Judo Federation in 2006. Under Battulga's leadership at the Judo Federation, Mongolian judokas became Olympic champions for the first time in history.

In 1990, Battulga started sewing and selling jeans locally and in Hungary. He saved $600 to buy a video camera and start an export-import business trading electronics from Singapore to Mongolia, Russia, and Eastern Europe.[2][3]

Battulga, like many others of his generation, was fascinated with The Godfather and named his first company Genco. Genco acquired controlling interests during the privatization of state-owned assets such as Bayangol Hotel and meat-processing factory Makh-Impex in 1997 and 1999 respectively. In the 1990s Genco group started one of the first taxi businesses in Mongolia called City Taxi, retail store operations under Sapporo name, lottery business, restaurant and night club operations, flour milling, and bread-making factory Talkh Chikher LLC.

Political views
Battulga with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

In 2004, Battulga became a Member of Parliament for Bayankhongor province for the first time. He was re-elected to parliament in 2008 and 2012. As a result, many international companies have expressed their interest to invest and provide technologies and construction services, such as Air Liquide (France), Baotou Steel (China), Dandong Port (China), Overseas Infrastructure Alliance (India), OAO Russian Railways (Russia), Rao UES (Russia), Sembcorp (Singapore), Sinohydro (China), Steel Authority of India Limited (India).[4][5][6]

Vladimir Putin and Battulga Khaltmaa in Vladivostok

Battulga criticizes the Mongolian economy's dependence on a single trade partner, and in return is criticized by shareholders and stakeholders of coal miners.[7]

Presidency (2017–present)

Inauguration

Battulga's inauguration took place at the State Palace on 10 July 2017 in the presence of Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat and former president Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.[8] In his presidential address, he laid out the principles for his term, including one for the industrialization of the country. He also said that he would work to maintain and expand the good-neighbor relations with Russia and China and will "pay utmost attention" to the third neighbor policy, referring to the United States.[9] After the ceremony, he went outside to lay wreaths at the monuments to Damdin Sükhbaatar and Chinggis Khaan.[10] He also received state heraldry, including the state stamp and the presidential certificate.[11]

Domestic policy
See also: 2019 Mongolian constitutional crisis

Within days of his inauguration, he took measures to reinstate the death penalty for sexual offenders, which came days after the death penalty was completely abolished in the country.[12] On 16 October, Battulga announced the formation of an expert group to look into the reinstatement of the death penalty for premeditated murder committed and rape circumstances.[13] The following month, he submitted his proposal to the justice and interior ministry.[14] In a speech to the during the opening of the autumn session of the State Great Khural, he claimed that a systemic social crisis is to blame for the national challenges that posed a threat to the country.[15]

The problem lies within the system itself, rather than due to a single individual or political party. Regardless of how good the person or the political party is, they become victims of the irresponsible, poorly coordinated, and unaccountable system, and an adverse condition is set where problems keep piling up and stress levels in the society keep rising.

— Khaltmaagiin Battulga[16]

Since he became president, Battulga has made it standard practice for people to put their hand on their heart during the performance of the national anthem of Mongolia by a concert or military band, as well as a vocal performance. On 27 March 2019, the State Great Khural began a constitutional crisis when it adopted an unprecedented law that gave the National Security Council of Mongolia the power to recommend the dismissal of judges and prosecutors, as well as the head of the national anti-corruption service. Battulga's political party, the opposition's main minority faction in the parliament, claims that the law undermines the country's constitutional separation of powers and the larger Mongolian democratic system.[17]

Since constitutional amendments, which took effect in May 2020, limits one's presidency to one term, it is still unclear if Battulga can re-run in the 2021 presidential election.[18]

Foreign policy

Battulga is largely seen as a pro-Russian politician and a Russophile due to his Russian ties and his knowledge of the Russian language. He is commonly compared to Russian President Vladimir Putin due to their shared love and experience in judo. When he spoke to Putin during a summit in eastern Russia in September 2017, Putin said that the shared sport will help "develop a good working and personal relationship".[19] On 14 June 2018, after the conclusion of the Singapore Summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump,[20] Battulga congratulated both leaders, telling Kim that he considers the summit as a "landmark event not only for the North Korea–United States relations but for the Northeast Asian region and the Korean Peninsula".[21] Battulga was widely expected to host the summit as the Mongolian head of state due to the fact that the country has sponsored many regional summits in recent years and is easily accessible by train from Pyongyang, North Korea.[22] Days after the summit, Battulga invited Kim to Ulan Bator for a state visit in honor of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations.[23] Earlier in mid-March, Battulga appealed to Trump via telegram to advance trade relations, saying that although Mongolia is an "oasis of democracy", it "does not contribute to economic development".[24][25][26] During a visit to Kyrgyzstan in June 2019, Battulga opened the Mongolian Embassy in Bishkek.[27]

International trips as president
DateCountryCityType of visit/Reason for visit
29 August–1 September 2017  Hungary Budapest 2017 World Judo Championships[28]
4–7 September 2017  Russia Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum[29]
9–10 June 2018 China Qingdao Shanghai Cooperation Organization[30]
11–13 September 2018  Russia Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum[31]
24 September 2018  Azerbaijan Baku Working visit[32]
18–19 October 2018  Belgium Brussels 12th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit[33]
22–26 October 2018   Switzerland Geneva 2018 World Investment Forum
24–28 April 2019 China Beijing State visit[34]
12–14 June 2019  Kyrgyzstan Bishkek State visit[35]
30 July–1 August 2019  United States Washington, D.C. State visit[36]
4–5 September 2019  Russia Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum
18–23 September 2019  India New Delhi State visit[37]
19 January 2020   Switzerland Davos World Economic Forum[38]
27 January 2020  Norway Oslo Working visit[39]
27 February 2020 China Beijing State visit[40]

Private life

He currently lives with Angelique Davain, a Russian by nationality and native of the Khentii Province.[41] His legal wife, Ts. Enkhtuya was the director of the Nüüdelchin Company. He is currently a father to two sets of twin sons. Aside from Mongolian, Battulga also speaks Russian and English.[42][43][44]

John Bolton wrote in his book The Room Where it Happened that President Battulga's son served in Afghanistan for a US-led multinational force.[45]

Social contributions

Battulga sponsored the construction of the Chingis Khan Equestrian Statue near Ulaanbaatar to celebrate national pride. The statue became one of the main tourist attractions.[46][47]

Battulga is also President of the Mongolian Judo Association. Under his guidance, Mongolian judoka Tuvshinbayar Naidan became an Olympic judo champion in Beijing 2008. As such, judo has become one of the most popular sports in Mongolia.[48][49]

gollark: Well, some, yes?
gollark: > uk badYes, UK bad in some aspects.
gollark: I have zero actual guns because UK.
gollark: > one of those fantasy ones that computes infinite instructions in finite timeOh, one of the ones mathematicians use!
gollark: They can do some specific operations really fast.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Became national bestseller, 8 January 2016
  3. “24 Facts from the Biography of a Mongolian Millionaire: Kh.Battulga” by D.Undrakh, 24tsag.mn, 22 August 2012,
  4. “Stories Behind Imprisonments” Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine by G.Mongon, Eagle.com, 27 November 2015,
  5. "Талх Чихэр ХК". Талх Чихэр ХК.
  6. "Constitution of Mongolia Article 5.4" (PDF). 13 January 1992.
  7. "Mongolia's Shrinking Foreign Policy Space | The Asan Forum".
  8. "Khaltmaa Battulga inaugurated as Mongolian president - Xinhua | English.news.cn". xinhuanet.com.
  9. "INAUGURATION ADDRESS BY KHALTMAAGIIN BATTULGA, THE PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA, AT THE CEREMONY OF PRESIDENTIAL SWEARING INTO OFFICE". 10 July 2017.
  10. "THE PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA KHALTMAAGIIN BATTULGA PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE STATUES OF D.SUKHBAATAR AND CHINGGIS KHAAN". 10 July 2017.
  11. "PRESIDENT BATTULGA RECEIVES STATE STAMP". 10 July 2017.
  12. "Mongolian president to begin process to reinstate death penalty". efe.com.
  13. "Монгол Улсын Ерөнхийлөгч Х.Баттулга цаазын ялыг сэргээхээр хуульчдын баг ажиллуулж байгаа". 16 October 2017.
  14. http://olloo.mn/n/48678.html, 2017-11-24
  15. "ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT KHALTMAAGIIN BATTULGA AT THE OPENING OF THE FALL SESSION OF THE STATE GREAT KHURAL OF MONGOLIA". 1 October 2018.
  16. "President Kh.Battulga addresses at the opening of Autumn Session of the Parliament". MONTSAME News Agency.
  17. "Mongolia's President is slicing away its hard won democracy". Foreignpolicy.com. 29 March 2019.
  18. Weekly, Mongolia (5 January 2020). "Welcome to Battulga's rule in 2020s". Mongolia Weekly. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  19. "Meeting with President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga". President of Russia.
  20. "HEAD OF STATE CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT DONALD J.TRUMP ON SINGAPORE SUMMIT". 13 June 2018.
  21. "PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES THE DPRK CHAIRMAN KIM JONG UN ON THE SINGAPORE SUMMIT". 13 June 2018.
  22. "US-North Korea talks have many obstacles to overcome – starting with where to meetwebsite=South China Morning Post". 10 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  23. "Mongolian President invites Kim Jong Un to Ulaanbaatar | NK News".
  24. "Mongolia president appeals to U.S. for trade to protect democracy" – via mobile.reuters.com.
  25. https://timesofoman.com/Image/142704/Mongolia%27s-role-as-an-oasis-of-democracy-in-a-region-where-auth?photo=1&sum-photo=1
  26. https://www.euronews.com/2018/03/13/mongolia-president-appeals-to-us-for-trade-to-protect-democracy
  27. "Mongolia opens embassy in Kyrgyzstan - Xinhua | English.news.cn". xinhuanet.com.
  28. "PRESIDENT BATTULGA WORKING IN BUDAPEST". 29 August 2017.
  29. "PRESIDENT BATTULGA ARRIVES IN VLADIVOSTOK FOR EASTERN ECONOMIC FORUM". 4 September 2017.
  30. "PRESIDENT DEPARTS FOR SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION SUMMIT". 9 June 2018.
  31. "PRESIDENT KHALTMAAGIIN BATTULGA TO ATTEND THE 4TH EASTERN ECONOMIC FORUM". 10 September 2018.
  32. "PRESIDENT KHALTMAAGIIN BATTULGA BEGINS HIS WORKING VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN". 24 September 2018.
  33. "PRESIDENT TO ATTEND THE 12TH ASEM SUMMIT AND THE WORLD INVESTMENT FORUM". 16 October 2018.
  34. "PRESIDENT TO PAY STATE VISIT TO CHINA, ATTEND THE BELT AND ROAD FORUM". 23 April 2019.
  35. "PRESIDENT BATTULGA GREETED BY HIS KYRGYZ COUNTERPART". 12 June 2019.
  36. "President Donald J. Trump is Expanding Our Partnership with Mongolia". The White House.
  37. "Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga visits Taj Mahal". in.news.yahoo.com.
  38. https://president.mn/en/2020/01/19/president-departs-for-switzerland-to-attend-the-world-economic-forum/
  39. https://president.mn/en/2020/01/27/president-of-mongolia-visiting-the-kingdom-of-norway/
  40. "China, Mongolia help each other in face of difficulties".
  41. "Новый президент Монголии женат на русской". EG.RU.
  42. Новый президент Монголии — миллиардер, дзюдоист, художник, с русской женой: EADaily. EADaily (in Russian). Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  43. Интересное о Монголии - Страница 606 (in Russian). www.zabvo.su. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  44. Кто такой кандидат в президенты Монголии Халтмаагийн Баттулга (in Russian). Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  45. "https://twitter.com/mongoliaweekly/status/1277757810781106178". Twitter. Retrieved 5 July 2020. External link in |title= (help)
  46. Genghis Khan Rules Mongolia Again, in a P.R. Campaign, New York Times, 2 August 2009
  47. Mongolian Judo: From Tradition to Modernity, 10 August 2013
  48. Locked Countries Conference, Ministry of Roads and Transportation of Mongolia, June 2014
  49. Mongolian Mining Corporation, Announcement On The Government Of Mongolia’s Decision On Unified Railway Network Development Archived 21 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 4 November 2012

Media related to Khaltmaagiin Battulga at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices
Preceded by
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj		 President of Mongolia
2017–present		 Incumbent
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