AKIPRESS.COM - Ulaanbaatar residents protested outside the National Museum of Mongolia demanding dismissal of Ulaanbaatar mayor Erdene Bat-Uul and his deputies too, The UB Post reports.

The protesters believes that Bat-Uul violated the law on administration, territorial unit and unit administration by hiring more than two deputies, and demanded the mayor to fire six capital vice mayors. They also believe that Bat-Uul abused his power as mayor by giving salaries and funding transportation expenses of vice mayors from taxpayers’ money.

“We’re demanding mayor Bat-Uul to apologize to Ulaanbaatar residents and resign from the mayor’s position,” said one of the protesters. “It’s against the law to have so many deputies. According to the law..., capital mayor should have... no more than two deputies. But now, there are six deputy mayors in the capital and two deputy mayors per district.”

Mayor E.Bat-Uul said that the protesters are exercising their freedom of speech as stated in the Constitution.

“It’s their right to see and explain laws however they like. The Constitution of Mongolia states that top level [government] cannot interfere with regional affairs. The City Council determines the number of deputy mayors and their limitation of rights and powers, and approves the budget required to fund deputy mayors as stated in the Constitution. This is an important clause determining municipal immunity,” said Bat-Uul.