Mongolia’s parliament is debating a law to improve transparency and governance in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Discussions revealed significant concerns regarding the high salaries of SOE executives, particularly within loss-making energy companies, coupled with a lack of accountability for performance. Lawmakers highlighted instances of executives earning substantial salaries – up to 38 million MNT – without corresponding performance evaluations or oversight. The government previously shielded executives from responsibility, a practice recently invalidated by legislative changes. Concerns were also raised about a lack of transparency in the selection of executives and incomplete data regarding the composition of boards of directors, with many companies failing to provide requested information. The issue extends to the 58,000 individuals employed by SOEs, where performance evaluations are reportedly lacking. A key point of contention is the dual legal framework governing SOEs, creating inconsistencies and potentially enabling preferential treatment. The debate centers on improving oversight of the 465 companies with state or local ownership.