The interviewee explained what the oppression of the Russian language really means.
In early November, the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan Kurmankul Zulushev held his first press conference. It became a subject for discussion in the country, there was a misunderstanding among the public and experts. And the point here is not in the field of jurisprudence and the activities of the supervisory authority. The Prosecutor General refused to speak Russian and answered only in Kyrgyz.
It must be added that the head of the supervisory authority stated that he knows Russian well, but he will speak Kyrgyz, thus demonstrating respect to it. Political expert Mederbek Korganbayev in an exclusive commentary to CentralAsia.news explained how important the Russian language is for Kyrgyzstan. The interviewee also marked that the language is written in the national Constitution.
The great and mighty language of the allies
The refusal of the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan Zulushev to answer questions asked in Russian at a press conference was received with bewilderment. According to the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, Russian is the official language. Kyrgyzstan is a multinational and multi-confessional country with Russian-speaking citizens. The Russian language is the language of interethnic communication in Kyrgyzstan and throughout the post-Soviet space.
Besides, Kyrgyzstan considers Russia its main strategic partner. These two states are closely linked with economic and military-political ties within cooperation and membership in the CSTO, EAEU, SCO, and CIS. Russian is the language of the allies.
At the official summits of the aforementioned international alliances, the presidents of the participating countries speak Russian, agreements, and final documents are concluded in this language.
Russian is a target for pseudo-patriots
The Russian language should not be diminished or underestimated. Of course, various nationalist slogans against the Russian language are periodically come out in different parts of the former USSR. However, the oppression or belittling of Russian should not be considered a great achievement and a manifestation of patriotism. The policy of the state or the policy of individual government officials, deputies should not be based on pseudo-patriotism and nationalism. If a state leader doesn’t show respect to his Russian-speaking citizens, then he also doesn’t show friendliness towards his Russian-speaking ally.
The great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov created his masterpieces in Kyrgyz and Russian. Film director Bolot Shamshiev made his magnificent films in Russian. Kyrgyz leaders Akayev, Bakiev, Otunbaeva, and Atambayev have never renounced the official language and hold their press conferences in Kyrgyz and Russian. The Russian language is not our enemy. Our enemies are obscurantism, radicalism, and pseudo-patriotism.