The conflict that arose between the confectionery chain "Kulikovsky" and activist Aktilek Orozbekov, known online as the "language patrol," has escalated to a new level and become a topic of discussion in the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan. It is worth noting that this dispute has been ongoing for nine months and began with the activist's request for services in the Kyrgyz language at one of the chain's establishments. In response, company representatives contacted law enforcement, which led to Orozbekov's detention and house arrest. Recently, it became known that the lawyers of the confectionery house filed a petition for stricter measures, including transferring the activist to a pre-trial detention center.
This situation has caused a public outcry and divided opinions among social media users: some have begun calling for a boycott of the company's products, while others have defended the local producer. The theme of the dispute has reached the Jogorku Kenesh, where deputy Baktyyar Kalpaev criticized the position of the confectionery company.
He asked representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office: "Is the demand of citizens to be served in the state language a crime?" The deputy emphasized that the company should respect the country and support the use of the Kyrgyz language, especially in light of how the republic's leadership actively defends the status of the state language on the international stage.
It is important to note that this incident occurs against the backdrop of large-scale reforms aimed at strengthening the status of the Kyrgyz language in the country. In 2023, a new constitutional law "On the State Language" was adopted in Kyrgyzstan, which significantly expanded the scope of its mandatory application. According to this law, the Kyrgyz language became mandatory in government bodies, local self-governments, as well as in the fields of service, advertising, transportation, and media. A National Program for the Development of the State Language until 2030 was also adopted, which includes the translation of documentation into Kyrgyz, the digitalization of the language, and the creation of the "Kyrgyztest" system for civil servants. The calls from the head of the State Committee for National Security to investors to use the state language, as well as the president's speeches in Kyrgyz at the UN, emphasize the authorities' persistent course on ensuring compliance with language legislation by all business entities.
