In his interview with the Russkiy Mir portal, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Joomart Otorbaev explains why the Kyrgyz speak Russian better than other residents of Central Asia, about language priorities and even the need for multilingualism.
– In spring 2013 a new decree was enacted in Kyrgyzstan whereby all laws including the statuary acts of local authorities shall be written in the national Kyrgyz language. Does that mean infringement on the rights of Russian speaking citizens (and there are about 70 ethnic minorities in the republic) who do not speak Kyrgyz?
– Of course, not. Russian has been and still is an official language in our country, i.e. the language used for official paperwork management. We understand the importance of Russian as the means of inter-ethnic communication. We also understand that Russian gives us access to the civilized space, culture, science, education and other domains. It is for this reason that it is learned and will be learned by people of Kyrgyzstan. Please take note that Russian, throughout the entire period of independence of Kyrgyzstan, has had the official status, which means it can be used on a par with the national Kyrgyz language. Nevertheless, today we aim at more intensive development of our national language and its wider implementation in official paperwork management.
– Why did you decide to give a boost to the national language now?
– It's normal for the country where Kyrgyz is the national language. The national authorities formulated the main goal of their linguistic policy as dissemination of Kyrgyz, above all in the domain of public service. We must use Kyrgyz more actively than before in the government bodies. In this area a lot of philological and organizational work is yet to be done as regards the unification of Kyrgyz and its adaptation to legal concepts as well as more vigorous promotion of Kyrgyz in paperwork management. Our paradigm in the linguistic policy is making Kyrgyz number one language in the country, followed by Russian.
– How is the linguistic landscape influenced by the outflow of non-titular nations — Russians, Tatars, Koreans, Ukrainians, Germans and others — from the republic?
– This is an insignificant process and more related to labor migration mounting everywhere else in the world. The Kyrgyz leave for Russia and Kazakhstan looking for better job opportunities as often as people from other ethnic groups, but Russian is still widely spoken in spite of this dynamics. The national authorities embraced the policy of transferring business management to the national language, and the official status of Russian does not hamper this process, since the advantages of official languages are not stipulated in the Kyrgyz legislation.
– However the outflow of Russians and Russian speaking people from the republic and the law of 2013 about the strengthening of the national language resulted in the fact that business administration in five provinces out of seven is performed only in Kyrgyz. Only in Chuysk and Issyk-Kul provinces official paperwork is maintained in Russian. So de facto the domain of Russian as the official language is shrinking, right?
– Kyrgyz as a national language is in need of special development, but this should not occur and does not occur by way of restricting the official status of Russian. Russian and Kyrgyz must help each other and the nation to develop. And this is our objective. In accordance with our Constitution, Russian has the official status and can be used along with the national Kyrgyz language, which is a unique legislative phenomenon in Central Asia and the CIS. And this unique status of Russia is enshrined not to the detriment of any other language, including the national Kyrgyz language. For people of Kyrgyzstan Russian will be the language of accessing the wide world. But we should make the development of our national language the top priority and raise its status. As you well know, Kyrgyz labor migrants have a competitive advantage in Russia over the natives of other Central Asian republics, because they have a decent command of Russian. Just think, why is that so? I saw many Kyrgyz people working in Moscow cafes, restaurants and retail chains. I believe one of the reasons is that they speak fluent Russian.
– How do Russian speakers feel in those parts of Kyrgyzstan where there is no official business management in Russian?
– It is absent only where there are no Russian speakers, no demand for it. The Kyrgyz government guarantees its citizens the opportunity to develop their national languages and the languages of international communication. I altogether believe that citizens of modern-day Kyrgyzstan should speak at least two, if not three-four languages — Kyrgyz, Russian, English and Chinese. Such is the sign of our times and the call of burgeoning economic and human ties.
— And what foreign languages do you speak?
– I speak English and certainly Russian, though the latter is not a foreign language for the Kyrgyz. It's like a second native language, you know.
Interviewer: Anna Loshchikhina
