This law is to replace the present law, which was adopted in 1989, during Soviet times. Lawmakers and state officials claim the present law does not fit the current situation in the country and should be reconsidered.

The presidential administration believes its own proposal is the most flexible and expedient among analogous laws within the CIS. “We suppose more than 50% of main TV programs will be broadcasted in the state language, since Kyrgyzstan is a bilingual country”, the head of the National committee on state language, Osmonakun Ibraimov, told the public.

However, in parliamentary hearings, deputy Kurmanov noted that one of the two proposed law had been rewritten from the older version, and another created on the basis of the analogous Kazakh law “on state language”.

Mr. Asanov, sponsor of on of the texts, stated that it is impossible to teach the Kyrgyz language if there is no desire and motivation for it. That’s why, in his proposal, the main idea is not to teach the Kyrgyz language for all citizens, as it is envisaged in the presidential project, but development of the language itself. Asanov’s project stipulates increased information in the Kyrgyz language and both the development of both fiction and non-fiction literature.

One of the articles envisaged the creation of conditions for learning the Kyrgyz alphabet in Latin the alphabet, as is the case in Uzbekistan. In fact, the Latin alphabet was used before the 1930s, and most Turkic language countries have adopted the Latin alphabet over the Cyrillic one, including Tatarstan in the Russian Federation.

Deputies were more concerned for the political aspects of this proposed law. According to Mr. Asanov’s proposal, knowledge of the Kyrgyz language would provide additional financial advantage for persons in state employment. One observer thought such strict measures are not acceptable, since they contradict the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, which states that nobody can be discriminated because of lack of knowledge of the state language.

In order for better teaching of the Kyrgyz language, new literature and financial resources for its teaching and for publications are necessary. The State commission members believe that money and books need to be on the market for people to develop a better understanding of the Kyrgyz language. Authors of the new legislation promise that the modification of the law on state language will not harm the status of the Russian language.

Deputy Arslanbek Maliev argued there were no reasons to ring a bell on the problem of the Kyrgyz language. He said in Osh, Jalal-Abad, Talas and Issyk kul oblasts, more than 90% of the population speaks in Kyrgyz. Only in Chuy oblasty and in Bishkek city, most of the people speak Russian, because the majority of the Russian-speaking population is concentrated there.

According to Gazeta.kg, the mass media believe talks on a proscribed share of Kyrgyz language broadcasting has been raised due to the forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, because the majority of the electorate lives in the countryside and speak only in Kyrgyz.

As a result of three day talks, author of alternative project deputy Bektur Asanov suggested colleagues accept law proposed by National committee, taking away his proposal. According to Obshestvenniy rating, Mr. Asanov deliberately was well aware that his proposal would not be accepted. However, he positioned himself to introduce changes to the presidential version of the law that will be presented for deputies by mid-December for second hearings.