The president of Kyrgyzstan proposes to change the national anthem

The president of Kyrgyzstan, Sadir Zhaparov, proposes to change the country’s national anthem so that it, according to his definition, properly represents the “developing” identity of the nation.

In a conversation with Kabar news agency, the head of Kyrgyzstan claimed that the anthem written 33 years ago is outdated, does not inspire patriotism, unity, and also does not correspond to the spirit of modern Kyrgyzstan.

“We need a new anthem that will embody our rich history and the powerful nation we are becoming,” Zhaparov insisted.

This initiative follows the controversial changes to the national flag, which raised a wave of criticism in the country.

“When it was talked about changing the flag, there were also demagogues who were against it. Is our current flag bad? It is one step ahead of the previous one. The symbol of the sun on the old flag was unclear: was it a sunflower or a saw blade? When a person sees our current flag, he immediately understands that rays of the sun are depicted,” Zhaparov commented.

Zhaparov, known for his populist rule, often refers to national symbols. Opponents, including politician Adakhan Madumarov, criticize the change initiative and claim that with such steps, the government is trying to divert public attention from primary social and economic problems.