Kazakh President Warns Against Attempts To Impede Use Of Russian Language

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday reaffirmed unflinching support for the use of the Russian language, recalling that any attempts to preclude its use run counter to national legislation

NUR-SULTAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st September, 2021) Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday reaffirmed unflinching support for the use of the Russian language, recalling that any attempts to preclude its use run counter to national legislation.

"The Russian language has the status of an official language, and its use shall not be prevented, according to our legislation," Tokayev stated in his address to the nation during a parliamentary session.

Under the Kazakh constitution, Russian is used by state agencies and local governments alongside Kazakh, which is the state language of the country.

However, scandals around impediments to the use of Russian occasionally break out in the country. In mid-August, nationalists raided shops and other venues in Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Pavlodar and other big cities to check if the Kazakh language is used there and whether employees speak Kazakh. Those speaking Russian were bullied and intimidated, prompting condemnation by Russian politicians.