DUSHANBE, October 1, 2009, Asia-Plus — Deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have approved the new law on the state language by a majority of votes.
A regular sitting of the sixth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation presided over by its speaker, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on October 1.
The new law on the state language of Tajikistan, which was one of major topics of the sitting, caused lively discussion.
Presenting the bill, MP Dodikhudo Saymuddinov noted, “The current law “O the State Language of the Republic of Tajikistan” was adopted twenty years ago, in the Soviet era already and it now does not meet requirements of independent state.”
According to him, the new law guarantees freedom of communication between citizens of Tajikistan in any language at their option.
“This law does not infringe upon the Russian language in the country,” said Saymuddinov, “For example, almost equal number of hours is allotted at Tajik schools for the study of the Tajik and Russian languages. The new law does not mention that Russian enjoys the status of a language of interethnic communication, but under the country’s Constitution, Russian enjoys such a status, you know.”
He added that the new law guarantees Tajik citizens’ right to develop their native languages and be educated at their native languages.
Participating in discussion, MP also leader of the Communist Party (CPT) Shodi Shabdolov noted that the new language legislation is in contrary to the country’s Constitution.
“Besides, there are incomprehensibilities in the law’s part that mentions that the state language should be a language of information and communications,” the Communist leader said. He suggested that the draft law should be returned as requiring improvement.
Speaking at the session, MP Ismoil Talbakov expressed dissatisfaction with the law’s point that says that seals of all organizations in the country irrespective of forms of property should be in the state language. “There are more than 100,000 legal entities in Tajikistan and replacement of their seals will come to more than 15 million somoni. Who will pay these expenses?” He added that under the new law, each citizen of Tajikistan must know the state language, while no proper conditions have been crated for that so far.
In the meantime, MP also known Tajik poet Gulnazar Keldy noted that the Tajik language had not become the state language after adoption of the language legislation in 1989. “Our language has not yet become a language science, economy and politics,” Keldy said. According to him, languages of other peoples living in the country, including the Russian and Uzbek languages, do not need state support.
After long and lively discussions MPs approved the new state language legislation by a majority of votes.
