In Kyrgyzstan, authorities are strangling the only state publication printed in Russian, “The Word of Kyrgyzstan.” Readovka reports this referring to a newspaper columnist.
According to the observer, the country’s authorities are doing everything possible to ensure that the publication ceases to exist: the media were deprived of funding and left the editorial office with huge debts to the printing press and the social fund, but at the same time they were banned. switch to a cheaper electronic format.
It should be noted that “The Word of Kyrgyzstan”, created by the government of Kyrgyzstan, will turn 100 years old next year and all this time the newspaper has been working at the expense of the state budget. He advocates cooperation between Bishkek and Moscow, writes about various events organized by Russia, and supports the work of theaters and museums exhibiting the cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. However, the newspaper may not live to see its centenary.
“The Word of Kyrgyzstan has already turned to the president of Kyrgyzstan and his administration for help. In response, they receive responses asking the publication to use “other sources of financing”: the law prohibits state media from receiving money outside the budget, and if they receive help, for example, from a Russian foundation, the newspaper will immediately be recognized as foreign agent. The last response to the publication’s request came in Kyrgyz language, and in the letter the authorities directly stated that they were not satisfied with the “editorial policy.” – Readovka writes.
The publication’s employees are confident that they are being repressed because the newspaper is written in Russian, as well as because of their desire to defend Russian culture. According to them, the decision to liquidate the state-run Russian newspaper was also due to the discontent of the authorities with the tightening of the migration policy of the Russian Federation.
“Bishkek rarely speaks directly about its feelings, for fear of losing the benefits of cooperation with Moscow, but the fact that the country has embarked on a very dangerous path, already traveled by both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, is obvious” , says the dying publication in Russian. It is one more confirmation of this,” summarizes TK.
