Key Takeaways
- The Kyrgyz Parliament approved a bill to modify the national flag in its second and third readings.
- Nurlanbek Shakiev and Ulan Primov led the initiative, backed by President Sadyr Japarov.
- Proposed changes replace wavy sun‑rays with straight ones to avoid a sunflower association and emphasize sunbeams.
Bishkek: The Kyrgyz Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill on changing the state flag in the second and third readings, a spokesperson for the Kyrgyz parliament told Sputnik.
“Today, December 20, at a meeting of the Supreme Council, lawmakers considered and approved in the second and third readings a bill ‘On Amendments to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic ‘On State Symbols of the Kyrgyz Republic,'” the spokesperson said.
Parliamentary Speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev and lawmaker Ulan Primov became the initiators of the project to change the flag, which was also supported by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
The bill suggests changing the wavy shape of the sun rays, located on the flag around the tunduk (top of the yurt) to straight ones.
It argues that the current design creates an association with a sunflower, which does not reflect the country’s agriculture. Straight rays, in turn, will remind the viewer of sunbeams.
The issue has sparked a major debate on Kyrgyz social media, with many users disapproving of the changes to the flag.
