Members of the Kyrgyz parliament have approved a proposal to partially alter the design of the national flag of the republic. According to a TASS correspondent, 59 deputies voted in favor of the change in the second and third readings, while five voted against it. The draft law received prior support from the relevant committee in the Kyrgyz parliament.
The initiative to change the design of the national flag was introduced in the fall of this year by Speaker of the Parliament Nurlanbek Shakiev. In mid-December, President Sadyr Zhaparov clarified that he was the one who suggested the change. He mentioned that there was a prevailing public opinion that the existing flag resembled a sunflower, and this imagery was perceived negatively. Foreign visitors even commented on the resemblance, implying that it hindered the country's image. Zhaparov explained that since gaining independence, Kyrgyzstan has been heavily reliant on external support, and considering a modification to the national flag design was a way to signal a fresh perspective. He noted that such practices of updating national flag elements have been observed in many countries worldwide.
The flag of Kyrgyzstan was traditionally a rectangular red cloth featuring the top part of a yurt (tunduk) in the center, surrounded by 40 yellow sunbeams radiating in different directions. The altered version of the state flag now presents these rays in a straight pattern.
Some Kyrgyz political analysts speculate that the government's decision to change the flag's design may be aimed at diverting public attention from the socio-economic challenges facing the country.
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Photo: Ninara/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS