Kazakhstan: Officials Promote Use of Kazakh

It appears that authorities in Kazakhstan are gearing up for new campaign to promote use of the Kazakh language.

Nurlan Uteshev -- the executive secretary of Jas Otan, the governing Nur Otan Party's youth wing -- has issued a public call for shop owners to greet their customers in Kazakh, and for all advertising to be in both Russian and Kazakh.

"Is it difficult to use traditional forms of greeting Kazakhs when dealing with customers? After hearing a greeting in the official language, people will also try to maintain dialogue in Kazakh," the Liter newspaper quoted Uteshev as saying on July 15.

Meanwhile, Orazkul Asangazy, the head of the Language Development Department at the Astana Mayor's Office, is calling for better enforcement of Kazakhstan's language laws.

"The prosecutor's office that is supposed to implement the law on languages has kept silent for 20 years. I will tell you straight, now fines and other administrative measures will be applicable to every responsible person for neglecting the law on languages," he said.

"Young people should understand that to not talk in Kazakh today during the years of our independence is embarrassing," Asangazy added.