Today Kyrgyzstan marks the 29th anniversary of its independence, Trend reports citing Kabar.
In 1991, the country gained sovereignty and set off on its own path. A young state, like a young man, went to its goal without the baggage of experience, by making mistakes, but without all this it was impossible to achieve results. Over the years, many events have taken place in the country, both good and not so. The government has changed several times, democratic principles and contacts have been established.
Like any independent state, the country has started its modern historical path with the creation of symbols. The flag, emblem and national currency were developed.
The flag of Kyrgyzstan was approved on March 3, 1992. It is a red canvas, in the center of which a solar disk with 40 rays is depicted. A tunduk (the opening in the center of the roof of a yurt (traditional tent). It is actually a depiction of the first thing one sees when waking up in a yurt, namely the construction of the pinnacle of every Kyrgyz yurt with three crisscrossing laths across the circular opening at the top of the yurt) is depicted inside the solar disk. The authors of the flag are Edil Aidarbekov, Bekbosun Zhaichybekov, Sabyr Iptarov, Zhusup Mataev, Mamatbek Sydykov. Since 2010, the state flag day is March 3.
The emblem of Kyrgyzstan was approved on Jan. 14, 1994 according to the resolution of the Kyrgyz Parliament:
The state emblem of the Kyrgyz Republic is an image of a white falcon with outstretched wings, placed in the center of a blue circle in a white frame, and located in the background of the lake, the spurs of the Ala-Too mountains and the rising sun with golden rays placed on both sides of the stalks of cotton and wheat ears, with the inscription "Kyrgyz", located in the upper part of the circle, and the inscription "Republic", located in the lower part of the circle. The authors of the emblem are Aseyin Abdraev and Sadyrbek Dubanaev.
As for the national currency, the Som was one of the first currencies introduced among the countries of the former USSR. On May 3, 1993, a decree was issued on the introduction of the Kyrgyz national currency. It should be noted separately that the recently appeared 2000 som banknote became the winner of the competition among the currencies of the countries of Europe and the CIS. Also, the som is the currency that has the lowest inflation rate for the entire period after the collapse of the USSR.
Much has changed in 29 years. Much was predicted for Kyrgyzstan, but the country went its own way. For example, now there is an active phase of digitalization and regional development. These are important projects and challenges of our time. However, in general, the country copes well with them. This vector of development was outlined by President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov at the beginning of this year.
“The digital transformation that is carrying out in our country today will allow us to create new platforms for interaction between the state, the private sector and citizens. Therefore, the ambitious tasks that we have set ourselves in this direction must be fulfilled. Digitalization will increase the efficiency of government bodies and reduce the level of corruption. Our personal experience also shows that the successful implementation of reforms in a country depends on the fair performance of the judiciary. We are obliged to continue the initiated judicial and legal reform,” the president said.
A decrease in the level of corruption has also been noticeable in recent years. In general, the fight against corruption is one of the country's priorities. After all, corruption is a scourge that significantly slows down the development of the country.
It is worth saying that over 29 years the country has established many contacts, entered into various integration associations. One of the largest such associations is the Eurasian Economic Union. Despite a lot of criticism from ill-wishers, such friendship has already gave fruits, and this is especially noticeable during a pandemic. In difficult times, many countries lent a helping hand and did not leave Kyrgyzstan to its fate. In addition, various economic projects with allies are being developed and long-term plans are being made. Such actions helped to stabilize the country's economy. This is evidenced by the numbers. For example, the country's GDP in 1991 was USD 2.5 billion. According to recent data, this figure has grown to more than USD 8 billion. Also, do not forget about the significant contribution of labor migrants to the economy of the republic. In 2019, migrants transferred over USD 2 billion to the republic.
Tourism also contributes to the economy. Yes, there was a recession this year, but it happened for objective reasons. However, the popularization of the country as a tourist area is underway. Many foreigners come to the republic to get acquainted with the way of life and culture of the country. Also, the World Nomad Games made a significant contribution to the popularization of the country. Despite the fact that next time they will be held in another country, this is already a kind of brand of Kyrgyzstan.
This year is a big challenge for the entire country. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed many problem areas that had to be quickly dealt with. But it pleases that the people united and took the blow with their heads raised. In addition, the pandemic served as a fulcrum for the development of various industries. It was already mentioned above about the concept of digitalization, during the pandemic it has become more relevant and necessary than ever. Launched projects made it possible to organize distance learning, electronic queues and much more. Even the Independence Day celebrations take place online.
There were no large-scale celebrations due to the situation around the pandemic.
29 years is a small age for the state, there are still many achievements and successes ahead. Significant changes cannot happen overnight. It takes time and patience. The country has been developing and modernizing. It is necessary to understand that on a global scale, Kyrgyzstan is still a teenager, with its rebellious disposition and search for a path of development.