Switching to Roman alphabet 'historic' for Kazakhstan

By Aliia Raimbekova

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AA) - The transition from Cyrillic script to a Roman-based alphabet is "historically important" for Kazakhstan, according to President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday.

Speaking during a meeting with Information and Communications Minister Dauren Abayev, Nazarbayev said: "The transition process to the Latin alphabet is historically important for our nation."

He said the activities of the parliament and the government should be carried in the state language.

"At the same time, rights of citizens should not be violated in this respect and simultaneous interpretation is available to them," he added.

Under Nazarbayev's decree, Astana is set to switch from the Kazakh alphabet to a Roman-based script by 2025.

Nazarbayev said on April 12 that by 2025 Kazakhstan will start publishing workflows, periodicals, textbooks and everything else in the Roman alphabet.

He added Kazakhstan previously used a Roman alphabet from 1929 to 1940 but later replaced it with the Russian-based Cyrillic one.

In a speech last October, Nazarbayev said the transition to a new alphabet will make learning the Kazakh language easier.

He added the transition would not affect the rights of the Russian-speaking people or Russian and other languages.

"The use of Russian in Cyrillic remains unchanged. It will also continue to function."