MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. The department for culture in the Chechen capital, Grozny, has set up a watchdog to check local wedding parties amid growing concerns that they have been getting more and more European in style of late, its official website reports on Tuesday.
It said weddings were adopting some ceremonies from other cultures, citing in particular the dance of the bride and cutting of the wedding cake. "The looks of the guests also leaves much to be desired. Many young people are dressed inappropriately to their religious and ethnic background," the document said.
The monitoring group includes "specialists on national weddings" it said, adding that the department would shortly work out "official requirements to weddings".
Checks were launched two weeks ago. The culture department notes that restaurant-keepers and wedding organizers lend an attentive ear to its recommendations.
In late September, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov urged the republic's bridal salons to stop selling revealing weddings gowns.
"Revealing European-style gowns have become trendy among [Chechen] brides. This is wrong and has nothing to do with Chechen culture," Kadyrov said. "We should make every effort to preserve Chechen traditions and customs."
Chechen bridal shops should start selling national wedding gowns to protect the younger generation from "the influence of foreign ideologies".