NUR-SULTAN, August 12. /TASS/. It is unfair to talk about prejudice against the Russian language in Kazakhstan in relation to the so-called "language patrols," First Deputy Chief of the country’s Presidential Office Dauren Abayev said in an interview with the Open Dialogue show.
According to media reports, a group of biased people earlier arranged a campaign to review the use of the Kazakh language at selected retail facilities and posted videos on YouTube, where they insulted non-indigenous people.
"There is no doubt that such incidents are unacceptable and outrageous. This is why law enforcement agencies will assess them from the legal standpoint. Not because Russian lawmakers expressed outrage but because such things are firmly addressed in our country, regardless of who is discriminated against," Abayev pointed out.
"Nearly 90% of our country’s population speak Russian, it’s one of the highest rates worldwide. More than 30% of our school students study in Russian, though the share of ethnic Russians stands at about 20%," Abayev stressed. "So it’s at least unfair to talk about prejudice against the Russian language in Kazakhstan," the official concluded.