Social network users treat Caucasian MPs as cowards for failure to protect native languages

Nineteen Russian State Duma MPs, representing the republics of Northern Caucasus, voted "for" the bill on the voluntary study of native languages in Russian schools. Seven others did not take part in the voting.

On June 19, the State Duma adopted in the first reading the amendments to the Federal Law "On Education".

The MPs' actions have met sharp criticism of social network users, who believe that the new regulations will lead to the disappearance of the native languages of the peoples of the Caucasus.

Lyudmila Bogotenkova believes the issue of adopting the bill should not have been put to the voting at all. "How can you give up your native language?" the woman writes in Facebook.

"How can they pass this law and vote 'for' it? After all, if such a law is adopted, then our languages will gradually fade away. Why shouldn't we study our native languages on a compulsory basis? So far, it still did not interfere with the studies of other subjects," asks Zariya Musaeva.

"A native language should be compulsory for studying," emphasized another social network user under the nickname "Kgb Ussr".

Facebook users also criticized the position of the State Duma delegates from Chechnya, who did not take part in the voting for the bill on the study of native languages.

"Chechen delegates cowardly kept silent (or ran away from the voting). They did not have the courage to say no," wrote user Marat Timbakov.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 23, 2018 at 07:22 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.