A law has been passed in Uzbekistan on the modernisation of the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration, announced this in a post on her social media page.
According to her, this law is intended to put an end to long-standing disputes over the writing system and to strengthen the position of the Uzbek language in the digital environment.
In a post marking Uzbek Language Day, celebrated on 21 October, S. Mirziyoyeva stated that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had signed the law on improving the alphabet.
She said she had proposed revising the alphabet on 11 December 2023 at a conference dedicated to the legacy of the Jadids — a movement of Muslim reformers and enlighteners in Central Asia.
Noting that changes to the writing system might cause concern, S. Mirziyoyeva emphasised that improving the alphabet is necessary to address the shortcomings of the current writing system and to strengthen the role of the Uzbek language in the digital sphere.
She also reassured the public that the changes would not affect the validity of documents already issued. “All existing documents, the national currency and securities will retain their legal validity,” said S. Mirziyoyeva, adding that textbooks, shop signs and road signs would be replaced gradually, as they reach the end of their useful life, in order to minimise costs.
