The head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) spoke about whether the capital would be moved to Manas

SCNS Chairman Colonel General Kamchybek Tashiev spoke about renaming the city of Jalal-Abad to Manas.

He said that it could be said that it was his idea. According to him, Manas is the spirit of the Kyrgyz people. Jalal-Abad is not a bad name, but it is found in Indonesia, Pakistan and India, while Manas is unique to the Kyrgyz.

Commenting on public opinion that Talas should be renamed, Tashiev said that Manas is not only a symbol of the people of Talas, but a symbol of the entire Kyrgyz people.

He also denied rumours that the city of Manas would allegedly become the new capital. According to him, there are no such plans, and if such a question arises, the decision must be made by the people.

Regarding discussions about the possible creation of the Manas region, Tashiev emphasised that this concerns only the renaming of the city, while the region will retain its former name.