Published
09/08/2025, 13:44A bill to rename the city of Jalal-Abad to Manas has been submitted for public discussion. It was drafted by the State Agency for Civil Service and Local Self-Government under the Cabinet of Ministers.
It is noted that the document was developed with the aim of renaming the city of Jalal-Abad to Manas.
The explanatory note to the draft law ‘On renaming the city of Jalal-Abad to Manas’ states that the bill is aimed at strengthening national ideology and giving the city of Jalal-Abad the name of Manas, a historical figure a folk hero and defender of the Kyrgyz people from various invasions.
It also explains that the reason for the name change was a request from the city's residents. Currently, the city's population exceeds 186,400 people. The city's master plan with the changes was approved in 2023.
The issue of renaming the city was considered and decisions were made at meetings of local residents, at a session of the city council deputies, the issue was approved by the authorised representative of the president in the Jalal-Abad region and a proposal was submitted.
The renaming issue was considered on 5 September and approved at a meeting of the interdepartmental commission on administrative-territorial structure and geographical names under the Cabinet of Ministers. The bill will be sent for approval to the relevant state bodies, as well as the Union of Local Self-Government.
Incidentally, there are also negative opinions in the comments on the bill, for example, that there are more important matters in the country than renaming a city with a historical name.
