Farid Niyazov: It is shameful to call foreign media “system-forming”

«Calling foreign media «system-forming» is completely unreasonable and even disgraceful for Kyrgyzstan," presidential adviser Farid Niyazov said.

Thus, he commented on the words of journalist and media expert Azamat Tynayev, who spoke at the round table yesterday. The event was initiated by the media community after the Prosecutor General’s Office filed lawsuits to protect the honor and dignity of the head of state against journalists of two media.

In the opinion of the presidential adviser, «system-forming» notion in Kyrgyzstan can be attributed to just a few media.

Farid Niyazov noted that neither the branch of the American Radio Free Europe / Freedom in Kyrgyzstan (Radio Azattyk), nor receiving foreign grant support portal Zanoza.kg are among them.

Moreover, he considers it dangerous and very poorly characterizing the security of Kyrgyzstan, when even domestic media experts recognize foreign media as system-forming for our country.

«But, as the phrase goes, every cloud has a silver lining. «The discussion that has developed in recent days has forced all of us, the participants of the information process, to take a new look at ourselves from the outside. To see how each of us relates the principles of freedom of speech. Who protects it? Who discredits? Who hides the mercantile interests behind beautiful words? Who sincerely values ​​the freedom of speech? And who is ready to trade it? Whom some media just left no choice but to go to court to protect honor and dignity? And who is trying to extract even political capital from here? These are not idle and not private issues when it comes to the forthcoming fateful presidential elections for Kyrgyzstan. And each participant has to draw conclusions: the state, and civil society, and journalists too," Farid Niyazov said.

Earlier, the Prosecutor General’s Office filed lawsuits against Radio Azattyk and website Zanoza.kg. The total amount of compensation required is 32 million soms.