Kyrgyz joke, a release valve, like in Soviet times
By Tyntchtykbek Tchoroev
Against a backdrop of authoritarianism, corruption, and cronyism, the Soviet joke was a welcome release valve. It's a tradition that has lived on in the post-Soviet world.
During the rule of the previous Kyrgyz president, Askar Akaev, who was ousted in 2005 in the so-called Tulip Revolution, Kyrgyz people joked about his government's tendency to appoint to high positions people from his home district of Kemin, north Kyrgyzstan.
For instance:
President Askar Akayev has been addressing the Kyrgyz nation after the collapse of the Communist regime in 1991:
"Dear compatriots, I won't promise you any kind of Communism, but there will be Keminism, for sure!"
Now, there is a new joke doing the rounds about the family of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who has two sons, Marat and Maksim.
Bakiev's wife, Tatiana, is walking through Bishkek's streets to assess the postrevolutionary development in the capital city.
As she's walking, she sees a new, tall building under construction and asks an aide: "Who is building it?"
"Maksim is building that one, dear Tatiana Vasil'evna."
"Who is building that one?" she then says, pointing to another new building.
"Maksim."
"And what about that big one?"
"Maksim is doing it, Mrs. Bakieva."
She thinks about what she has heard and says: "It seems to me that the only person working in this country is my son."
Maksim, the head of the Kyrgyz Central Agency for Development, Investments, and Innovations, has been accused of using his family connections to get good deals on shares and privatization, accusations he has firmly denied.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
- Moldova needs more transparency
- China unrest: 25 arrested after clashes with police
- GONGOs returning in force in Russia today
- Moscow city plans to plan for an end to communal apartments by 2020
- The Baccalaureate exams in the final stage
- Ukraine city marks soviet-era stakhanov movement
- Kyrgyz joke, a release valve, like in Soviet times
- Breaking the silence on Stalin's crimes
- Moldovan journalist writing about corruption threatened
- Moldovan journalists say intimidated over investigative reports
- Naked photo shoot planned for Mexico City
- Kerry Katona expecting another girl
- Anna Nicole Smith's body in morgue amid court fight
- Johnny Knoxville has confessed he has a small penis
- Nude Britney Spears on Bearskin Rug
- Captive Natascha Kampusch was sexually abused - Images
- Angelina Jolie till sleeps with Jenny Shimizu
- Fire of raunchy photos Katie Rees Miss Nevada
- Sex scandal: Romanian consul in Moldova caught on tape
- World's smallest baby to be released from hospital