Kyrgyzstan has introduced a draft law aimed at curbing extravagant spending on celebrations.
According to the Kaktus.media news portal, Kyrgyz MPs Shairbek Tashiev and Zamirbek Mamasadykov, who proposed the draft law, argue that local traditions and customs have increasingly become a platform for excessive displays of wealth and social competition.
The lawmakers highlight that while weddings and funerals were once held to seek communal blessings, they have now become status-driven events. Common questions are fueling unnecessary competition: «How much money will guests bring?» «I spent a lot on their wedding. Will they repay me in kind?» «Will the collected money cover the expenses?» The background note of the draft law states that many families take out loans to finance such events, leading to financial strain and, in extreme cases, divorce.
The new regulations would impose the following limits:
- Funeral and memorial services. There is no limit on the number of attendees at a funeral, but slaughtering small animals, horses or cattle is prohibited. Three days after the burial, a memorial service with Quran recitations may be held, allowing for the slaughter of one horse or cow. Traditional memorial meals held on the third, seventh or 40th day, as well as one year after the funeral, would be banned.
- Weddings and family celebrations. For a wedding, one head of cattle may be slaughtered and a maximum of 250 guests can attend. A bride’s wedding, a separate event in Kyrgyz tradition, may accommodate up to 100 guests. If two weddings are held together, only one head of cattle may be slaughtered, with the guest count capped at 350. Matchmaking ceremonies and associated gift exchanges would be prohibited.
- Religious rituals. Send-off and welcome-home ceremonies for those returning from major or minor pilgrimages may only be held privately within the family. Religious rituals involving excessive spending would be banned.
The draft law also proposes the following penalties for those who fail to comply:
- Individuals who violate the law could face fines of approximately $3,200.
- Café and restaurant owners who allow banned celebrations on their premises would be fined about $1,000.
- Citizens who violate rules on funerals and memorial services could face fines of up to $2,000.
This move follows last week’s media reports that Kyrgyzstan has also prohibited the use of religious words in company names.
