Parliament's lower house passes bill to revise Uzbek alphabet

The bill was passed during the chamber's plenary session on July 7.

According to the official statement, the proposed amendments would replace the current alphabet of 26 letters and three digraphs with a revised version consisting of 28 letters and one apostrophe. The bill also aims to clarify the use of certain letters.

Reportedly, the new alphabet will be introduced gradually if the bill becomes law.

Documents, the national currency, and securities issued before the law enters into force will remain valid. Likewise, the official symbols, signs, nameplates, and other identifying elements used by government agencies and organizations will continue to be used unchanged until the deadlines established by the legislation.

Parliament said the phased approach is intended to eliminate the need for government institutions to replace documents, forms, signs, and other physical materials simultaneously. It added that the transition would help prevent unnecessary spending from the state budget, avoid additional public expenditure, and ensure that the implementation of the alphabet reform remains financially manageable for state institutions.

The bill has now been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.