Navoi replaces Lenin: A symbolic shift in Osh – Weekend 

A statue of Alisher Navoi has been unveiled in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, a month after the statue of Lenin was removed from the city’s central square.

This week, significant global developments also took place. For the first time, Russia initiated the recognition of the 4-year-old “Taliban” and its so-called “emirate” structure as a legitimate state. Meanwhile, tensions between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin escalated, and Elon Musk reignited political debates on his platform X. Let’s take a look at these and other key stories from around the world in this edition of QALAMPIR.UZ’s Weekend program.

Lenin replaced: Alisher Navoi statue unveiled in Osh

As you may recall, in June of this year, the statue of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was dismantled from the central square of Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Authorities announced that it would be relocated to another part of the city. Several Russian media outlets criticized the move, portraying it as a symbolic “break in the bond of friendship.” Installed in 1975, the 25-meter monument was one of the tallest Lenin statues not only in Central Asia but also in the world.

Now, a renovated statue of Alisher Navoi—a prominent Turkic poet, philosopher, and statesman—has been unveiled in a city park in Osh. The unveiling ceremony was attended by the mayor of Osh, Jenishbek Toktorbayev; the chairman of the city council, Bolot Bayetov; the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan, Saidikrom Niyozhojayev; as well as representatives from the local population and cultural community. Renovated at the initiative of local authorities, the statue is seen as a new symbol of friendship between the Kyrgyz and Uzbek peoples. Alisher Navoi was honored as a historical figure who embodies unity and cultural bonds between nations. According to the organizers, the goal of the project is to preserve shared heritage and strengthen good neighborly relations.

However, while Kyrgyzstan appears to be distancing itself from remnants of the Soviet era, President Sadyr Japarov continues to advocate for the use of the Russian language. He recently remarked that the Russian language remains essential for Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, Japarov controversially claimed that communication in neighboring countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is not possible without Russian.

Such a claim has drawn criticism. Observers argue it is questionable for someone whose visits to Uzbekistan are typically limited to airports, official institutions, and occasionally the Amirsoy resort, to make broad statements about the linguistic environment of the country.

“Let’s not even talk about the CIS countries. If you go to neighboring Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, you won’t be able to communicate without Russian. They even use Russian translators in Europe, America, and China,” Japarov said.

For reference, the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan recognizes Russian as an official language. President Japarov has repeatedly defended the status of the Russian language, calling proposals to change its official designation “misguided.” Notably, on July 2, Japarov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. During the meeting, Putin thanked Kyrgyzstan for granting Russia a special status, saying this decision would help further strengthen humanitarian and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Trump disappointed after call with Putin

The bill that triggered a public rift between former U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk has now officially become law. Despite the controversy, Trump successfully passed the legislation, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which aims to reduce federal taxes while increasing defense and border security spending.

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved the bill, with 218 members voting in favor—the minimum required for passage—and 214 voting against. Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attempted to delay the vote by delivering an 8-hour, 55-minute speech, setting a record for the longest speech in the lower house of Congress. However, his efforts ultimately failed to stop the bill.

On July 4—U.S. Independence Day—Trump signed the bill in a ceremonial setting. The date added symbolic weight to what many see as a turning point in his political strategy. However, Elon Musk, who previously backed Trump during the election campaign, sharply criticized the bill.

Musk condemned the legislation as a "massive and cruel" measure filled with “unnecessary lobbying expenses.” According to him, instead of curbing the national deficit, the bill would further deepen it. The Congressional Budget Office supported that concern, projecting that the law would add $3.8 trillion to the federal debt, which currently stands at $36.2 trillion.

As the feud between Musk and Trump reignited, Musk once again floated the idea of forming a third political party in the United States. On the eve of Independence Day, he posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating that it was time to consider establishing a new party. A poll conducted shortly after showed a majority of respondents supporting Musk’s proposed “America” party, though for now, the idea remains purely speculative.

The Big Beautiful Bill itself extends the tax cuts first introduced during Trump’s presidency in 2017. It increases defense and border protection funding while significantly reducing allocations to social programs such as Medicaid and CNAP. Critics warn that the law could worsen the U.S. debt crisis and deepen the divide over the nation’s fiscal future.

Russia becomes the first country to recognize the Taliban government

For the first time in nearly four years, the main ruling force in Afghanistan—the Taliban movement—has received formal recognition on the international stage. Russia has officially become the first country in the world to recognize the Taliban’s interim government in Afghanistan.

The announcement was first reported on July 3 by Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. Later, international outlets, including Reuters, have also confirmed the news. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow has accepted credentials from the newly appointed Afghan ambassador, expressing hope that the move will serve as a “new impetus” for strengthening bilateral relations.

In a symbolic gesture of legitimacy, the Taliban’s flag—now also representing Afghanistan—was raised above the Afghan embassy in Moscow for the first time since the group seized power in 2021. TASS also reported, citing Russian Ambassador to Kabul Dmitry Zhirnov, that the decision to recognize the Taliban government was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, following a recommendation from Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

In reality, Russia has been moving toward recognition for some time. Since mid-2023, the Russian government has been working to normalize its stance toward the Taliban. In May 2024, both the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice formally recommended that the group be removed from Russia’s list of banned terrorist organizations—a designation it received in 2003. After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. forces, Putin gradually shifted his rhetoric, calling the group not terrorists but “partners” in the fight against terrorism.

In December 2024, Putin signed legislation removing the Taliban from the list of banned groups in Russia, following recommendations from various ministries. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation officially lifted the ban on the Taliban movement, clearing the way for full diplomatic recognition.

With this development, Russia becomes the first country to officially recognize the political structure the Taliban refers to as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Analysts now speculate that other nations—particularly in Central Asia—may follow suit, driven by regional security concerns and the desire for a more stable Afghanistan. Uzbekistan, for instance, has already developed strong ties with the Taliban since the group came to power in 2021. According to former Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Uzbekistan’s early engagement with the Taliban initially drew international criticism, but many of those same critics have since approached Tashkent to serve as a mediator in opening dialogue with the group.