Chechnya: call to cut number of cars in wedding corteges turns impracticable

The appeal of the Mufti of Chechnya to organize sparsely crowded weddings and to limit the number of cars in wedding processions down to two cars has found no support in the republic. The local residents interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have also treated the demand of the "Rospotrebnadzor" (Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare) to observe the mask regime in restaurants same unfeasible.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Salakh Mezhiev, the Mufti of Chechnya, called on local residents to invite the minimum number of guests to weddings, and to reduce wedding corteges down to two cars.

The residents of Chechnya, interviewed on July 20 by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, called the Mufti's appeal and the demands of the "Rospotrebnadzor" as "initially impracticable.

"Nobody follows these instructions, simply because they are, in principle, impracticable. On Sunday (July 19) we were with friends at the wedding of a classmate. Two cars were sent for the bride, but another 20 cars, at least by two or three, followed them. We were coming back in a full-fledged cortege. Well, what's a motorcade of two cars?" said Beslan, a resident of Grozny.

"The restrictions were lifted; movements were allowed; people travel in buses and minibuses (shuttles), fully packed; cafés, restaurants, marketplaces, shops, everything works – and nothing. Thus, what's the sense of demanding that no more than two cars be sent for the bride?" Shamil has noted.

"Three months in quarantine have passed; people are simply tired of all these restrictions and prohibitions; and therefore no one really adheres to them now. In public transport, you rarely see someone wearing a mask. The same goes for restrictions on weddings. On the weekend, my neighbour's son got married. So, about 30 cars gathered there; there were many young people. It is clear that no one thought about masks, let alone gloves. Those who celebrate at restaurants also don't and won't sit there in masks and gloves," said Laisa, a resident of Grozny.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 21, 2020 at 06:00 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.