Analysts link scandal around music tempo in Chechnya to poor professionalism of idea authors

The initiative of subordinates of the head of Chechnya to limit the tempo of Chechen national music was intended to demonstrate their importance, but due to officials' low professionalism the initiative resulted in Kadyrov's apologies, analysts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Musa Dadaev, the Chechen Minister of Culture, announced that all musical and dance works in Chechnya must correspond to the tempo of 80 to 116 beats per minute, otherwise they will not be allowed for public performance. The resolution concerns only national Chechen melodies, the head of Chechnya has explained.

Ruslan Kutaev, the President of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, has stated that the above scandalous situation was caused by the "excessive zeal" of people around Minister Dadaev. "They wanted to show their importance ... and caused a collapse – in an attempt to stand out, they started adjusting the tempo of Chechen music, probably without understanding music at all," Mr Kutaev has added, being sure that these initiatives were not put forward by Kadyrov himself.

Svetlana Gannushkina*, the chair "Civic Assistance" Committee*, has treated such initiatives of Kadyrov's subordinates as "phantasmagoria."

Ms Gannushkina* agrees that the scandal arose due to the actions of zealous officials. "Although, in principle, this is the idea of totalitarian regimes – to get into everything, even into music or intimate relationships," she has emphasized.

A PR expert, who now lives abroad, believes that the situation occurred due to shortcomings of the subordinates of the head of Chechnya.

"That's why he himself had to apologize ... Most likely, this is stupidity (of officials subordinate to Kadyrov)," the expert believes.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.