President Ilham Aliyev: “I am sure that the development of our independence will be continuous and the state independence of Azerbaijan will live forever.”
Yes, today the state of Azerbaijan, the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, has realized the independence dreams of our people with the strength of the “Iron Fist” policy of the Victorious Commander President Ilham Aliyev, the unity and heroism of the brave soldiers and officers of our Strong Army. As our Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev said in his post on May 28 – Independence Day: “Today’s Azerbaijan state, which is the successor of the Azerbaijan People’s Republic, has fulfilled the independence dreams of our people. I am sure that the development of our independence will be continuous and the state independence of Azerbaijan will live forever.”
Yes, today, May 28, which is 105 years old, we celebrate the Independence Day of Azerbaijan in a different way – as the victorious citizens of the victorious country. The Azerbaijan People’s Republic, which declared its independence 105 years ago, was the first democratic state structure in the East and demonstrated the independence determination of our people. Alimardan bey Topchubashov, Fatali Khan Khoyski, Mohammadamin Rasulzade, Hasan bey Aghayev, Nasib bey Yusifbeyli, Samad bey Mehmandarov, Aliaga Shikhlinsky and others made great contributions to the establishment and operation of the republic. Despite the 23-month independence, democratic rights and freedoms were established in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani language was declared the state language, special attention was paid to the development of education and culture, and national army and security structures were established.
During the short time that the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic lived, it left indelible marks in the history of national statehood with its rich state-building experience, and achieved historical achievements such as the establishment of state institutions, the granting of the right to vote to women, and the establishment of the traditions of tolerance. Although the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic fell before being able to fully achieve its goals because it was subjected to aggression, the idea of independence that it established in the minds was not forgotten. During the past period, the Azerbaijani people were able to preserve many of the attributes of national statehood. The policy successfully implemented by national leader Heydar Aliyev in the republic brought back the historical and cultural memory of our people, developed the national self-consciousness, and created the foundation for the strengthening of independence dreams in the light of the ideology of Azerbaijanism and their becoming a reality again in the near future. The ideas of independence that he instilled in the minds were never erased from the memory of our people, despite all the deprivations. During the 70-year period of Soviet rule, our people preserved and kept alive the ideals of national freedom and never lost faith that they would one day receive a license for life.
Great Leader Heydar Aliyev said: “The most important thing is that although the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic did not live long, it strengthened the ideas of freedom and independence in our people.” Yes, history has always repeated itself with the restoration of justice, albeit late. 73 years after the fall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which set itself the goal of doing things of historical importance to our people at the beginning of the 20th century, our people gained independence once again. As it is known, in the Constitutional Act adopted on October 18, 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan was declared to be the political successor of the APC. Sometimes they say “history repeats itself” and in 1993, in order not to repeat history and not to lose independence, our nation’s Great Leader Heydar Aliyev returned to political power in Azerbaijan and thanks to the strategic course determined by him, in political, legal, economic, social, cultural, ideological and other fields. the achieved achievements turned Azerbaijan into a modern, independent and strong national state. Acting as a modern, independent state, our country laid the foundation of the Azerbaijan model of national development with its progress. National leader Heydar Aliyev always stated that the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic has an important place in the history of our country’s independence.
The foreign policy strategy, which was founded by the national leader and is currently being successfully implemented by Mr. President Ilham Aliyev, by participating more closely in interstate relations, the state of Azerbaijan is properly represented in the main economic, political and cultural processes taking place in the region, as well as in the world, and protects its interests by stating its position. Along with the democratic processes and economic growth going on inside the country, the successful foreign policy today has drawn the attention of the world’s leading states and influential international organizations to Azerbaijan, and this has created a favorable ground for the establishment and development of mutually beneficial cooperation in accordance with international legal norms.
Today, President Ilham Aliyev, who continued the foreign policy course of the national leader Heydar Aliyev in an innovative, dynamic and very successful manner, stated in his speeches that the APC was a historical event for the people of Azerbaijan: “The establishment of the Azerbaijan People’s Republic was a historical event. It was a historical event for our people. Therefore that the people of Azerbaijan were getting the independence they had been dreaming of for centuries”.
Invasion and Victory. It is necessary to emphasize the fact that history does not judge the winners, but also if this winner wins for the cause of justice! Yes, today our Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev immortalized this historical victory once again. As our Commander-in-Chief President Ilham Aliyev said in a post on May 28 – Republic Day: “Today’s state of Azerbaijan, which is the successor of the Azerbaijan People’s Republic, has fulfilled the independence dreams of our people. I am sure that the development of our independence will be continuous and the state independence of Azerbaijan will live forever.”
Happy Republic Day, Azerbaijan! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!
ZARIFA GULIYEVA,
Member of the YAP Veterans Council
