Azernews.Az

by Mazahir Afandiyev

This year—the “Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty”—will remain in Azerbaijani history and in the memory of the Azerbaijani people as a time marked by magnificent diplomatic victories, historic moments, and unprecedented events. For more than 30 years, the peace and security we longed for in the South Caucasus and our efforts to restore our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty culminated after the Second Garabagh Patriotic War that began in 2020. On October 15, 2023, the raising of the beloved tricolor Azerbaijani Flag in Khankendi, the shining of the State Emblem within our constitutional borders like the sun, and finally, the agreement reached on August 8, 2025, in Washington on a peace accord with Armenia, crowned these efforts.

This is a clear indication that every Azerbaijani is a citizen of a powerful state in our modern history. As the Supreme Commander and Great Leader Ilham Aliyev has said, the successes we have achieved are owed to the wise policies of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and to the Azerbaijani sons, our powerful Army soldiers, and our heroic warriors.

Two years ago, on October 15, after President Ilham Aliyev raised the Azerbaijani Flag in the central square of Shusha, his address to our dear people—“I am glad that all the promises I made and the tasks I set before myself in the last 20 years have been fulfilled”—once again showed how wise the decisions of Azerbaijani citizens were 22 years ago.

That address also conveyed not only to our people but to the entire world that every city, district, and village of our beloved Garabagh, which is turning more and more into paradise day by day, will flourish even more, and that Azerbaijan’s sovereignty will be fully ensured.

During his visit to Garabagh, President Ilham Aliyev raised our State Flag in the territories of the Sarsang water reservoir, Agdere, Khojaly, Khojavend, and Shusha, paving the way for the improvement of the governance of these lands in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, laws, the orders of the Supreme Commander, and all rights and norms as an integral part of Azerbaijan’s territory. This also contributed to the signing of a fair, long-term peace treaty based on international law and principles in the South Caucasus. This truly became one of the happiest and proudest moments in the lives of the Azerbaijani people and all Azerbaijanis.

Another proud moment for us was that these events occurred on October 15. On this very day in 2003, Ilham Aliyev was elected president, and by honorably continuing the political legacy of the National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, he successfully led our state towards strategic goals on the solid foundation created by him. As a result, Azerbaijan became a leading state in the region, a country with weight and influence in the world, and an independent player whose policy ensured the restoration of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

On our challenging path, President Ilham Aliyev became the symbol of our independence, the voice of Azerbaijan in the world, and the guarantor of the rights and security of all Azerbaijanis worldwide. By creating new realities for our modern country based on past traditions, the head of state gained the high trust and boundless love of the people, and with his qualities of humanism and leadership, he earned an eternal place in the hearts of Azerbaijani citizens.

Thus, the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev built an independent Azerbaijan, and Ilham Aliyev transformed it into a strong state, restoring Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We are confident that our proud and strong people will continue to achieve new heights to make our victories and independence everlasting, and will persistently carry forward the farsighted policy of our invincible Azerbaijani Commander and the glorious writing of our history, fighting for a greater Azerbaijan with determination.

The author is a member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan