Azernews.Az

Musavat, a major Azerbaijani opposition party, held an event marking its 100th anniversary last Saturday.

The party’s leader, Isa Gambar, said in his remarks that Musavat’s goal was to achieve Azerbaijan’s independence.

"The first-ever democratic Islamic republic in the Orient was established under the leadership of Mammad Amin Rasulzada [on May 28, 1918]," Gambar recalled. "At the time, the Musavat party turned into the main political force driving these processes and played a significant role in the life of our people."

The People’s Republic of Azerbaijan existed for only 23 months and collapsed due to the invasion of Azerbaijan by Soviet Russia in April 1920. Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Osman Faruk Logoglu, former Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan and deputy chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Azerbaijan Cultural Association President Cemil Unal and other speakers extended their congratulatory messages on Musavat anniversary.

The event was joined by representatives of Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium and Georgia. Participants included representatives of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, Germany’s Free Democratic Party as well as the event organizer, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.