Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the Gobustan region, some 100 kilometers from the capital Baku, on Wednesday.

President Aliyev paid tribute to the memory of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev and laid flowers at his statue in the center of Gobustan.

Addressing local residents, the President said that Azerbaijan is rapidly developing.

"Our rates of development are the highest in the world. The history of the last 10 years testifies to that," he said.

"All programs for a successful development of the country in the future are available and have been adopted. The second state program on the regions' development finishes at the end of this year. Now the government is working on the third program. The third five-year program will cover the work which will be carried out in all the regions, and by 2018, there will not be a single economic, social, infrastructural problem," President Aliyev said.

According to the President, based on the Gobustan region's example, "we underline that the development of each region, regardless of its size, is a priority for us."

Head of the Gobustan region's Executive Authority, Adil Mammadov, informed the President about the landscaping work carried out in Gobustan.

The President reviewed the Flag Square in the Gobustan region's center. The square covers an area of two hectares and the height of the flagpole is 50 meters. Set up over a period of six months, the Flag Square has been extensively landscaped.

President Aliyev also inaugurated the Gobustan Sports Complex during his visit to the region.

Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov informed the Azerbaijani leader about the facility.

All conditions have been provided there for holding sporting events. The facility covers a total area of 2.67 hectares. The construction of the Gobustan Sports Complex cost 5 million manats, and was carried out on the request of the Youth and Sports Ministry. The facility has a 900-seat sports hall, offices and auxiliary rooms.

President Aliyev viewed football, basketball, and tennis pitches.

The head of state was presented with models of the Lankaran and Tartar Olympic sports complexes.

The President also opened the Youth Center in Gobustan.

The Youth Center has drawing studios, a shooting club, an internet cafe, a 3D movie theatre, a 210-seat conference hall, offices and auxiliary rooms. It will provide computer courses. The area of the center`s building is 882 square meters.

The President also reviewed on Wednesday the reconstruction work on the Qobustan-Khilmilli highway.

The construction of the 23 km long highway started in September 2011. The highway links six villages with the total population of 13,000 people.

President Aliyev allocated 2 million manats for the construction of the highway in 2011, and 5.3 million manats in 2012.

The head of state visited the Bag-Bagat Center as part of his Gobustan trip and toured the center's expanded area by an electric car.

Aliyev was informed that like in the capital Baku, resort centers and hotels meeting international standards have been constructed in the country`s regions.

The Center was inaugurated two years ago and became a resort center for local people and foreigners. The facility has three modern entertainment centers, as well as attractions and playgrounds. Two artificially created lakes make the Center more beautiful. The construction of a state-of-the-art four-storey hotel will be completed soon.

The President also opened plastic tableware, polystyrene and polypropylene bag, milk and ice-cream factories under AzFP CO LTD in Hokmali settlement of the Absheron district on Wednesday.

Chairman of AzFP CO LTD Manuchehr Ahadpur Khangah said the facilities would create 1,500 jobs, and also contribute to the development of cattle breeding. The total area of the factories is eight hectares.

The facility`s annual production capacity is 50 tons. The President viewed products made at the factory.

President Aliyev then toured the polystyrene and polypropylene bag factory. The construction of the facility cost 5 million manats. The factory`s daily production capacity is 125,000 bags.

The President then proceeded to the dairy and ice-cream factory. The facility produces goods under the 'Milla' brand name. The daily production capacity of the facility is 250 tons.