Since June 15, 1993, which went down in history as National Salvation Day, has been 32 years. This day is not just a date in the calendar, but a fateful moment when Azerbaijani statehood was revived and independence was preserved. It was on this day, at the urgent request of the people, that the National Leader Heydar Aliyev returned to political power, which made it possible to bring the country out of a deep socio-political and economic crisis and lay a solid foundation for the future development of independent Azerbaijan.

For five years now, the people of Azerbaijan have been celebrating the Day of National Salvation as a winning people - with a high patriotic spirit and a sense of national pride. In 2020, under the leadership of the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, the valiant army of Azerbaijan put an end to the 30-year occupation for 44 days. The liberation of the territories and the restoration of the territorial integrity of the country became a triumph of historical justice and strong leadership. In September 2023, as a result of local anti-terrorist measures, the sovereignty of the country was fully guaranteed. Against the background of new geopolitical realities, the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh, as well as the peaceful return of four villages of the Kazakh district are assessed as the result of a balanced and consistent policy. Currently, the process of delimitation and demarcation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia continues. Thus, the new era that began with our Historical Victory dates back to June 15, 1993. National Salvation Day is not just a turning point, but also the starting point of all the current achievements of the country.

The great dream of the National Leader has come true: Karabakh is free, Azerbaijan is united. The most cherished desire of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev was to see Karabakh free and Azerbaijan holistic. His heartfelt, full of faith and foresight words spoken during one of the meetings with internally displaced persons are remembered.

"I dream of going to Shusha with you. We will go, believe me, we will definitely go. Shusha is the pearl of Azerbaijan, a source of pride for every Azerbaijani. Shusha is a symbol of our culture, our history. Shusha is dear to everyone. But not only Shusha - the mountains of Lachyna are also dear to us. We can't live without Lachyn. Such a beautiful city as Agdam, Fuzuli, Jebrail, Zangelan, Gubadly, healing springs of Kalbajar, Istisu - we can't live without them."

And so, 27 years later, the dreams of the National Leader came true. President Ilham Aliyev fulfilled his father's will. Today, the soul of Heydar Aliyev is certainly quiet: the liberated native lands are being restored, life returns to Karabakh.

AZERTAJ offers a brief overview of the glorious path that began on June 15, 1993 - National Salvation Day - which led Azerbaijan to historic successes, dynamic development and glorious Victory.

Heydar Aliyev's return to power on June 15, 1993 was a turning point and fateful moment in the history of Azerbaijani statehood. It was from this significant date that the path of saving the country from decline and crisis, the path to stability and development began. Since then, Azerbaijan has become an internationally recognized independent state with a firm and principled position, which has gained high authority in the international arena.

 

Returning to power by the will of the people, Heydar Aliyev forever went down in history as the savior of our independence and the guarantor of Azerbaijani statehood.

At the end of the 20th century, having restored state independence, Azerbaijan faced severe trials. The country was on the verge of collapse, disappearance and erasure from the political map of the world. In June 1993, the situation reached its peak: the crisis of power escalated to the limit. Chaos, anarchy and managerial insolvency rapidly led the state to disaster. Civil confrontation turned into an open conflict, threatening not only independence, but also national existence itself. The period from 1991 to 1993 entered the modern history of Azerbaijan as a time of disorder, arbitrariness and adventurous experiments. Unable to soberly assess what was happening, the power of that time was absorbed by the struggle for chairs and rapidly lost the trust of the people. The government crisis deepened every day.

In such a difficult and hopeless situation, a common belief has formed in society: only Heydar Aliyev can save the country. The people persistently urged their Great Leader to return to the government of the state. Hearing this call, Heydar Aliyev arrived from Nakhchivan to Baku on June 9, 1993, and a few days later he headed the leadership of the country. This moment was a historic turning point and fateful for Azerbaijan. With the return of Heydar Aliyev to power, stability was ensured in the country, the threat of disintegration and civil war was eliminated, and Azerbaijan began a progressive movement along the path of development.

National leader Heydar Aliyev characterized the situation in the first years of independence as follows:

"Azerbaijan was facing a great threat. Because the forces opposing the independent existence of Azerbaijan were strong both inside and outside the country. Some circles in other states were not satisfied with the fact that such a country, which has great geostrategic importance and rich natural resources, has become completely independent. Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan and the resulting weakening of the country, its defeat, and on the other hand, the internal struggle for power led to the fact that the forces that came to power in June 1992 were displaced a year later - and the people themselves did it."

Having undertaken the rescue mission, Heydar Aliyev not only saved Azerbaijan from real threats, but also determined the strategy for the future development of the country, taking the first decisive steps in this direction. Thanks to his tireless activities and efforts, socio-political stability was ensured in the country, illegal armed groups that posed a great threat were eliminated, reforms were launched that opened the way for socio-economic revival. Thanks to this well-thought-out, result-oriented policy, it was also possible to stop the ongoing aggression of the Armenian armed forces against our country.

On June 15, having been elected Chairman of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev said:

"My life and my activities will be fully devoted to preserving the independence of Azerbaijan and bringing our country out of this difficult situation." To solve pressing problems, the National Leader, first of all, focused all efforts on achieving civic unity and ensuring stability in the country. And he achieved this, thus laying a solid foundation for future development. One of the first important steps on this path was the signing of the Contract of the Century in September 1994.

Subsequently, on the initiative and under the leadership of Heydar Aliyev, projects for the construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum oil and gas pipelines were launched. During Ilham Aliyev's presidency, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line connecting Asia with Europe and the Southern Gas Corridor delivering Azerbaijani gas to Europe were added to these transnational projects.

In November 1995, an important event took place in the history of independent Azerbaijan - a new Constitution was adopted, which became the basis for building a democratic and legal state. At the same time, the formation of the regulatory framework for the necessary reforms was launched. Without going into details, we can confidently say: The Day of Salvation has become the frontier from which Azerbaijan freed itself from chaos, anarchy, lawlessness, arbitrariness and the threat of disintegration, gaining stability, security and progressive development. This day is rightfully considered a turning point that changed the fate of our state and people.

Having ensured the confident development of Azerbaijan as an independent state and adequately brought the country out of the most difficult historical trials, National Leader Heydar Aliyev played a truly saving and creative role. It is no exaggeration to say that modern independent Azerbaijan is the greatest creation of the National Leader. June 15, when the foundation of this creation was laid, is one of the brightest pages in our history.

One of the most important merits of the National Leader to the state and the people was that he prepared a worthy successor who was able to ensure the continuation of the course of sustainable development of the country. Thanks to the wise policy of President Ilham Aliyev, who consistently implements the ideas of Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan is developing dynamically, occupies a worthy place in the international arena, and the national interests of the country are confidently and decisively defended at all levels. Today, Azerbaijan is recognized as a strong state pursuing an independent and principled foreign policy.

Our victory in the Patriotic War created new realities in the region. Many states and centers of power of the world recognize these realities and have to reckon with them. Today, Azerbaijan dictates the agenda of the post-war period. President Ilham Aliyev shows the highest determination and perseverance in the restoration of the liberated territories. In parallel with the construction of the necessary infrastructure in the regions liberated from occupation, residential complexes are being built and commissioned, new ones are being laid. Hundreds of families have already returned to their native lands, and in the next three years it is planned to resettle 140 thousand people to the liberated lands. Large-scale restoration and construction works in the liberated territories are based on the ideas and development strategy laid down by Heydar Aliyev.

Our people are confident that Azerbaijan, being the leader of the South Caucasus, will continue to achieve significant success, strengthening its influence and authority in the international arena. After all, we have a strong and determined President with iron political will - Ilham Aliyev, who courageously and consistently defends the interests of the people and the state.

Over time, the scale of Heydar Aliyev's personality and his outstanding role in the history of Azerbaijan become more and more obvious. The legacy of the great leader and his state concept are increasingly rethought and become particularly relevant. The people of Azerbaijan with sincere gratitude and respect honor his great services to the country. Today, it is the ideas of the National Leader that remain a solid basis for development, inspiring Azerbaijan to new achievements, achievements and victories.