Today is the 99th birthday of the national leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev. Today the Azerbaijani nation are once again expressing their respect and gratitude for the fond memory of the great leader.

Heydar Aliyev, a great leader of Azerbaijani nation, who was a brilliant personality, a visionary leader and a brave man, made an exceptional contribution to the history of the country and played a great role in the formation of modern Azerbaijani statehood. He devoted his entire life to hisnation and always served the people with dignity.

Both in the Soviet times and in the years of independence, in the most crucial moments for Azerbaijan and its people, the leadership qualities of Heydar Aliyev, his wisdom, thoughtful policy and bold steps saved Azerbaijani nation from great troubles. The people of the country believed in him, loved him and always supported him.

Thanks to Heydar Aliyev’s leadership in Azerbaijan during the Soviet period, the republic developed successfully and rapidly. In July 1969, Heydar Aliyev was elected the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan and became the head of the Republic, which was one of the most backward republics of the Soviet Union. As a result of 13 years of tireless work of Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan became one of the most advanced republics of the Soviet Union.

In above-mentioned period that a high pace of industrial development was achieved in Azerbaijan. The infrastructure created at that time still serves the development of the independent Azerbaijan today.

Heydar Aliyev’s principled position and personal qualities were highly valued by the Soviet leadership. That’s why he was appointed as the first deputy chairman of the Council of the Ministers of the Soviet Union in December 1982. While working in this position, Heydar Aliyev led the most important areas of the USSR economic, social and cultural life.

During those years the works he had done had certainly contributed to the significant development of Azerbaijan. While he was in charge of many very important sectors in 1982-1987, he had major plans related to the further development of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev always paid great attention to Azerbaijan and provided his help.

In 1987, after removal of Heydar Aliyev from all positions without any grounds, Azerbaijan lost a huge pillar. From that time on, a great injustice was shown against Azerbaijani people and republic. As a result, Azerbaijan was faced with a deep internal political crisis.

On January 20, 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union committed a great crime against the Azerbaijani people. The bloody tragedy of January is a monstrous crime, a monstrous crime against our people. More than a hundred innocent people were brutally killed. Hundreds of others were wounded and went missing. Heydar Aliyev immediately stood up to this injustice. On 21 January 1990, he went to the Permanent Representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow. Heydar Aliyev condemned the Soviet leadership in this heinous act, and expressed solidarity with the Azerbaijani people. With this he demonstrated once again that the problems, interests and grief of the Azerbaijani people were above everything for him, more than anything else for him, and he had to be with his people in hard days.

After that, Heydar Aliyev left the ranks of the Communist Party which he had served for many years. And then he went to his homeland and arrived in Nakhchivan, where he was born. The Azerbaijani people began to rally around him. The people of Nakhchivan united around Heydar Aliyev, elected him chairman of the Supreme Majlis (Parliament), and he defended Nakhchivan from Armenian occupation. Thanks to him, tremendous mobilization work was carried out, self-defense detachments were set up and the occupation of Nakhchivan was prevented.

It was on the initiative of Heydar Aliyev that the tricolor flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, after a long break since 1920, was approved at a session of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan as the official state flag. This was the beginning of a path leading to independence ofAzerbaijan.

The situation in Azerbaijan was gradually exacerbating. As a result of a crisis in the government, the country was on the verge of civil war and faced the peril of losing independence, the people of Azerbaijan demanded to bring Heydar Aliyev to the power, and the then leaders of Azerbaijan were forced to officially invite Heydar Aliyev to Baku.

On June 15, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected chairman of the Supreme Council (Parliament) of Azerbaijan, and on June 24, by a resolution of the Parliament, he proceeded to fulfil the authorities of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On October 3, 1993, as a result of the nationwide vote, Heydar Aliyev was elected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

From the mentioned date, a period of stability started in Azerbaijan and it continues to this day. Important decisions were made and political reforms were launched. Economic reforms were launched and principles of a market economy began to be applied as fundamental principles. Azerbaijan achieved to establish relations with the international communities. In 1994, the Contract of the Century was signed. It has played an exceptional role in the history of the Republic of Azerbaijan and economic development. In 1995, the Constitution of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan was adopted. In addition, a political and legal assessment was given to the 20 January tragedy.

Besides, Heydar Aliyev, who spearheaded the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, did much to attract huge western capital to Azerbaijan, which created many new jobs and lead to the development of several fields. 

Following the path outlined by the great leader, Azerbaijan managed to build a strong economy. Over the last years, there has been no other country in the world developing economically as fast as Azerbaijan. Thanks to Heydar Aliyev today, Azerbaijan sits among great nations in the global arena. The visionary Azerbaijani leader took active steps for making country a regional transport hub as well. The country is now acting as a bridge between East and West, North and South.

The National Leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev always had special attention to Pakistan and called relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan brotherly and strategic.

Azerbaijan’s modern history cannot be imagined without Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijani nation always committed to the policy of genius leader. The policy pursued by Heydar Aliyev is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev.