“On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, as well as members of the trade unions I lead, I congratulate you on the occasion of October 18 – Independence Day. Today has a special place in the history of Azerbaijan. The dream of our people to live independently and freely has come true. “Although our state has historically had great empires and states, sometimes it has lost its independence due to historical circumstances. But not a single day did it reconcile with the occupation and continued the national liberation struggle. This is the unchanging and unshakable character of the Azerbaijani people. One of us is convinced that the independence of our country will be permanent and our people will live freely”.
This opinion was expressed by the chairman of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation (ATUC), MP Sattar Mohbaliyev.
The MP said that Azerbaijan gained independence on May 28, 1918 after a long struggle of the people: “During the 23 months of its existence, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic has left a deep mark on our history, showing the world the right of our people to live freely. She was one of the first in the East to establish a democratic republic and give women the right to vote. In a short time he created his main attributes – the flag, anthem and coat of arms. Also, the mother tongue was declared the state language, and serious measures were taken in the field of state building. The country’s territorial integrity and national security were ensured, and high-capacity military units were created. Although the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic collapsed through military intervention on April 28, 1920, the idea of freedom that it established in the hearts of our people has not been forgotten.
“Great leader Heydar Aliyev played a great role in the restoration of our independence. On the morning of the bloody incident committed by the Soviet leadership in Baku on January 20, 1990, he came to the permanent representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow and boldly criticized this aggressive act of the Soviet leadership and spread this act of aggression to the whole world. He also called on the people to fight for independence to the end during a speech at a rally in Nakhchivan on July 22 of that year, attended by thousands of people. Heydar Aliyev had a great reputation among the people, he won the inexhaustible love of the people with his work in the 70s of the last century. Of course, this speech was an important stimulus for the struggle of our people. At the meeting of the Nakhchivan Parliament chaired by Heydar Aliyev on November 17, 1990, the words “Soviet Socialist” were removed from the name of the Autonomous Republic on his direct initiative, and the tricolor, crescent and octagonal star flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was adopted as the state flag. Thus, the foundation of modern Azerbaijani statehood was laid in Nakhchivan, “the ATUC chairman said.
He added that unlike previous years, today our people celebrate the Day of Restoration of Independence in a special mood: “Under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, the sovereign rights of our state have been restored throughout Azerbaijan, our unfinished work has been completed. Difficult and painful days for our people are over. Today we live the joy of our successes with a thousand efforts and honor. Happy holiday again. “