A ceremony of presenting apartments in 3 buildings constructed for IDP families in Masazyr settlement

On October 5, a ceremony of presenting new apartments in three buildings constructed for IDP families, in the framework of the project “Provision of IDP families residing in dangerous buildings with new apartments”, in Masazyr settlement, Absheron district, took place.

First Vice-president of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony.

Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the ceremony:

- Dear participants of the ceremony.

Esteemed fellow citizens, dear friends.

Continuing for over twenty years, the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daghlyg Garabagh conflict has been Azerbaijan’s most serious problem, and the biggest pain of our people. As a result of the neighbouring country’s occupation policy, hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens were forced to flee from their native lands, their homes to lead the life of an IDP and a refugee.

Head of our state Ilham Aliyev has been constantly bringing up this issue before international organizations, as well as during bilateral meetings. As you are well aware, President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, turned the world society’s attention again to this issue. He underscored that territories of our county are still under occupation, and that over a million people in the country have been forced to lead a life of a refugee and an IDP.

For long years, we have been demanding that justice be administered, and we are expecting a just reaction not by words, but by an action. Unfortunately, double standards applied to our country is the reality of today. A number of organizations advocating human rights have been operating in the world. Why the fundamental rights of over a million Azerbaijani refuges and IDPs – to live on their lands, in their homes - have been violated? Why these organizations make no efforts to restore the rights of these people? Why no articles are published on pages of the world mass media, and websites about this problem? Why the world society is not provided with comprehensive and correct information? Why no pressure is imposed on the invader-country?

We know the answers to all these questions, and everybody should know that the main reasons here are the strengthening Azerbaijan, its independence, and its free policy. For all these years, the state of Azerbaijan has taken necessary actions to solve problems facing our fellow citizens, made necessary steps, and their results are obvious. There is no tent village left in the country, and up to hundred modern residential complexes have been constructed. These complexes have been provided with all necessary infrastructure. Fifty thousand refugee and IDP families - 250 thousand people in average - have been resettled into new houses, and apartments. Some four hundred thousand refugees and IDPs have been provided with jobs. In general, the state has spent over 6 billion Manats for the execution of these measures.

At the moment, we are in the process of improving the living conditions of our fellow citizens that had been temporarily settled in other places, such as unfit or uncompleted buildings, hostels, boarding houses, and kindergartens. In the first phase, people living in the most dangerous buildings should be resettled to new buildings. Thereafter, living conditions of other refugee and IDP families should be improved in a consecutive fashion. We have been doing and will do our best in this direction. I am sure the state of Azerbaijan will solve this problem by its own means.

As you know, today’s Azerbaijan is a strong and powerful independent state. We have been pursuing our own independent policy. Azerbaijan is a state capable of defending its rights, and position. Extensive construction and improvement works are underway across the country. Baku’s modernization, the capital’s beauty, cleanness, its improvement is talked about not only in Azerbaijan, but also beyond its borders. Development activities are taking place not only in Baku, but also in each region. New schools, hospitals and sports complexes are constructed, roads built, gas supply works carried out, issues of concern for people are solved, and new opportunities open.

Recent years, great works have been carried out in our country towards developing the tourism sector. Great progress has been achieved in this area. A few days earlier, the Head of our state has attended the inaugurations of several new facilities and new roads in Shamakhy district, familiarized himself with the tourism infrastructure constructed in Demirchi village. Having visited an old mosque restored in the same village, the President gave all necessary instructions on building a new, shorter road - 22 km long - linking Demirchi village with Lahyj.

In the week earlier, at a ceremony dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishing the National Olympic Committee, our President gave extensive information about the achievements reached by our country in sports. I am confident you all know this. Like in other spheres, our people, our sportsmen have gained great victories in the field of sports. We have hosted the first European Games with great success. This year, we hosted the Islamic Solidarity Games. At the final Olympic Games, our sportsmen won 18 medals, making the Azerbaijani flag rise. This is our culture. Our achievements in this sphere have been very highly appreciated by all the sports community, showing our country as an example.

Before that, a ceremony of signing a new stage of the “Contract of the Century” took place in Baku. The signing of this contract will give powerful incentive to our country’s multilateral development. What does this mean? This means that a new infrastructure, new jobs will be created, the country will attract new investments, whereby problems facing our people will be solved. In short, today, Azerbaijan is moving forward on the path of development and progress. Our independent policy will be continued. We see our achievements and know our power. We should also very well understand that if our friends and partners rejoice over our achievements, our enemies are unhappy, resorting to every kind of dirty acts. However, we are not afraid, and are pursuing our goal. I want to once more mention that for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, interests of Azerbaijan and of the people of Azerbaijan are superior to everything, and we will not deviate from this path.

At the same time, we also know the existing problems, the issues that have not yet been solved, and we have been and will be working hard to remove them. I am confident we will reach all our goals. Because there are all factors – independent policy, goodwill, economic potential and, the most important one, trust and support of the people. I say once more that relying on your support and with God’s help, we will reach our goals.

Dear friends, as you know, foundation of a new complex was laid near Lokbatan settlement in Garadagh district in May this year. Construction works are continuing there today. The residential complex will be provided with the necessary infrastructure, and along with the residential buildings, there is also a kindergarten and a school being constructed, and, the next year, 1026 new, fully finished apartments will be commissioned for the use by refugee and IDP families. In June this year, 214 families residing in a very dangerous boarding house in Shuvalan settlement, Khazar district, and in an unfinished building in Khatai district were resettled into newly constructed, fully finished apartments. In Mehdiabad and Masazyr settlements. And today, we are resettling 210 families into newly constructed, fully finished apartments in Masazyr settlement, Absheron district, 50 families into newly constructed, fully finished apartments in Ramana settlement, and 465 families into newly constructed, fully finished apartments in a building in Khatai district. This means, in general, improvement of living conditions of 725 families.

Dear friends, dear members of refugee and IDP families. You have long years been living in very harsh conditions. Nevertheless, you have participated in all the creative processes going on in the country, making your own contribution. You have brought up your children, gave them education. Taking this opportunity, I want to express my profound respect and love for you. A new era is starting today in your life. You are moving into new apartments. I wish you live happily in these apartments. My biggest dream is – and I am confident this is a dream of every Azerbaijani – to participate in weddings of your children, grandchildren in your new apartments, homes built on our lands to be liberated by the state of Azerbaijan. Thank you very much!