Historical Declaration: Basis of statehood of Azerbaijan

By Mazahir Afandiyev

Azerbaijan is going to celebrate one of the most important days in its history: the 106th anniversary of the creation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), the first democratic and secular state in the Muslim world with a parliamentary form of government. This is one of the best pages in the history of the Azerbaijani people, evoking its unity.

Our brave grandfathers, who loved their country most of all, and the National Council of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic signed the Declaration of Independence on May 28, 1918. This led to the formation of the first Parliament and Government of Azerbaijan, the delineation of the nation's borders, the creation of state attributes, the proclamation of the national language as the official language, the establishment of the Institute of Azerbaijani citizenship, and an increase in the nation's sense of independence.

The legislation passed by the recently formed Parliament was crucial in creating democratic values, guaranteeing political, economic, and cultural advancement in the nation, and bolstering national independence.

The primary emphasis on the principles of democratic participation was the representation in Parliament of all national political parties, peoples, and ethnic and religious groupings. Without a doubt, the primary predictor of a future democratic and multicultural state is the high degree of representation in Parliament. The ADR government enacted several laws and implemented political, military, judicial, and economic reforms in a span of twenty-three months.

The people's literacy and education levels were raised to the appropriate level as a result the newly formed Republic's initial actions. Baku State University and numerous other educational establishments were founded in 1919 with this goal in mind. The development of an open legal and judicial system also received a boost during the same period.

Considerable effort was made to safeguard national interests in the diplomatic sphere and acknowledge the Republic in the context of international relations. Our country was able to become a subject of international law during a period when the political order of the world was being rebuilt. This was the result of steps taken by the Democratic Republic, which the international community recognized. Additionally, after the Bolshevik occupation, Azerbaijan as a state was kept from being completely removed from the political map of the world.

May 28th ought to be a significant day for the people of Azerbaijan as well as all other nations honoring Republican and Democratic principles. The values that the ADR upheld during its formation remain aligned with the objectives of the current global goals that humanity seeks to realize.

Even though the ADR, which was founded on the ideas of people's power and equality, only lasted 23 months, the people's desire for independence has persisted since its inception. Thus, on October 18, 1991, 71 years later, the constitutional act "On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan" was ratified. A constitutional act referred to the 1918 May 28 Declaration of Independence and announced that the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic had been replaced by the Republic of Azerbaijan.

As the great leader Heydar Aliyev emphasized, “Preserving and protecting independence is much more difficult than gaining it.” The founder and architect of independent modern Azerbaijan is Haydar Aliyev, who came back to power by the adamant demands of Azerbaijani people in a trying period when our fates were determined.

For the first time, the national leader chaired the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic's Supreme Majlis session on November 17, 1990. He took our Tricolor flag, which we gained from the Democratic Republic, to the meeting room in the then-Soviet state. Our identity, nationality, and morals are represented by this flag. He approved it without hesitation as the official state flag.

Our Tricolor flag, which spans more than 30 years of Azerbaijan's independence, has given us moral strength on all fronts and further solidified our resolve to defend Azerbaijan's independence, restore its sovereignty, and guarantee our successes.

President Ilham Aliyev provided an enduring testament to statehood for future generations with the raising of the Azerbaijan flag in Shusha, Khankendi, and all other sovereign Azerbaijani areas.

2018 was proclaimed by the head of state to be the "Year of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic" in our nation. This shows how highly the traditions of statehood and the first parliamentary republic in the East are valued, as well as how significant and honorable this particular chapter in our nation's history is.

On October 15, 2021, the Republic of Azerbaijan's law "On Independence Day" was approved by the Milli Majlis of the sixth convocation, a sign of the assembly's respect for statehood customs. This law established May 28 as Azerbaijan's Day of Independence and October 18 as the Day of Restoration of Independence. This demonstrates that the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, founded in 1918, is fully succeeded by the current Azerbaijan, which has regained its state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Azerbaijani people will come together around their leader at this time of global political change and make sure that the gains and Triumph will last forever. As President Ilham Aliyev said, "Our independence is eternal, irreversible, indestructible! Long live strong, independent Azerbaijan!"

Mazahir Afandiyev is the Member of the Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani Parliament).