President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree establishing State Sovereignty Day in Azerbaijan.

Axar.az presents the text of the decree:

'Beginning in the early 1990s, the Republic of Armenia has grossly violated the requirements of the United Nations Charter, implementing a policy of aggression against the Republic of Azerbaijan and using military force to occupy 20 percent of our internationally recognized territory. Ethnic cleansing has been carried out against Azerbaijanis in Armenia and the occupied Azerbaijani territories, crimes against humanity and war crimes have devastated our towns and villages, our natural resources have been plundered, and one of the most horrific tragedies of our time, the Khojaly massacre, has been committed.

In response to Armenia's new plans for aggression, attempts at military invasion, and ongoing provocations, the 44-day Patriotic War that began on September 27, 2020, resulted in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces decisively defeating the Armenian army and achieving a historic victory. Azerbaijan has liberated its lands from 30 years of occupation, restoring territorial integrity and fulfilling the resolutions of the UN Security Council.

On September 19, 2023, an anti-terror operation was launched to prevent large-scale provocations committed in Azerbaijan's Karabakh economic region, disarm the remnants of the Armenian armed forces, and restore the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan in those territories. The operation lasted only 23 hours and was completed on September 20, during which the brave Azerbaijani Army executed all assigned tasks with high professionalism. Thus, as a result of this brilliant victory, the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been fully restored. Thanks to this glorious victory, which holds exceptional significance in the life of the Azerbaijani people, today the flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan proudly waves in all territories where our sovereignty is established.

For every nation, having its destiny and developing an independent state is its greatest achievement. Despite the difficulties, occupation, and deprivations faced at various stages of history, no force has been able to undermine our people’s determination for independence and statehood. The Azerbaijani people today possess their independent state, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty achieved through the blood of our heroic soldiers and martyrs is a national treasure.

Guided by paragraph 32 of Article 109 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I decided to recognize that on September 20, 2023, the rule of law has been ensured across the entire territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the state sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been restored:

1. September 20 shall be celebrated as State Sovereignty Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan annually.

2. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall address the issues arising from this decree.'