Deputy Kamaləddin Qafarov celebrates Shusha city's liberation and reconstruction efforts

Axar.az reports that the establishment of the “liberation of the city” days is one of the important steps taken to immortalize our historic victory in the Patriotic War. On this occasion, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a relevant decree on July 31, 2023. According to this decree, November 8 of each year is celebrated as Shusha City Day in Azerbaijan.

This statement was made by Kamaləddin Qafarov, a member of the National Assembly, in an interview with the press on November 8, Shusha City Day.

The Member of Parliament highlighted that on November 8, 2020, our victorious army liberated Shusha city from occupation, writing a glorious chapter in history. "Our heroic soldiers and officers carried out a complex tactical operation unprecedented in world military history, driving the enemy out of Shusha, the beating heart of Karabakh. This magnificent victory, which became a symbol of our nation's strength and national pride, was immortalized by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev. Given the historical significance of Shusha's liberation, November 8 was declared Victory Day. On January 14, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev raised the national flag in Shusha. The victorious Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, had said from the first days of the war that our work would remain incomplete without Shusha. During the 44-day war, our valiant army moved forward relentlessly and confidently towards Shusha. Our heroic soldiers performed their duties with honor despite exceptional difficulties. It can be said unequivocally that the operation to liberate Shusha stands at the pinnacle of Karabakh's victory. The architect of this magnificent victory, President Ilham Aliyev, fulfilled the legacy of his father and brought to its logical conclusion the work started by the Great Leader, thus writing his name in Azerbaijan's history as a powerful commander and victorious Supreme Commander.”

Qafarov also noted that last year’s anti-terror operation, which resulted in the complete restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, was a logical continuation of the Shusha Victory. "The complex measures carried out between 2003 and 2020, as well as determined and multifaceted activities, gradually brought us closer to this historic victory. Our esteemed President Ilham Aliyev built a powerful Azerbaijani state on the firm foundation laid by Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, a state with global influence and great economic and military power. The increasing economic and military strength and political will allowed Azerbaijan to implement four UN Security Council resolutions that had been ignored for 27 years. Four years ago, some believed that Azerbaijan would not dare change the status quo defined by the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, and would be content with the liberation of Shusha. However, subsequent events proved these assumptions wrong. The successful results of the anti-terror operation in September 2023 demonstrated our strength and determination, with the enemy once again forced to raise the white flag of surrender, thus putting an end to the presence of terrorists and the separatist regime in Karabakh and restoring our full sovereignty."

Qafarov discussed the reconstruction of Shusha, emphasizing the transformation of the city after its liberation: "As President Ilham Aliyev stated in his address to the nation on the liberation of Shusha, after 28 years of separation, we returned to our beloved Shusha. With this return, Shusha received a new spirit and a fresh breath. The liberated ancient city is now witnessing large-scale construction, restoration, and magnificent events. The new era of development has begun for Shusha, and significant infrastructure projects have been implemented over the past four years. Historically, Shusha has been one of Azerbaijan's major cultural, social, and political centers. Immediately after Shusha's liberation, along with the development of its infrastructure, restoration of historical and cultural monuments began. All restoration and construction work is being carried out in a planned manner, preserving the historical character of Shusha. Thanks to a Decree by President Ilham Aliyev in 2021, Shusha has been declared the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, and major projects are being carried out to restore the true historical identity of the city."