Today, June 15, Azerbaijan marks National Salvation Day.

Axar.az reports that 33 years ago, National Leader Heydar Aliyev returned to power, saving the Azerbaijani people, state, and nation from disintegration.

In his speech at the Milli Majlis session held on June 15, 1993, National Leader Heydar Aliyev announced the future development strategy of Azerbaijani statehood. The day later went down in Azerbaijan’s history as National Salvation Day, marking the country’s rescue from the threat of statehood collapse.

At the request of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev returned to power for a second time and was elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet on the same day. As a result, years of tension and confrontation eased, and the country was saved from the threat of civil war and fragmentation. In a broader sense, the philosophy of national salvation ensured Azerbaijan’s existence and its most significant historical achievement—its independence.

If gaining independence was the first step, the second important task was to preserve and develop sovereignty, which became a reality thanks to the will of the national leader. He created the concept of Azerbaijani statehood. Despite all obstacles, public and political stability was restored in a very short period of time.

On June 20, 1993, Heydar Aliyev held a briefing for local and foreign journalists to convey the realities of Azerbaijan to the international community, and on June 21 he met with diplomats from several countries. The policy implemented in this area helped the republic break out of an information blockade. Global perceptions of Azerbaijan began to shift in a positive direction.

In such a complex political situation, Heydar Aliyev’s strong leadership became a guarantee of Azerbaijan’s independence. His personality, unique political management skills, determination, and charisma brought an end to the political crisis and marked the beginning of Azerbaijan’s integration into the international community.

In 1997, members of the Milli Majlis proposed adding June 15 to the calendar as the National Salvation Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the parliament approved the initiative. Since then, Heydar Aliyev’s return to power has been commemorated as National Salvation Day.