Jabrayil, May 9, AZERTAC

On May 9, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with residents relocating to Shukurbeyli village in the Jabrayil district.

The head of state delivered a speech at the meeting.

Speech by President Ilham Aliyev

- First and foremost, I congratulate you on your return to your native land. Shukurbeyli village has been completely rebuilt. As you know, during the occupation, the Armenian state completely destroyed this village; not a single building remained intact. During my numerous meetings with former internally displaced persons (IDPs) throughout the years of occupation, I always said that once we liberated our lands, we would rebuild all our cities and villages, making them even more beautiful. Today, we witness this in the example of Shukurbeyli. The village is highly modern, with all conditions created for living, working, and studying. There is a school, a music school, two kindergartens, a medical center, and, of course, beautiful and comfortable houses where you, the residents of Shukurbeyli, can live in comfort.

For many years, these lands remained under occupation. The Armenian state sought to completely erase the heritage of the Azerbaijani people from these territories, but they failed to achieve this. Although our cities and villages were devastated, the historical memory of the Azerbaijani people was never erased. I know that you, like all former IDPs, lived with one dream — the dream of returning to your native lands. Some of you settled in houses provided by the state in the Bilasuvar district, while others created certain living conditions for yourselves. Yet, of course, one’s native soil and homeland are dearer than anything else.

Today is a very beautiful and historic day — a day marking the triumph of justice. We, the rightful owners of these lands, not only liberated these territories from the enemy through struggle and sacrifice, but also revived them. During the occupation, the Armenian state left no stone unturned in the Jabrayil district. True, they attempted to build a road, but did not have enough time to complete it. Nevertheless, they left no stone upon another. Jabrayil was completely razed to the ground; not a single intact building remained either in the city or in the villages, much like in Aghdam. In Zangilan, a few houses survived where illegal settlements had been established. However, Fuzuli, Aghdam, and Jabrayil were entirely destroyed. Houses were demolished, and stones were looted and sold in markets elsewhere. We, on the other hand, are rebuilding and creating. Today, several thousand people reside in the Jabrayil district — first and foremost in the city of Jabrayil, the city center located not far from here, as well as in Horovlu village and Jojug Marjanli. We rebuilt that village after the April battles. The largest population will live here. Currently, there are 635 houses, but according to the information provided to me, the number of people wishing to return is even greater — more than 900. Therefore, we are also planning the second phase of the village.

Naturally, alongside housing and education, employment issues are also being addressed. All relevant instructions have been issued to ensure employment opportunities for citizens. Naturally, jobs in the public sector are being provided first, followed by opportunities in agriculture, particularly in animal husbandry and crop cultivation. In addition, the Araz Valley Economic Zone Industrial Park is operating in the Jabrayil district. We have allocated a vast area of 200 hectares there. Currently, 20 residents are operating within this industrial zone and have already launched production activities. This zone will continue to expand, and it is also located close to here. I should also note that we have planned only two industrial zones in the liberated territories — one in Aghdam and the other in Jabrayil.

Overall, Jabrayil will make a significant contribution to our country in the future from both agricultural and transportation perspectives. You may remember the old Soviet-era road — before the occupation, it was a very narrow road running alongside the Araz River. We restored it, but the new road — I do not know whether you have already seen it — is a four-lane highway extending all the way to the Armenian border as part of the Zangezur Corridor. There are no higher standards than these. Therefore, transportation issues are also being resolved here, and in the future, Jabrayil, along with the cities and villages located along this international transport corridor, will benefit greatly from it.

Our largest solar power plants are also being constructed in Jabrayil — three plants with a total capacity of 340 megawatts. Today, 340 megawatts would be sufficient to illuminate the entirety of Garabagh. At the same time, considering that we have already commissioned more than 300 megawatts of hydroelectric power plants in Zangilan, Lachin, and Kalbajar, within approximately one or two years the combined solar and hydropower generation capacity of this region will reach nearly 700 megawatts. This will bring tremendous benefits to both the country and employment. All liberated territories are being connected with the rest of our country through roads, airports, electricity lines, and water infrastructure. We will also utilize the water resources of the Khudaferin and Giz Galasi reservoirs, along with the electricity generated there. Thus, we will once again demonstrate to the entire world that we are a nation that builds and creates, while also being a nation capable of fighting. We reclaimed these lands through sacrifice and bloodshed — may Allah rest the souls of all our martyrs in peace — and we achieved a brilliant Victory. This Victory is unparalleled in modern history and will likely remain so. We must take pride in this eternal Victory. The younger generation must be raised in this spirit — at home, within families, and in schools — so that from now on we may continue to live proudly as a victorious country and nation.

I sincerely congratulate you and wish you good health.

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The residents thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the attention and the conditions created.

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The key handover ceremony then took place.

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Speaking with the residents at the ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev said:

“A few days ago, I was at an agricultural exhibition. I was inquiring there because one of the primary directives after the lands were liberated from occupation was to bring these territories back into the cultivation cycle. Every year, following the planting and harvesting season, I receive a briefing and review the progress of grain production. It is going well across the country–to use the old lexicon, it is approximately 35 quintals per hectare, which is effectively 3.5 tons. I was curious about the figures in Garabagh; they are very low, and the question arises: why? Especially since, as you know well, the soil here is very fertile and highly productive. I am now being provided with explanations–including from foreign specialists–that the Armenians exploited and trampled this land so irregularly and excessively that it may take 5 to 10 years to revitalize these soils. Therefore, just as they plundered and exploited all our natural resources, they have also left our land in a largely ruined state. Consequently, we must revitalize these lands based on modern agro-technical measures, contemporary irrigation systems, and our general strategy for agricultural development. As you well know, there are fertile lands in many regions of Azerbaijan, including Garabagh and East Zangezur.

You likely remember the viticulture here during Soviet times. You must raise it back to that level–both you and the younger generation. Because livestock farming and viticulture both existed here. In this region–in Zangilan and Gubadli–there was also tobacco farming; I am not sure how the situation is here specifically.

We must restore those traditions and go even further. Today, technology has advanced significantly. There are modern intensive gardening technologies. Look at the neighboring village of Aghali. A large orchard has been established there. I am now informed that the fruits harvested there are even being sold abroad. Therefore, gardening, viticulture, grain farming, sericulture, and livestock breeding must develop with state support.

In the near future, we will adopt a state program for agricultural development, and these issues, including state funding, will be addressed there. The main point is that the former internally displaced persons returning here should work day and night to both provide for their own livelihoods and benefit the state.

Substations and agroparks are now opening in Soltanli. During the war, the battles for Soltanli were among the most intense. The Armenians had built strong fortifications there. We had martyrs during the struggle for Soltanli. However, after liberating that village, we advanced more rapidly. In this region–the area along the Araz River–perhaps first it was the village of Garakhanbeyli in Fuzuli, then Marjanli, where we first broke through the line. After that, the most violent battles took place in Soltanli. All these lands are symbols of our heroism.

It is necessary to keep this history alive and teach it to the children. We must educate them. There is no other country that has won a complete, absolute victory like ours–at least not in the last 80 years. This is a source of pride.”