The state will fulfill its responsibilities, we will return the former internally displaced persons. But, at the same time, I believe that Karabakh and East Zangezur should not be inhabited only by natives of this region. People from any parts of Azerbaijan should have the opportunity to live there too.
On January 10, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by local TV channels. Among other issues, he also touched the issue of the return of the former IDPs to the libarated areas.
President Ilham Aliyev: The work done so far is obvious. I wouldn’t want to talk too much about that. Simply, along with all the large infrastructure projects, I think our main achievement is that the displaced people have returned to five settlements. The cities of Lachin and Fuzuli, and the villages of Aghali, Talish and Zabukh are already reviving. This year, the return of displaced people to these settlements will continue. I will approve this year’s Investment Program in the coming days, it has already been discussed several times. The Investment Program for Karabakh, East Zangezur and other parts of our country is our main tool, our main vehicle for reconstruction.
All infrastructure projects in Karabakh and East Zangezur will continue this year. These are massive projects. As you know, the construction of reservoirs, roads, bridges, railways, schools and hospitals has already started, and some of them have already been put into use. Drinking water lines, electricity projects, the reservoirs I mentioned, irrigation, for example the Sarsang Reservoir – today it is filled by only 50 percent. During the occupation, Armenians only exploited it. In other words, not a penny was invested in it. The Khachinchay Reservoir was completely destroyed and it was recently opened. In the near future, we will open the Kondalanchay Reservoir in Fuzuli. We have rebuilt Sugovushan, now the canals are being laid. Then the construction of the Zabukhchay Reservoir will be completed this year, which will provide irrigation water to a large area. In other words, when former IDPs return, there should be conditions for planting and harvesting. I must also inform you that our institutions are seriously dealing with the employment of returning displaced persons, trainings are held for them before they return, new production sites and industrial enterprises are being created and will continue to be created there. Two large industrial zones have already started to operate in Aghdam and Jabrayil, and these zones will be significantly expanded this year.
All these infrastructure projects allow us the opportunity to return a larger number of former IDPs to their ancestral lands this year, and there are five cities they will return to this year – Shusha, Jabrayil, Kalbadjar, Khankendi and Khojaly. Former IDPs are expected to return to the cities of Aghdam, Zangilan and Gubadli in 2025. In parallel with this, construction will continue in many villages – the one I laid the foundation of recently – and former IDPs will return to several villages. For example, the Sus village of the Lachin district will be ready. After that, we are starting to restore the villages of Karkijahan, Malibayli, Turshsu of the Khojaly district. Villages have been completely destroyed. I visited them during my last trip to Karabakh. They are completely destroyed, the Malibayli mosque was also destroyed and vandals used it as a manure storage.
In other words, what I have listed are the cities and villages former displaced persons will return to, and it has already been declared that our goal is to return 140,000 former IDPs to their ancestral lands by the end of 2026. I am sure that we will achieve this goal. I must state again that we are doing all this at our own expense. No donor organization or any party is helping us. Only Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have given us brotherly support in connection with the construction of two schools in Fuzuli, and all other projects are being realized at our own expense.
You have also mentioned the private sector. I am very glad and want to appeal to the private sector again and call on them to invest more actively in Karabakh and East Zangezur. The private sector is already implementing several projects in the Hadrut settlement, Dashalti village and the city of Aghdam.
The state will fulfill its responsibilities, we will return the former internally displaced persons. But, at the same time, I believe that Karabakh and East Zangezur should not be inhabited only by natives of this region. People from any parts of Azerbaijan should have the opportunity to live there too. Of course, for example, is someone from Baku or Sumgayit wants to live there should be able to do so, buy a house, buy an apartment, buy land, build a house and live there. In other words, the state, of course, will not build any houses for them.
I have informed all our relevant agencies that we are building houses for those who want to live there, not for those who want to have a country house there. This is not a place for country houses, it is a place to live. Whoever wants to live there, the state builds a free house for them and organizes everything. If someone wants to move there simply because of the beautiful scenery and clean air, the private sector will build residential complexes for them. For example, in the city of Aghdam, there is a multi-story building, and people may go and live there. Today, such projects are also being implemented in Dashalti and Hadrut.
Therefore, my advice to the private sector is to take advantage of these opportunities. Because the time will come, as I said, and we will turn Karabakh and Zangezur into a paradise, it will become a reality. I have no doubt about that because all master plans of the cities have been approved. All master plans of the cities were developed by the leading European companies, including the city of Shusha. Shusha will become a unique city in the world. Its architecture and nature will form a unity.
This is why our private sector, instead of building houses in Baku or Sumgayit should go and build houses there and see that it will be economically viable and it will also be important from the point of view of social responsibility. Because today, very good conditions are being created for businesses in Azerbaijan and the state supports them. Therefore, I think that this should be the social responsibility of businesses. Let them go, build enterprises, build houses, build plants, factories, and the state will do all the work it is responsible for – infrastructure, hospitals, schools, reservoirs, gas lines, drinking water lines, electricity lines, houses, roads, and bridges. Now if we look at the tunnel under Murovdag alone, its length is about 12 kilometers. Just imagine, one tunnel is 12 kilometers long, but there are dozens of such tunnels – albeit not of this size. So, in 2024, a very strong impetus will be given to this work and all our goals will be met.
Source: President.az
