BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 9. Overall, Jabrayil will
make a significant contribution to our country in the future from
both agricultural and transportation perspectives, President Ilham
Aliyev said at a meeting with residents who moved to the village of
Shukurbeyli in the Jabrayil district on May 9, Trend reports.
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.
