TRIUMPH OF THE CONSTITUTION AND SOVEREIGNTY

"Five days ago, Azerbaijan fully secured its sovereignty. Three years ago, as a result of the Second Karabakh War, we ended the occupation. On April 23 of this year, we fully restored our territorial integrity by establishing a border checkpoint on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border near Lachin. Five days ago, we fully restored our sovereignty. Through anti-terror measures carried out within 24 hours—if not less—the Armenian army illegally stationed in Azerbaijani territory surrendered, accepted our conditions, and thus Azerbaijan fully secured its state sovereignty." 

From the press statement made by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev following the signing ceremony of documents related to the construction of the Iğdır–Nakhchivan gas pipeline between Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

Nakhchivan, September 25, 2023

By decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, dated December 28, 2024, the year 2025 has been declared the “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty” in our country. According to the decree, considering that one of the goals stated by our Constitution is the complete restoration of territorial integrity and sovereignty, and recognizing the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Constitution’s adoption in 2025, as well as the 5th anniversary of our victory in the Patriotic War, this year has been designated as the “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty.”

The concepts of constitution and sovereignty are among the core elements of every nation's existence. The Constitution—the Basic Law—is the legal framework that defines the legal, political, and social foundations of the state, defends citizens’ rights, and ensures the legitimacy of state power. 

According to international law, one of the main features of a state is sovereignty. Sovereignty represents the ability of a state to maintain its internal governance, economy, and culture, as well as to independently shape its foreign policy. While processes of globalization and political-economic integration have somewhat reshaped the idea of sovereignty, the Constitution remains the top legal document safeguarding each nation’s independence. The Constitution is the primary legal guarantee of sovereignty.     

The adoption of Azerbaijan’s first Constitution on November 12, 1995, marked a significant milestone in the socio-political development of the country. Although the Act of Independence was adopted in 1991, the Constitution, providing its legal foundation, was drafted in 1995. This delay was partly due to the previous "Nagorno-Karabakh problem" and partly because of the well-known events of that period, which hindered the establishment of socio-political stability during the early years of independence.

Drafted under the direct leadership of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s first Constitution laid the foundation for major legislative and institutional reforms in our country. It became an essential legal basis for achieving key objectives of preserving independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; establishing a legal, secular state; ensuring a decent living standard for our citizens; and promoting international cooperation in an atmosphere of friendship and peace. 

At the same time, since 1991, when Azerbaijan took its first steps on the path of independence, the country not only faced a deep political, economic, and social crisis but also confronted Armenian military aggression. Armenia occupied twenty percent of our lands. More than 1 million Azerbaijanis were brutally expelled from Western Azerbaijan and Karabakh. Nonetheless, over the past 30 years, our people not only refused to reconcile with the occupation but were also convinced that our lands would inevitably be liberated and our state sovereignty restored. Strengthening this conviction was the policy pursued by National Leader Heydar Aliyev and continued by his political successor, President Ilham Aliyev. At his first inauguration as President in 2003, Ilham Aliyev expressed his stance in these words: "Azerbaijan will never reconcile itself to this situation, with the occupation of its lands. Everyone must know that, although we support peace, although we wish to avoid renewed war and to resolve this matter peacefully, our patience is not unlimited. Azerbaijan will liberate its native lands at any cost." 

After 2003, Azerbaijan’s policy of rapid development brought closer the historic day when our lands would be freed and national sovereignty would be established over all our territories. At the same time, the stance of the political forces that came to power in Armenia in 2018 revealed the futility of peace talks. On September 27, 2020, Armenia’s next military provocation along the front line made war inevitable. On that day, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, beginning their historic mission, liberated our lands from occupation in just 44 days. The trilateral Declaration signed on November 10, 2020, between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia constituted the political-legal confirmation of Armenia’s defeat. 

The local anti-terror measures conducted by the Azerbaijani Army on September 19–20, 2023, lasting 23 hours, permanently ended Armenian separatism in our lands. With this operation, which concluded with a glorious victory of our heroic army, our state secured national sovereignty over all its lands, and the absurd idea of creating a second Armenian state on Azerbaijani soil was forever consigned to the dustbin of history. With this historic event, under the leadership of President and Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, a new honorable page was written in the chronicle of Azerbaijan’s statehood and sovereignty.

Thus, national sovereignty and constitutional rights were restored across all our lands. As noted in the decree declaring 2025 as the “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty” in the Republic of Azerbaijan:

“As a result of the historic victory in the Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, in response to Armenia’s provocations, and of the successful anti-terror operation conducted on September 19–20, 2023, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country have been fully restored, and the legal force of the Constitution of Azerbaijan has been established in all the territories where the occupation has been eliminated.”

Just as the restoration of state independence in 1991 was the greatest event in our political history, the restoration of our territorial integrity and the full securing of our sovereignty also bear great historical and political significance. This constitutes the most important page of our modern history. 

According to President Ilham Aliyev’s decree of September 19, 2024, September 20 will be celebrated each year as the State Sovereignty Day of Azerbaijan. The establishment of this commemorative day has exceptional significance in terms of conveying to the future and instilling in new generations our nation’s struggle for territorial integrity and the heroic chronicle written by our army under the leadership of President and Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev. The restoration of our territorial integrity and the full securing of our sovereignty have also given rise to new national ideological principles serving both the interests of statehood and the solidarity of our people.

The true independence of Azerbaijan, the building of a legal state, and the complete establishment of national sovereignty were ensured by the political course initiated by National Leader Heydar Aliyev and resolutely continued by President Ilham Aliyev. Today, our glorious tricolor flag proudly waves over all our lands, declaring Azerbaijan’s national sovereignty to the entire world. The independence of Azerbaijan is eternal and unshakable. No force can threaten the independence and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, which is living the most powerful period in its history.

The declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty” in Azerbaijan holds historical significance in defining the direction of future development for our people, particularly the younger generation. Today, Azerbaijan is entering a new era of growth. Now the state sovereignty is complete, our territories are whole, and our borders are inviolable. Under conditions of full sovereignty, which will provide an additional stimulus to strengthening internal stability and further accelerating economic growth, preserving this positive dynamic and increasing our successes and achievements constitute the priority task before our people and state. 

Note: To date, the Presidential Library has prepared several electronic resources related to these topics. You may also visit the following links to access them: “Victory Day,” “Shusha,” “Armenian Vandalism Against the Monuments of Azerbaijan,” “Armenia–Azerbaijan Conflict,” “Lachin,” “Jabrayil,” “Fuzuli,” “Zangilan,” “Gubadli,” “Aghdam,” “Kalbajar,” “Azerbaijan. State Symbols and Attributes.”