Azerbaijani people re-elect Ilham Aliyev as president Into a new era with maximum trust

So, the preliminary results of the snap presidential elections in Azerbaijan have been announced. The people have made up their minds. According to the Central Election Commission, incumbent President Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev has been re-elected President of Azerbaijan with more than 90% of votes.

Any election in any country and under any situation is historical, as it forms the vector of development of society for several years ahead. This election of the President of Azerbaijan, if it is possible to say so, is twice as historic. There are a number of reasons for this.

First, it is the first election after the Great Victory in the Patriotic War of 2020. Secondly, and this follows from the first point, these are the first elections held on the entire territory of our state, which has restored its sovereignty. And finally, thirdly, and this, in turn, is also closely related to the first two points - the elections are taking place in the most complicated geopolitical conditions, connected both with the reactionary policy of Armenia's patrons, who do not want to accept the new reality in the South Caucasus, and in general, with the tectonic changes in the world global system, no doubt also affecting the region.

It was President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev who, through the power of exceptional strategic vision and practical management, managed to accumulate the people's aspirations into a single fist and achieved the historic goals facing the country.

By re-electing Ilham Aliyev, the citizens of Azerbaijan chose not only internal stability, but also the status of a state capable of defending its increased geopolitical importance. By electing Aliyev, the Azerbaijani people have announced to the world that they will fight for the new reality they have worked so hard to create. By reaffirming the mandate of trust to the incumbent President, we declared our responsibility for our words and actions related to the determination to stand up with our chests in defense of our achievements.

This means that our society must cope with the challenges that we face due to the above-mentioned regional and global changes.

For this purpose, among other things, it is necessary to hold a comprehensive public dialog aimed at elaborating a vision of the country's strategic development. And this is what President Aliyev said in his interview to local TV channels on January 10: "I would like to see discussions on our main national idea and ideas about our future development in society - among politicians, political scientists, scientists, intellectuals. That is, what should be the main national ideas in connection with our future development. This should be a topic of public discussions".

Undoubtedly, such public discussion will be built around the ideas of justice, tolerance and multiculturalism, development of science and education, without denying the best folk traditions and the highest humanistic principles of Islam.

Moreover, Azerbaijan has proved that it is capable of promoting the ideas of justice on the international platform as well. The best evidence of this is our country's activity in the Non-Aligned Movement. By changing the situation in the region, the Azerbaijani people have made a bid to participate in rethinking the world. Having restored justice within its borders, the Azerbaijani people want to contribute to the cause of restoring justice in the whole world, in particular, liberating the planet from the shackles of neo-colonialism.

Not only the country's development agenda, but also new generations of our fellow citizens will be formed at the intersection of such internal and external goal-setting. Public dialog is ahead, but the social contract has already taken place today. Azerbaijanis again handed President Aliyev a mandate of trust.

Let us conclude this article with another quote from the President's interview mentioned above: "I must say that yes, a new era is beginning, and I am sure it will be successful for our country".

Today the Azerbaijani people have confirmed their determination to enter the new era fully armed, with sword in their hands, knowledge in their minds and prayer on their lips.

Once again we congratulate Mr. President on his victory in the elections. We wish him health and strength to continue the realization of the boldest plans for the benefit of our people and state.