Zangilan airport - new milestone in reconstruction of liberated territories A task for the whole country

On October 20, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye - Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the inauguration ceremony of Zangilan International Airport. The heads of state cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the facility and were handed symbolic keys to this air transport hub of international importance. Then Aliyev and Erdogan got acquainted with the conditions for air staff and passengers created at the new airport.

Opening of the international airport in Zangilan on the second anniversary of the liberation of the city from the Armenian occupation became a significant event not only for this region but for the whole country. The foundation stone of the second airport in the liberated lands was laid on April 26, 2021, and its construction was finished in the shortest period of just 1.5 years for such a mega object. The new air gateway of the country was built to the highest international standards. The first technical flight from the airport was made on September 9. The length of the runway is 3,000 meters, the width is 60 meters, and the capacity of the terminal is 200 passengers per hour. All wide-body aircraft, including large cargo airliners, will be able to land and take off unimpeded at the air harbour. The airport platform is designed to serve eight aircraft simultaneously. The automatic systems and control tower at the airport meet international civil aviation requirements. Turkish companies participated in its construction.

It should be noted that this is the first airport built in the East Zangazur economic region of Azerbaijan and the second in the liberated territories. Before that, the international airport in Fuzuli was put into operation. Another air gate is already under construction in the Lachin district.

All Azerbaijanis must remember that extraordinary day - October 20, 2020, when the President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev announced in his address to the nation the liberation of the city of Zangilan and six villages of the region - Havali, Zerneli, Mammadbeyli, Khakari, Sharifan, and Muganli. Notably, on the same day the villages of Derdchinar, Kurdler, Yukhary Abdurrahmanli, Gargabazar, Ashaghi Veyselli, Yukhary Aybasanli of Fuzuli district, Safarsha, Hasangaida, Fuganli, Imambagi, Dash Veyselli, Aghtepe, Yarahmedli of Jebrayil district and Aghjakand, Mulkudere, Dashbashi, Guneshli, and Chinarli of Khojavand district were also liberated. Everywhere, in every recaptured village the tricolor flag of Azerbaijan was hoisted. On December 23, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev raised the state flag of Azerbaijan in the newly liberated Zangilan. So, today when Zangilan airport was opened one can surely say that life was breathed back into this city, district, and region because the first immigrants that left their native lands nearly 30 years ago returned here. The resettlement of people from Zangilan in the district began in July of this year.

At present, construction and reconstruction work continues in parallel with demining, and new transport and other infrastructure are being established.

Contribution of brotherly Türkiye

Today, there is every reason to believe that Zangilan International Airport will become an international air transit hub, which will considerably expand the economy, transit, military, and other opportunities for Azerbaijan's cooperation with various countries, first of all, with brotherly Türkiye. Türkiye's participation in the restoration of the liberated territories is indeed invaluable. The fact that President Erdoпan visited our country to personally participate in the solemn and joyous event for our people shows that Türkiye and Azerbaijan are in fact a monolith of two states, but of one nation. The Turkish leader never misses an opportunity to visit Azerbaijan during the days of opening and laying of important facilities, especially if Turkish experts were involved in their construction.

One may recall the visit of President Erdogan to the Zangilan region, where he participated in the foundation laying of the Goradiz-Jabrayil-Zangilan-Aghbend highway, as well as the opening ceremony of Fuzuli airport, which is more than evidence of Türkiye's solidarity with and support for the rebirth of the Karabakh region. It also proves that Türkiye has been consistent in all issues related to the strengthening and development of Azerbaijan as an independent regional actor. Through real actions, Türkiye confirms its readiness to continue working together on economic, transport, and communication projects of strategic importance for the development of the region. This means that Türkiye-Azerbaijan cooperation has become an important factor of regional and global significance.

Reviving Karabakh!

The fact that the head of the Azerbaijani state pays tireless attention to the development of the territories liberated from Armenian occupation is more than convincingly demonstrated by his frequent visits to Karabakh, which are more businesslike than exploratory in nature. On October 19, President Ilham Aliyev participated in the foundation laying ceremony of the 35-kilovolt substation and digital control centre of Azerishig JSC in Gubadli.

The Digital Control Centre, according to the designers, will not only meet most of the needs of Gubadli in electricity but also allow for management through a digital platform of the other, smaller power centres, the construction of which will be started a little later. The modern dispatch control system that will be installed in the Gubadly centre will ensure real-time monitoring of electricity deliveries to consumers. With the laying of lines connecting the 35/0.4-kilovolt City of Gubadli substation and the Digital Control Centre with the 35/0.4-kilovolt City of Jabrayil substation and the Gadrut tie substation, a ring system of supply will emerge. And a double-circuit cable line between the 35/0.4 kV City of Gubadli and City of Jabrayil substations will ensure a mutual exchange of energy between the two areas. The Gubadli dispatch system can be operated in both centralised and independent functional modes.

The same day President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the foundation laying ceremony of the first apartment building in Zangilan city, familiarized themselves with the General Plan of Gubadli city, laid the foundation of the complex of Occupation and Victory Museums, considered the plan of "Friendship Forest" to be created in Jabrayil district. Ilham Aliyev and Mehriban Aliyeva also had a visit to the construction site of the future Azerbaijani-Turkish International Forestry Training Centre on their packed agenda, and they did so with their comments and suggestions.

Continuing his intensive visit to the liberated territories, the president familiarized himself with the Zabukhchay and Bergushadchay water reservoir projects to be created in the Gubadli region. As the designers believe, the implementation of these large-scale plans will make it possible to supply 1,900 hectares of crops of Dost Agro Company, 3,300 hectares of Azersun LLC, 2,500 hectares of AzerAgrar Company, 2,700 hectares of Agrovay Company and 1,700 hectares of cattle farming company Dost Ziraat with irrigation water in Gubadli and Zangilan regions.

In particular, thanks to the Bergushadchay man-made reservoir with a total water volume of 67 million cubic meters, it will be possible to irrigate over 12 thousand hectares of land in the Gubadli region and supply 10 cubic meters of water per second to the main canal that will take water from Qiz Qalasi waterworks through an open canal or a pressure pipeline.

In one word, the business schedule of the President of Azerbaijan on the eve of the opening of Zangilan airport was extremely full of events, each of which witnessed the incredible pace of reconstruction of Karabakh, revival from the ashes of this blessed area of Azerbaijan.

And today, by inaugurating the new air transport hub of international importance, the head of state presented the main argument of the recent times, which more than adequately indicates that the creation of the new Karabakh is not simply a priority for the country, but a task that is being very quickly, successfully and effectively solved by the whole country.