President Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of 227 reconstructed houses and 3 apartment buildings destroyed during the occupation of Horadiz.

Much work has been done in recent years to rebuild the city of Horadiz, which was seriously damaged as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and to carry out intensive reconstruction and redevelopment. Reconstruction work is carried out in the city. The opening of 227 houses and 3 apartment buildings is evidence of this work. Such measures also testify to the fact that the policy pursued by the Azerbaijani state under President Ilham Aliyev is centered on the human factor. This is a real result of the activity of the head of state who said: “I will be a president of each Azerbaijani.”

These projects are, first of all, aimed at improving social welfare and housing conditions of citizens who live on the frontline. They demonstrate the economic power and potential of Azerbaijan.

Under an Order of President Ilham Aliyev to restore 227 houses and 3 apartment buildings burnt and destroyed during the Armenian occupation of Horadiz, the Fuzuli District Executive Authority received funding from the President`s Contingency Fund for 2013. The construction work was carried out at the highest level with modern construction standards taken into account. All utilities were created here.
President Ilham Aliyev reviewed one of the houses.

The head of state chatted over a tea table with family members of the owner of one of the houses, Vali Shamilov.

President Ilham Aliyev: A great house has been built.

Hostess Khuraman Guliyeva: Indeed, a beautiful house. May Allah bless you and grant happiness to your family and children. Thank you very much. These conditions have been created for us by you, Mr. President.

President Ilham Aliyev: This is the way it should be. Of course, the government should do this work. We have restored these houses. And I am very pleased to come to their opening.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, thank you very much. Let the day come when this happens in our Shusha, Karabakh. We believe in that, Mr. President!

President Ilham Aliyev: Of course. These places were under occupation. So you lived here.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, Mr. President.

President Ilham Aliyev: And now you can see these wonderful conditions here.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Great conditions have been created in a short time, Mr. President. Under your leadership great progress has been made. A wonderful school has been built for us at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. We have a beautiful kindergarten. Such conditions are not available in any other city. This has been created under your leadership. Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev: There is clean air and good climate here.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, the clean Karabakh air is our asset.

President Ilham Aliyev: How is your life?

Khuraman Guliyeva: Very good, at a good level. There is continuous supply of gas, electricity, water, there are beautiful paved roads. We have a garden. What else does one need? We live in better conditions than before. We are grateful to you for this. We are grateful to our dear Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva. We hope that all of Karabakh is liberated. We believe in our army, we believe in you and in our state. Mr. President, look much you have inspired us, our people and all residents of the settlement and Fuzuli as a whole.

President Ilham Aliyev: There are 16 new settlements here.

Head of District Executive Authority Ali Aliyev: Yes, by the decision of the great leader.

President Ilham Aliyev: Horadiz is a large city. It is temporarily the center of Fuzuli District. But after the liberation of Fuzuli District from occupation, we will rebuild the city of Fuzuli even better.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Inshallah, we believe in that. We believe and have great hopes for you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Horadiz has a great symbolic importance in the history of Azerbaijan. After all, these places were under Armenian occupation. The Azerbaijani army under the leadership of the great leader drove the Armenian occupying forces away from here. Now we have restored the city.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, I will never forget that day because I was even more worried. All the people of Azerbaijan were worried. My son was on the frontline, in the army.

President Ilham Aliyev: When did you leave these places?

Khuraman Guliyeva: We were driven out in the early hours of 23 October 1993.

President Ilham Aliyev: Were you here until October?

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, we were here. 4 January 1994 is an unforgettable day. On this day an attack was launched under the leadership of our great leader. My son told me afterwards that soldiers went into battle with the words "For Heydar Aliyev". They could throw themselves under tanks without fear. Such was their elation! We believe that they will go into battle with the same high spirit again. If need be, we, the mothers, will stand by you together with our children.

President Ilham Aliyev: Our army is much stronger now. Our opportunities have also expanded. And the Azerbaijani people have always been in high spirits. The morale has always been high! It is the case today. There is a patriotic spirit, the national spirit. Our economy, military power – these factors will determine the issue. We will go back – and not just to Fuzuli but to Shusha too.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Inshallah, Mr. President.

Head of District Executive Authority Ali Aliyev: Mr. President, 1,200 people have been provided with jobs in the last six months.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, great jobs have been created.

Head of District Executive Authority Ali Aliyev: There are civilian workers in the army. They are all from here.

President Ilham Aliyev: This was also done on my instructions. Earlier, civil jobs in our army were done by servicemen themselves. Soldiers were distracted from their main responsibilities and had to undertake various support functions. I ordered that soldiers be freed from this work and local residents be attracted to do civilian work instead.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, some of our neighbors work there.

President Ilham Aliyev: How many were they here?

Head of District Executive Authority Ali Aliyev: 1,200 people.

President Ilham Aliyev: Not only here. Local residents of all villages and areas near the contact line go and work, and the state pays them a salary. We pursue two goals here. The soldiers are not distracted from their service and civilians work and receive a salary.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Great! There are practically no unemployed people in our settlement.

President Ilham Aliyev: Previously, there was a practice, for example, when young people headed for military service to other places. We have changed that, in particular, for officers. If they live and serve in their home districts, it will be better. They will be close to their families, will be more confident. It will also be more convenient. In other words, reforms in the army are multifaceted. But this part is also very important. Thousands of jobs have been created here in a short period of time. For example, let’s take those who used to cook food. Who was doing that in the army before? Soldiers themselves. Firstly, soldiers don’t know how to cook and, secondly, it is none of their business.

Khuraman Guliyeva: May Allah repose the souls of your parents. We are eternally indebted to them. Mr. President, as a mother I always pray for you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you!

Khuraman Guliyeva: We are proud of you for the fact that our small country is on a par with the world’s biggest nations. We are proud of you, Mr. President.

President Ilham Aliyev: And I am proud of you for the fact that you are here, on your home soil, and courageously stand face-to-face with the enemy. All of you are courageous. You are on your native land.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, and this is because of you, because we believe in you, in our army, in our state and in our President.

Vali Shamilov: We have a strong army and a strong leader.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Yes, now we have everything. Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev: Very good. My congratulations again!

Khuraman Guliyeva: We are very proud to watch your activities. May Allah save you for the people of Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you, thank you very much.

Khuraman Guliyeva: May Allah save you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you.

Khuraman Guliyeva: Thank you, Mr. President. You have delighted us a lot today.