Ilham Aliyev reviewed the work under way in Mardakan settlement as part of the socioeconomic development of suburban settlements of Baku

President Ilham Aliyev visited different residential districts to check out the implementation process of the tasks, related to restoration and reconstruction works in rural towns and settlements, which had been set forth during the meeting at the Baku City Executive Power, dedicated to the socio-economic development of the capital's outskirt districts.

Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalibov informed the head of state of the creative work under way in the settlement using a map. It was indicated that, as is the case in other suburban settlements of Baku, the work started with major overhaul of local roads. Roads covering 16,500 square meters have already been asphalted and a further 19,000 square meters are to be coated with asphalt shortly. It was also noted that water and gas lines in Mardakan would be renewed. The state program envisages the establishment of a sewage system in this and other suburban villages and settlements of Baku. The lighting system in the settlement is to be completely renewed as well. The President was informed that secondary school No 181 and kindergartens No 91 and 221, united city hospital No 26 and tuberculosis sanatorium No 2 in Mardakan settlement were to be refurbished and provided with modern equipment and implements.

After examining the work, the head of state met with local residents.

Saluting representatives of the public, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- As you know, a special program on the development of suburban settlements of Baku has been prepared and comprehensive measures planned. The program was approved early this month and work will be progressing fast soon. Some of the work has already begun, including the road building in Mardakan. This work will be very extensive. Infrastructure projects are to be implemented in all settlements.

The program has been published in the media and everyone can read it. Specific instructions have been issued on each settlement. As for Mardakan, a school, kindergartens are to be renovated here. A hospital will be refurbished, roads built. A gasification project is envisaged. Of course, water supply and sewage projects are also awaiting solution.

Thus, as a result of the program, all socioeconomic issues in the settlements must be resolved by 2013. As you may know, I have examined the situation in a number of settlements, listened to people’s wishes. The program has already been adopted. Of course, we must check and exercise control over its implementation – both me and you.

I want the work in all the settlements to be carried out in a short period of time and fast, so that issues of concern for the people are resolved. We are aware of these issues and concerns. Therefore, I thought that a special state program on the development of Baku and suburban settlements should be adopted, and we did that. All state bodies have been directed to work hard, the requests and wishes of local residents must certainly be taken into consideration.

We want the program to cover all the issues. But experience shows that sometimes this is not possible. When the state program on the socioeconomic development of districts was adopted in 2004, it did not cover certain issues. So occasionally we introduced additions to the program.

A similar situation may be observed with this program too. So whenever there are additional suggestions, they will also be considered. But we have tried to ensure that the program covers the key infrastructure issues of concern for our people. Work has already begun. I am sure that all the instructions will be fulfilled on time.

Resident: Mr. President, your visits to our settlement are always remarkable and unforgettable occasions for us. Your visit today is making us feel very enthusiastic. Our district and settlement are prospering and becoming prettier by the day. A lot is being done in the district and in the settlement. We are sure that after the complete implementation of the program you are talking about, our district will become even more beautiful, it will prosper like the rest of our republic and Baku city. We are sure that our district will not lag behind other districts.

We approve your domestic and foreign policies. We have always supported and will continue to support you. Your policy is convincing us that a bright future in store for our republic.

There are many suggestions now. As you have mentioned, the hospital must be renovated. There is the biggest hospital, hospital No 26, in our district. It is an old hospital which was renovated in about 1982. But a lot of time has passed, and it is no longer meeting the requirements of the day. We would like hospital No 26 to be incorporated into the plan and be renovated so that our residents and veterans could be treated and restore their health there.

We are grateful to you, thank you very much!

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. The issue you have mentioned will be resolved. The program envisages that hospital No 26 must be renovated and fitted with state-of-the-art equipment. I am sure work will begin shortly. This hospital does have a long history. It was the central hospital of this district, of this whole area, but it now needs renovating and will be restored to the highest standard. We will attend its reopening after renovation together. As for other affairs in the district, they are moving forward. Khazar District is a large and old district. Mardakan is a settlement with a long history, it has a long and rich history and culture. I want all the work to be done at a high level here.

We are now setting up a magnificent entry to Mardakan, a beautiful bridge is under construction. You know only too well that cars used to get stuck in traffic jams at the Mardakan roundabout for several minutes, possibly even half an hour. Although the distance to Mardakan has not been shortened, it can now be covered in less time because there are no roundabouts on this road. Nice bridges and overhead crossings have been built instead and the road has been expanded. It is very comfortable to travel to the city now.

Local roads within Mardakan will also be renovated. You know very well that these roads are not wide enough. But a draft of the main street is being developed and will be submitted. We will consider it together in order to rebuild this street for vehicles and pedestrians at a higher level. All these issues will be resolved. I simply want them to be resolved quickly.

The program adopted is very large. This is a project requiring hard work from both technical and financial standpoints. Major resources will be required to implement this program. We will make additions to this year’s state budget to do this work without delay. Despite this, however, the time period for implementing the program is only two and half years. Why? Because I want these issues to be resolved soon. Of course, there should be strong public oversight as well. And it will be up to you to ensure such oversight. Work is now under way, roads, water lines will be built, new gas lines will be laid.

We must make sure that they are of good quality because public funds are allocated and the work is done. In some cases we are not pleased with the quality of the work done. Why?! Because public oversight was weak. Those responsible for doing the work treated their public duty irresponsibly. So there must be rigorous public oversight. I am urging you and residents of all the settlements to inform me of any issues being handled improperly or any shortcomings. It is now possible to send a letter, there is email, i.e. information may be passed on in various ways. We must ensure that the work is done at the highest level and the wishes of local residents are taken into consideration.

Resident: Dear Mr. President, as you have said, Khazar District is very large. It is one of the main parts of Absheron. We view this visit of yours as a continuation of all the holidays in May. I want to thank you on behalf of all the residents of Mardakan for coming to our settlement.

Extensive work is being done in our district in line with your instructions. And this work is obvious. One of the most important issues for us, I wouldn’t even call it a problem, is sewage. The work you are doing, your instructions and their in-situ examination are evidence of your case for the people.

Once again I would like to express gratitude to you on behalf of the people of our settlement, the entire Khazar District.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. The issues you have raised are very important. Unfortunately, the issue of sewage applies not only to Mardakan but also to all our settlements. Unfortunately, sewage lines were not laid previously. This issue requires hard work and major financial resources. But the implementation of this program has already begun. All relevant instructions have been issued. The Azersu joint-stock company is handling these affairs. We will try to build sewage and water lines in all our settlements in two to three years. But I can say that this is very large and complex work because such lines were not available before. They must be laid anew, pipes must be laid and modern treatment facilities built. All this work is on the agenda and, of course, we are prioritizing these issues in the suburban settlements of Baku. I am aware that this is the biggest concern for people – drinking water and sewage. We used to experience a shortage of electricity. This issue has now been resolved. There is no such problem now.

The process of gasification is rapidly under way, a certain amount of work has been done and all the envisaged gasification projects will be implemented before the end of next year.

Azerbaijani realities are now being assessed and studied in other countries. Our experience, the creative and landscaping work under way here are attracting attention.

Today, Baku is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This is true. We know this, and it is also confirmed by the people visiting Baku. Nice parks are being set up, buildings constructed and renovated, roads laid and infrastructure created in Baku. Baku has indeed turned into a beautiful city of international level. We must ensure that the suburban settlements of Baku also become modern, beautiful and clean. There are all the opportunities for that. There is already a specific program. This program will also help resolve the issues you have raised. At the same time, it must envisage issues of landscaping in all the settlements. Roads mean comfort and development. The painting and restoration of buildings, the establishment of enclosures, the planting of trees – all this means development. Several million trees were planted last year alone. This means health.

Resident: Dear Mr. President! Please let me welcome you to Mardakan and express the satisfaction of the people of our settlement with your visit.

Mr. President, you have been leading Azerbaijan for eight years. You have done a lot for the republic, for the people of Azerbaijan over this time. Everything is obvious. The people of Azerbaijan are living a tranquil and happy life and going about their business. This is the result of your policy. Thanks to your policy the unpleasant events unfolding around us, in the world do not and hopefully will not affect our country. This policy is conducted by you. Of course, such a policy can only be conducted by someone who has learned the lessons from our great leader. You can conduct a prudent, accurate and balanced policy among the world’s well-known politicians. We are sincerely welcoming that. Thank you for working so hard in the name of such a prosperous life for the Azerbaijani people. In fact, you are working hard together with your family.

The work being done by Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva is also obvious. It is because of Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva that we, Azerbaijani women, are known abroad.

Mr. President, as I have said, it is impossible to enumerate the entire work done. The program on the development of suburban settlements of Baku prepared in accordance with your instructions has been discussed with our participation and submitted to the Presidential Administration.

All this, of course, is the result of your successful policy, the wonderful things you are doing in the name of the Azerbaijani people and the motherland.

At the same time, a lot still remains to be done. The school in front of which we are standing today was built by the late Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev. We went to this school, to the old building of it. And this building was constructed afterwards. The old building desperately needs renovating. We don’t want to lose it. The people of Mardakan know this school as one of Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev. It does not meet the present-day requirements. But it is being used even though it is not in line with the present-day requirements. This building was constructed at the beginning of last century.

Mr. President, you will do a lot more for the motherland. We wish you good health, unshakable will and inexhaustible energy on this path. May Allah protect you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. I am very grateful to you for these words. I will continue trying to serve my people. We must resolve all the issues the country is facing. As for this school, it will certainly be renovated.

Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev has done a lot for the people of Azerbaijan. We cherish his memory very dearly. I personally appreciate what he has done. The personalities like him worthily represented the Azerbaijani people at the time. Of course, he was a wealthy man and achieved great financial opportunities by working hard. But he used his opportunities to improve the lives of his people. He wanted Azerbaijani youth to study, to be literate and educated. He wanted all social issues in Azerbaijan to be resolved. He built a major water pipeline, established schools and sent orphans and children from poor families to universities at his own expense. We must treat the cultural, spiritual and material heritage of this outstanding personality with respect. This is why we have renovated and restored his house in Baku. There is a Museum of Azerbaijani History there now. But at the same time we have renovated it as Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev’s house. Earlier we had landscaped his grave here in the Mardakan settlement. The Pir Hasan shrine was landscaped on our initiative several years ago. I want to reiterate that he is one of the most outstanding personalities in the history of Azerbaijan. His charity activities served the development of the Azerbaijani people. I often meet with contemporary business people, they also receive state support. I want entrepreneurship to develop and people to become even richer. Every time I urge them to pay attention to the issues of social justice. A wealthy and well-to-do man should be able to extend a helping hand, help those in need. This will earn him credit both before Allah and his own conscience.

This school will certainly be renovated, a relevant resolution will be signed and we will erect a wonderful monument to him. I am told that there are problems relating to the school construction. If there are shortcomings, they will be eliminated.

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Representatives of the local public had their picture taken with the head of state.

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Then President Ilham Aliyev reviewed the building of school No 123 named after Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev.