Ilyas Umakhanov: today Azerbaijan holds absolutely unique elections

© Photo: Maria Novoselova/ Vestnik Kavkaza

One of the most senior Russian observers at the Milli Majlis elections in Azerbaijan, Senator Ilyas Umakhanov, revealed to Vestnik Kavkaza the political meanings of today’s vote, explaining that it signifies the unity of the Azerbaijani people.

In a conversation with a Vestnik Kavkaza correspondent, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Ilyas Umakhanov, spoke about the significance of today’s Milli Majlis elections for Azerbaijan.

"These elections are unique. Over the 20 years since Ilham Aliyev became president, a lot has been done to continue and develop the legacy of his great father Heydar Aliyev. But this year, the formation of the Republic of Azerbaijan has entered a new phase. Now it is a united Azerbaijani people, which has sovereignty over its entire territory," he noted.

"In this regard, the current vote for candidates for deputies of the Milli Majlis is not a mechanical election of a certain group of parliamentarians, including in the liberated territories. This is the fulfillment of the dream of many Azerbaijanis who wanted to return to their lands, who sought not to allow the graves of their relatives and friends to be consigned to oblivion. Thus, today's elections are a demonstration of the unity of the entire Azerbaijani people," Ilyas Umakhanov emphasized.

"In this sense, today we see the fulfillment of the will of the national leader Heydar Aliyev by his son. Ilham Aliyev coped with the tasks assigned to him,"  the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture added.

The senator noted that Russia fully supports Azerbaijan's policy. "There is great political logic in the fact that shortly before the early parliamentary elections, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, visited Baku. The visit was unprecedented in all respects, based on how much the leaders talked and how many topics they managed to discuss in two days. The joint statement of the presidents was also important: it is a factor of stability in the entire Caucasus," he said.

”I, as a representative of the closest republic to Azerbaijan in the Russian Federation, and not only for this reason, want to say that we are interested in having such a strong, prosperous, successfully developing neighbor, brother and friend as Azerbaijan, next to us. There should be such states on the borders of the Russian Federation: independent, making autonomous decisions in the interests of their own people and their development," Ilyas Umakhanov concluded.