In the past 20 years, President Ilham Aliyev has turned comprehensive development and general progress into a phenomenal reality in Azerbaijan, relying on the foundations created by national leader Heydar Aliyev. The political successor of the great leader fulfills all the wills of his world-famous predecessor with exceptional loyalty and determination. The liberation of Karabakh from 30 years of occupation under the leadership of President and Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev in the Patriotic War of 2020 was recorded as the greatest Victory in our history of the last 2 centuries.

National leader Heydar Aliyev started the mission of building a modern Azerbaijan state by saying "I am donating the rest of my life to my people". The independence of Azerbaijan was a chance that God gave to the future of our people, a path that was opened to the wishes and dreams of our people. It is good that a great thinker like national leader Heydar Aliyev took advantage of such a rare opportunity in history to bring his people back to independent statehood, and gave political sovereignty an irrevocable and eternal character.

In the first stage, the people of Azerbaijan protected their existence, the independence of the Motherland and established their national state, benefiting from the mission of the savior of statehood. In the second stage, the Azerbaijani society did not let the ideological tradition and experience of statehood created at the cost of great efforts and pains to disintegrate, and its independence to face the games of unknown fate. This was a perfect proof of how vital the tradition of political succession is in modern Azerbaijan.

As much as the people acted intelligently and persistently when they demanded Heydar Aliyev to the supreme power as their real leader again in 1993, they showed the same level of struggle when they elected their new President - new leader in the person of Ilham Aliyev in the third year of the third millennium. During the last years and months of the national leader Heydar Aliyev's life, the Azerbaijani society, as well as the international circles focusing on our country, seriously thought about who will lead the state in the future, who will continue the legacy of power and political course of the great leader. When thinking about this at the junction of two centuries and the millennium, everyone thought of Ilham Aliyev, the closest comrade-in-arms and the most loyal colleague of the national leader, the most talented follower of his life and struggle.

This was not only due to the fact that Ilham Aliyev was a world-class social and political figure, a great statesman and, finally, the son of Heydar Aliyev, the architect and founder of our independent state. It was also because, starting from the mid-90s of the last century, as a new type of political leader, Ilham Aliyev gained quite a lot of political influence. Ilham Aliyev, a new type of political figure, achieved a success every day, in which the difference between "history" and "modernity" was undoubtedly clearer.

In the example of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, the people who believed in the loyalty of the leader to the dreams and ideals of his compatriots gathered around the legendary leader who made their romantic ideals come true, mobilized with an unprecedented scale and enthusiasm, gathered with a centrifugal impulse. This was the unique and unparalleled victory of Heydar Aliyev, a leader born from the historical aspirations of the people, who was exalted by the boundless scope of his service to the people. That victory opened up new political-economic, spiritual-ideological horizons for Ilham Aliyev, who was considered as the real political heir of the great leader. Of course, the young hero of the struggle for Azerbaijan's statehood needed such a wide field like air and water.

Ilham Aliyev, who is the most perfect product of the excellent management school of the great leader, has been in the political arena for a long time, but he was clearly noticed by his patriotic activity as the head of the Azerbaijani delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Later, the society accepted him as the prime minister. In fact, this time-honored beginning was the arrival of a unique political culture with a monolithic root, formed on the basis of the political, social and moral ideology of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, created by the synthesis of European and Eastern values.

The arrival of a new social spirit in the political camp, in the administration of our society, meant an influx of fresh ideas. The result of all this would be not only maintaining the achieved pace of development, but also new successes to be gained, the next experience. The spiritual, cultural, intellectual and political school passed by the heir-leader Ilham Aliyev was a whole history.

In such historical conditions, the national leader appealed to his beloved people during the decisive period of the presidential elections of 2003: "I appeal to you, my compatriots, to support the presidential candidate, my political successor, the 1st Deputy Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party, Ilham Aliyev, in the upcoming presidential elections. He is highly intelligent, pragmatic, well-versed in modern world politics and economy, energetic and enterprising personality. I believe that with your help and support, Ilham Aliyev will be able to finish the fateful issues, plans and works that I could not bring to the end. I believe in him as much as myself and have high hopes for his future."

The election of Ilham Aliyev as the President of Azerbaijan with a large majority in a fateful transitional phase of transferring the newly established and regulated power of an independent state to a new political successor showed that the people of Azerbaijan deeply believe in the perspective of the national leader's national state-building policy; secondly, it accepts Ilham Aliyev as the bearer and follower of that policy; finally, he does not doubt his political intelligence, foresight and will in solving the inevitable problems that may be faced by nation-state building in the future.

In the globalized world, only concrete-minded, highly cultured, intelligent, free-talking politicians can gain influence and respect. In this sense, Ilham Aliyev is a politician capable of communicating and defending the national interests of his homeland at any level and in leading international languages.

The great leader Heydar Aliyev, who chose the national and secular structure formation during the ten years of his country's independence, defined the three main principles and ideological direction of Azerbaijan today and tomorrow: Azerbaijaniism, nationalism, democracy! Today, these values, which have already confirmed themselves and gained the trust of the majority of the people with their results, are being continued and developed in a more flexible and new way with President Ilham Aliyev's specific thoughts on national unity and patriotism.

The social nature of the historical processes of the independence period shows that if it were not for Heydar Aliyev's savior views on statehood and interventions in Azerbaijan, there would be doubts about the fate of the Azerbaijanis of the world today. The great idea of ​​Azerbaijanism is the scientific research and study of language, culture, traditions, and the glorious history of the people, which is mixed with the citizens' desire for solidarity and organization.

Nationality is the main source of President Ilham Aliyev's political thought and thinking. His policy, which is in accordance with the spirit of his people, as well as European and Western oriented, is based on the ancient national interests of Azerbaijan. This quality, as a whole, is a character that comes from the education of the all-Turkish spirit. The political, national, moral, and cultural values ​​of our Turkish soul have come out of centuries of historical trials. When evaluating the life processes of the nation, of course, the state, the President, and the citizens should feel proud that the Turkish world and the Turkish people have found comprehensive development tendencies while maintaining their peculiarities from time to time.

The modern state of Azerbaijan, under the leadership of Heydar Aliyev, left behind the difficult and contradictory experiences of its independent life long ago. Thanks to the realization of the factors that show the essence of the democratic structure, our state occupies a worthy place in the world community today. Our flag is raised in almost all international organizations. The internal potential of our nation, public thinking allows Azerbaijan's democracy not to lag behind the democracy of other countries.

Heydar Aliyev, one of the most professional figures of world politics, a great thinker and founder of the twentieth century, created safe conditions for open political activity and self-promotion for all citizens, including the opposition. The government has given every citizen, including the opposition, the freedom to speak and fight, regardless of their political beliefs.

Today, President Ilham Aliyev, while continuing the same democratization, and perhaps increasing it a little, has actively declared the path of healthy, young intellectual thinking, ability, and national bigotry open. With the democratic, national, cultural, and moral level he demonstrated in his relationship with the opposition, he repeatedly declared that he prioritized the interests of Azerbaijan above all else, and invited the opposition forces based on adventurous tendencies to act for the sake of the nation's tomorrow and to dialogue with the authorities.

The important thing is that the political, social and cultural line in Azerbaijan is based on the use of the nation's past statehood and life experience in relation to native values. This path can be considered an important impulsive national strategy in modern statehood.

On the threshold of the third millennium, in his address to our people, Heydar Aliyev revealed the core interests of our national thought, ideology, and the most typological historical example of bigotry in national self-awareness: "We are the inheritors of a rare heritage. Every citizen of Azerbaijan should strive to be worthy of this heritage and approach the past, present and future of our country with a great historical past, rich culture and high spirituality with a deep sense of responsibility. Nationality, which has taken its place as an equal party in the social, cognitive and economic worldview, is one of the priorities of Ilham Aliyev's policy as a moral quality.

In the modern Azerbaijani thinking of President Ilham Aliyev, national and people's fanaticism, positive traditions of the East, Turkish spiritual and moral values, intellect suitable to Western and European models are a solidly united framework. It inseparably connects the progress of all our national-spiritual, ideological values, cultural, scientific, ethno-cultural, as well as creative fields, state patronage of spiritual issues only with economic and social progress. This is the spirit of the general life of the world and is a decisive factor in the future of every nation, in the state living and developing at the same legal level as advanced countries.

We should feel relieved and hopeful that the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual perspective of the people is calculated for the potential economic and social well-being of Azerbaijan. One of the historical and moral requirements of independence for the ideology of Azerbaijanism is the unification of Azerbaijanis living and working in different parts of the world, mainly around this idea. This direction has taken an important halal place in modern statehood as an issue expressing the national-moral and historical interests of Azerbaijanis living all over the world.

At one time, President Heydar Aliyev unequivocally recommended to the people of Azerbaijan: "Every Azerbaijani should feel proud of his nationality, and we should preserve Azerbaijaniness - the language, culture, and national-spiritual values ​​of Azerbaijan." In this way, the great leader gave the entire people - the Azerbaijani super-ethnos, where and in what condition they are, without differentiating the conditions, and in general, gave a will and speed impulse to the work of reviving national feelings in them.

The nation's general inner-spiritual upliftment, spirituality, cultural issues in a conceptual program framework and system have a fundamental impact on the recognition of Ilham Aliyev as a leader in the Azerbaijani society. At the same time, in the attitude of the international world to our country, it has never been forgotten that the solid unity of Azerbaijan, which has chosen secular directions as its life principles, is ensured and organized from an ethnic point of view. All people living in this country, even if some ethnic minorities belong to different cultures, have all the freedoms and rights as citizens according to the Constitution.

Ilham Aliyev came to the head of the state of Azerbaijan not only as the successor, follower and follower of the national leader, but also as an innovator - a new leader of the new era. He chose such a democratic and optimal way of management that every intelligent citizen of the country has a place in the development of statehood. And in state building, this place is determined by everyone's patriotism, knowledge, common sense, ability.

Our national leader Heydar Aliyev formed and implemented the political program of socio-economic development and independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan with great confidence and laid a solid foundation for the struggle for economic independence. The helm of political independence and further strengthening of its economic front has been in the hands of President Ilham Aliyev for 14 years. It can be said with certainty that realization of Azerbaijan's economic independence is a historical achievement of Ilham Aliyev's policy.

On November 17, 2003, at the first meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, President Ilham Aliyev made a programmatic statement: "The economic policy conducted in Azerbaijan in recent years has been very successful and has created a good foundation for the future development of Azerbaijan." It is the duty of all of us to continue this policy, to increase these achievements and to use the great opportunities for the comprehensive development of Azerbaijan, to create a modern Azerbaijan on this wonderful foundation."

In President Ilham Aliyev's broad thinking, it is necessary to turn the current stage of development of Azerbaijan into an irreversible process and complete the reforms with a successful end. The continuation of the political course accepted by the healthy forces of the society lies in this - in the idea of ​​the preservation of traditions at a reliable level becoming a tradition itself.

The political portrait of the head of state Ilham Aliyev is completed by the remarkable features of his personal image, which we will discuss:

Dignity - this characteristic is observed in the attitude towards his people, towards the international world, towards friends and enemies, towards those who love his policy and those who fight against him, and with additional restraint.

Humanism is a quality that comes from love for humanity. President Ilham Aliyev knows that to love people, to be kind to them, to show kindness in solving their problems from a moral, spiritual, legal and social point of view, to be a support - to be a worthy leader.

Patriotism - his activity as the head of the delegation in the Council of Europe as a member of parliament created this image about him. Ilham Aliyev is trying to convince the world of the fact that Armenia is a terrorist state and uses the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is an integral part of Azerbaijan, for the purpose of drug transit and business.

Caring - the area where he was elected deputy for ten years has felt his patronage enough. Ilham Aliyev, perhaps, not only did not make them face moral and social difficulties, but also held regular meetings with his voters and tried to achieve a high general mood. Ilham Aliyev was worried about the household, shelter, and living concerns of refugees and internally displaced persons living in tent camps.

Sincerity - Ilham Aliyev listens politely and respectfully to politicians and people from different backgrounds in his official and public meetings, makes his counterparts think respectfully about him. During the dialogue, he convinces his interlocutor of his natural sincerity and objectivity.

In modern times, Ilham Aliyev is the only statesman who is able to elevate the society along with him on the path of leadership. People are well aware that, regardless of the duties of his father during the founding years, he spent enough knowledge, skills, and energy as a leader of the youth in the protection and strengthening of our state independence and the inclusion of our country in the world community, as a member of Europe. No politician can deny the work and important services of Ilham Aliyev in the implementation of the country's great oil strategy within the national interests.

After the establishment of national unity, stability, and democracy in Azerbaijan, the period of large-scale integration into civilized values ​​has begun. One of the strategic aspects of our country's development and cooperation with world countries is the protection of international peace and security, and President Ilham Aliyev has a firm position in this field.

President Ilham Aliyev is able to synthesize and present national interests in a human formula with his open and deep thinking, flexible and analytical outlook. It is specific about peace or defending peace. While voicing his effective views on the fight against terrorism from international platforms, he recognizes Azerbaijan as an example in the first ranks of those who suffer from casualties and destruction.

The fundamental and necessary reforms of the new leader of the independent state of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, are distinguished by their courage, in addition to taking into account the real economic, social and political situation of the country. It is the result of his consistent and confident appeal to innovative management technologies that the economic development of the republic has reached an unprecedented speed and scale, and a healthy socio-political, spiritual and cultural mood has strengthened in the country. Today, even the most biased, most aggressive, even the most destructive opposition force cannot ignore or deny the multi-spectral successes achieved by the head of state, Ilham Aliyev.

Freedom, development and responsibility are the main characteristics of Ilham Aliyev's policy. This character has an uncompromising attitude towards insincerity, lack of initiative, and laziness. Heydar Aliyev's line of national state building is the most worthy successor of the national leader, his ideological support and a great source of political energy. The main feature of Ilham Aliyev's policy is to turn Azerbaijan into a civilized place, to inspire and organize the people morally, to create an ideological and cultural guarantee for us to live proudly as a nation in the world.

President Ilham Aliyev, with his patriotic and secular thinking, is on the way to turn Azerbaijan into a highly cultural and spiritual country. In the history of the world, nations are not known for their rich blessings, but for their great cultures. Today, the professionalism and flexibility of the policy implemented in Azerbaijan is manifested in the fact that all development is based on national and moral potential. The rich heritage left to us by the great leader Heydar Aliyev, the ideology of great statehood formed by him is such a complete complex that its constituent parts and merits are gradually increasing as opportunities are realized. In this sense, the typology of the concept of development aimed at all areas of life presented by Mr. Ilham Aliyev cannot be compared with any of the former Soviet republics.

This thesis from the President's speech at the swearing-in ceremony can be considered the main action for the future of Azerbaijan: "Today, I hold my face to our dear President Mr. Heydar Aliyev from the high chair and say: Dear President, we will strengthen, enrich, comprehensively develop modern Azerbaijan, with your path to new victories. we will go." This act, loyalty, this promise expresses the opinion not only of Ilham Aliyev, but also of the people who elected him as president and if we defend him until the end, if we help him in his work.

During these years, our national economy has increased more than 4 times thanks to his determination and innovative management. During the leadership of Ilham Aliyev, more than 2 million new jobs were opened in our country, and the welfare of the people increased continuously. Landscaping in the country has completely changed the face of cities and villages. The areas freed from occupation are rapidly being developed on the basis of "smart" architectural projects.

At the current stage of our independence, President Ilham Aliyev is our irreplaceable leader. In the chaotic times of the first years of our independence, in the era of reforms, his leadership was unquestionably accepted in the minds of the intellectual-intellectual electorate, ordinary people, hundreds of thousands of citizens who suffered from Armenian hypocrisy, who did not have the opportunity to show their national-spiritual, scientific level and ability at that time - in general, the Azerbaijanis of the world. is being

President Ilham Aliyev's 20-year leadership of the independent state of Azerbaijan, accompanied by great successes, entered international reality as the Azerbaijani model of modern political succession. the world also today recognizes the President of Azerbaijan as one of the new leaders of international politics and diplomacy. Today, our independent state, our victorious nation, is entering a new high stage of our country's historical progress under the clear and decisive leadership of its beloved leader, who entered the 63rd year of his life at the peak of victory.

Nizami Jafarov,
Member of Parliament, academician