Nagorno Garabagh

The order signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the restoration of the liberated village of Jojuq Marjanli is of huge political and moral importance and has left a worrying effect on the enemy, military expert Uzeyir Jafarov told APA on Friday.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order on measures to restore the Jojug Marjanli village of the Jabrayil District, liberated from the Armenian occupation.

The State Committee of Azerbaijan for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs will receive 4 million manats from the Presidential Reserve Fund for 2017 for construction of 50 houses, a school building and the relevant infrastructure at the first stage, according to the order.

The expert outlined that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has told many lies up to this day.

“He was making statements, especially about the April battles. Even Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan was saying that they would retake the territories lost in April,” Jafarov said. “January is about to end and another Armenian lie is becoming evident. Yes, Armenia is in panic as Azerbaijan is taking steps to restore life in the liberated areas. Armenians are now admitting that construction and renovation work may be continued in Shusha and Khankendi as well.”

Jafarov said the presidential order was a proper step forward, noting that this is the second major blow Azerbaijan has recently inflicted on Armenia.

“A few of the weapons that had been hidden so far were displayed by the Nakhchivan Combined Arms Army for Armenia and its backers to witness. Since then, Armenians began worrying like never before. It has to be so. As long as the invader sticks to its policy, Azerbaijan will ramp up pressures and practical steps,” he added.

“With his latest order, President Ilham Aliyev made it clear that Azerbaijan will never allow a second Armenian state to be created in its territory,” the expert said, stressing that this statement was kind of a confirmation of another statement President Ilham Aliyev had made to servicemen in a military unit in Absheron district.

“In that meeting with servicemen, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces reiterated that Azerbaijan will never give independence to Nagorno-Karabakh, because Armenians and their supporters had a feeling of euphoria,” the expert said. “The follow-up presidential order on restoration of the Jojuq Marjanli village marked the beginning of Azerbaijani citizens returning to their ancestral land.”

Jafarov continued: The relevant authorities have already launched demining work in the village. Azerbaijani internally displaced scattered across all cities and districts after the Armenian occupation. We have restored the town of Horadiz which was liberated in 1994. Today in 22 liberated settlements of Fuzuli, our citizens are engaged in agriculture, science, education and other spheres. As a result of the success we gained in April in those territories, our citizens will return to our soldiers and they will feel confident and more responsible.”

Speaking to APA, political scientist Gabil Huseynli said Armenians are in panic following the Azerbaijani president’s order on the restoration of the Jojug Marjanli village.

“In recent days, Armenians do not only criticize Serzh Sargsyan. Even many Armenians think that Azerbaijanis can return to Shusha or Khankendi if they settle in Jojug Marjanli today. Why not?! We are returning to our native lands. These are our historical lands. Armenians turned those lands into ruins. We will ensure prosperity in Jojug Marjanli and the Armenians who consider themselves civilized people will witness it. Thanks to the efforts of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Jojug Marjanli will become a model village with high developed infrastructure,” Huseynli said.

He noted that Armenians’ excitement, criticism against their presidents, and misplaced emotions are a form of shamelessness and Armenian hypocrisy. Huseynli said the return has just started and will continue as long as Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is not ensured.

The political analyst called the presidential order on allocation of four million manats for the restoration of the Jojug Marjanli village a historical event.

“Probably, the Jojug Marjanli village will be mentioned in history books as the first signs of return to the native lands,” he added.

Elkhan Shahinoglu, director of the Atlas Research Center, told APA that the return to Jojug Marjanli is a serious message to the Armenian authorities and society.

“If we will establish good infrastructure and create all the necessary conditions for the people in Jojug Marjanli, Armenians living in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts would think why they are not living in such conditions. I think the resettlement in the village is a successful step. Armenia is afraid that Azerbaijan wouldn’t satisfy with it. This is the first step,” he added.

Shahinoglu stressed that the Azerbaijani president’s order was expected.

“This is a very successful step forward. This is an example of the return of the Azerbaijani people to Nagorno-Karabakh,” he added. “There were also rumors that IDPs wouldn’t return to their native lands after the occupied territories are liberated. However, the intention of Jojug Marjanli residents to return to their native lands eliminated all these rumors.”