The 106-year-old Azerbaijani Parliament reflects the century-long tumultuous history of our nation, encapsulating the strengths and contradictions of three different political formations. Compared to the 800-year-old English Parliament, the legislative body of Azerbaijan is considered young. Established in 1918 as the first Republic in the East, the Democratic Republic's multi-ethnic and multi-polar parliament, after just 23 months and five governmental changes following the loss of Irevan, ceased to exist. Subsequently, the central authority, including the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan during Stalin’s era, was a people's government for our nation’s legal, political, and cultural renaissance, realizing the aspirations of the progressive intelligentsia and the millions of hardworking citizens.

In the 1970s, under the leadership of the great statesman Heydar Aliyev, turned our country into a legal platform for monumental development initiatives, effectively achieving independence. Transformative five-year plans, fleeting red victory flags and honors adopted in the Supreme Legislative Body, profoundly changed our nation’s life.

The great leader is the only historical individual whom fate has destined to be a hero of two political formations, participating as the foremost figure in both the Soviet and independent country’s parliaments. He served as a member of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, and then in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for three convocations and later Chairman of the Supreme Assembly in a remote republic, ultimately, as a member of the independent Azerbaijani Parliament and as Chairman, he began the mission of our nation’s salvation right from here—from the Parliament.

Amidst chaos and anarchy, with armed coups and ethnic separatism on the rise, it was within the Supreme Legislative Body that these challenges were effectively addressed.

Furthermore, during a period when territorial claims and armed attacks against our country were legitimized on two fronts - in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Armenian Parliament - our people also witnessed the true face of the democratic world - the legislative bodies that gave humanity the knowledge and wisdom of freedom.

Since the 90s, members of the U.S. Congress demanding sanctions against Azerbaijan, representatives of the European Parliament who advocated for the independence of Karabakh, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that refused to recognize the mandates of deputies following our victory, demonstrated that justice slogans of “George Washingtons”, “Thomas Jeffersons” and “Montesquieus” are mere empty declarations.

The Parliament is, first and foremost, a legislative body. It is one of the three unshakable pillars of a modern, sovereign, democratic legal state.

Laws are created to ensure the stable and secure development and progress of every state, and therefore, humanity. Unfortunately, legislative bodies in states that now consider themselves global powers have been reduced to tools for the boundless war ambitions of supreme executive authorities. These ambitions often disregard the vital needs of the people and prioritize the development of military-industrial complexes at enormous budgetary costs, leading to a situation where weapon production surpasses food production. Under the pretext of security, they interfere with the territorial integrity of countries thousands of kilometers away.

Otherwise, how could historically experienced parliaments have made decisions that brought catastrophe to nations like Vietnam, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, setting humanity back by centuries? Could it be because the institution of parliament itself, as it originated in England, was created to provide funding for royal military campaigns? If so, isn't it time to break away from this tradition?

For instance, on May 28, 1830, the U.S. Congress passed a law forcing several indigenous peoples to relocate from their lands to reservations. On August 7, 1964, the same Congress adopted the "Tonkin Resolution," which sanctioned open aggression against Vietnam. In 2002, it approved a resolution allowing military action against Iraq, targeting a nation of 22 million. Between 2004 and 2009, 109,032 people were killed in Iraq, including 66,081 civilians.  So, could we say “they are war parliaments"?

The Bourbon Palace, once stormed the Bastille in the name of unity, equality, and fraternity and which witnessed the transition through five republics over two centuries, now defends colonial policies and fostering divisions between nations in the 21st century.

European parliaments that take pride in overthrowing monarchies have now become symbols of modern lobbying, election campaigns funded by millions of dollars in donations, and political corruption. Such legislative authorities cannot truly belong to the people. Those who support occupation do not represent ordinary citizens.

In the 90s, as a result of the foreign importation of democracy, three separatist parliaments were established in the south, north, and east of our country. Among them, the most dangerous and enduring was the hybrid legislative body of Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, the Parliament of Azerbaijan has become a representative of the political will of our nation, striving to eliminate occupation. It is a matter of pride that the political ascent of President Ilham Aliyev also began in the Milli Majlis (The National Assembly). Inauguration ceremonies show that Parliament is the highest state building and a solemn place for serving our nation with honor.

Over the last 30 years, countless legislative acts adopted against the occupation, the ratification of dozens of oil contracts ensuring our state's economic independence, and finally, hundreds of decisions made to build a strong millitary paved the way to the Victory War.

Our people's 30-year struggle for territorial integrity and sovereignty was first formalized legally, and later on the military field with the Patriotic War. We won because we were right.

On September 20, 2023, the dissolution of the separatist parliament marked the triumph of the rule of law. The reality of "one country—one parliament" is a true manifestation of sovereignty.

Now, the Parliament of Azerbaijan represents the political will of the victorious nation, and a new history of triumph is being written. Our legal system is freeing itself from incomplete acts and half-hearted decisions. The Declaration of Independence after 33 years is not merely declarative, but embodies our true freedom and sovereignty. The building with the victory flag waving before, can now be called the Victory Parliament. The President's inauguration ceremonies demonstrate that the parliament stands as a supreme state institution and a solemn place of oath dedicated to honorable service to our nation.

In our region and the former Soviet space, the struggle for parliaments has gone beyond being an internal national issue and has become a battleground for the clash of geopolitical interests. The Parliament of Azerbaijan is at the forefront of the struggle against colonialism, color revolutions, and coups, serving as a unified platform for the geographic and ethnic-national integrity of our people. Over its 106-year history, it has never issued a decision to wage war for the purpose of occupation against any country. On the contrary, it has supported peacekeeping missions in regions such as the Balkans, Kosovo, and Afghanistan.

We are expanding our political partnerships across the world every day. Today, hundreds of foreign parliamentarians gathered in this hall, stand as allies who share and celebrate our brilliant Victory.

We are entering a New Era, a New Age. After a century, the Century of our People's Victory begins. The adoption of a peace agreement that will strengthen peace in the region and ensure international security is our greatest responsibility. Azerbaijan, transforming the Global Climate Summit into a Peace Summit, advocates for peace in the region and across the world!

Zahid Oruj is an Azerbaijani political figure and Member of Parliament (MP) in Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis (National Assembly). The article was written for AzVision.az.

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