Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20
Trend:
The youth policy, the foundations of which were laid by Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev, is one of the most successful areas of the Azerbaijani state's policy, said Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani president's aide for public and political affairs.
He made the remarks Oct. 20 addressing a meeting with representatives of Azerbaijan's youth organizations, held by the Youth Foundation under Azerbaijani President.
Work related to the youth is the state's priority policy, brings results, Hasanov said at the meeting, dedicated to the Azerbaijani youth's active participation in the upcoming parliamentary election.
The meeting was also attended by Azerbaijan's Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov, heads of youth organizations and others.
Hasanov further said such young people should be brought up that they themselves would be in charge of their own country one day. "It was Heydar Aliyev's desire," he added. "We are now seeing the effect of this."
Hasanov added that young people should be active in the parliamentary elections to be held this year.
"President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly emphasized that the state needs responsible youth," said the top official. "That's to say, youth should support the state in a number of issues."
Hasanov also emphasized the active participation of the Azerbaijani youth in the First European Games.
"Over 10,000 representatives of Azerbaijani youth participated in the Games which showed that our youth is able to compete with others," he added.
Furthermore, the president's aide called on the Azerbaijani youth to actively participate in the country's upcoming parliamentary election.
"Today, discussions on the [parliamentary] election in Azerbaijan are underway in social networks, as well as in local and international media," said Hasanov, adding that the results of the election and "exit-poll" will be discussed following the parliamentary election.
The top official called on the youth to counteract the local and foreign structures and people aiming to distort the realities of the election in Azerbaijan.
"Just popularize what you see. Nothing more is demanded from you," he added.
"Be active in the meetings with the candidates, talk about your problems, so that after the election of the MPs, the work with youth would be one of the main directions in their future activities," said the presidential aide.
"I wish each of you to actively participate in the election by perceiving the civil responsibility," he added.
Ali Hasanov expressed confidence that the youth will actively participate in the election and in protecting the Azerbaijani state.
This meeting will be remembered forever by many, according to Hasanov.
It will be remembered by the youth voting in the election for the first time and the memory about it will be passed on to the future generations, he added.
The presidential aide expressed gratitude to Farhad Hajiyev, the executive director of the Youth Foundation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for organizing this event.
"One of the successful areas of the state policy pursued by Azerbaijan in recent times is the youth policy," said Hasanov.
"The youth policy, the foundation of which was laid by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev starting from 1993 and was pursued in accordance with the strategic policy and the important state programs, continues to bring effective results today," said the presidential aide.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports firstly created by Heydar Aliyev in Azerbaijan among the new ministries, adoption of the important state programs on forming the youth policy, establishing the Day of Youth, bringing the youth policy to the level of the state's priority policy and the achieved results can serve as an example, according to Ali Hasanov.
"Today, I can firmly declare that the youth policy is one of the successfully implemented areas in Azerbaijan," Hasanov added. "And its result is that, today there is youth able to become an owner of the Azerbaijani state."
He said one of the biggest desires of Azerbaijan's national leader was for the country to have such a generation of young people who could be in charge of the country, who could take over from the current generation, from those managing the state today and to successfully continue the management at a higher level.
Hasanov further said that the national leader's will was to have the country's youth become in charge of the country's national and spiritual values, to be competitive, and actively take part in the world politics.
The presidential aide noted that one of the main tasks of the youth is to participate in the elections.
"We wish all Azerbaijani youth would actively participate in the elections," said Hasanov. "Take part in discussing the election process with your peers."
The topic related to the election to be held in Azerbaijan is becoming increasingly relevant on the social networks, local and international media, according to the top official.
"Conduct a research regarding the day of voting, announcement of the results, election monitoring," he said.
"I invite Azerbaijani youth to be active during the discussions on the information provided by the structures conducting the analysis of the election," he said.
"This doesn't demand much from you. Share what you see on [social] networks, bring it up for discussions within and beyond the country," Hasanov added.
Moreover, the presidential aide invited the youth to bring up for discussions the realities of Azerbaijan's election practice that has been formed over the years, the election model and the activities of the institutions carrying out the election process, as well as the issues related to the state participation in this sphere.
"Counter the structures which want to falsify the elections in Azerbaijan and to form a negative opinion on their holding," he said. "Popularize what you see, start discussions on it and be active."
"This is your first task. The second - each of you is a voter," said the top official. "Carry out agitation on the territory of the constituency which you belong to, invite the youth to forming the legislative body which is one of the important pillars of the statehood so that it would also participate in the elections consciously."
"Vote not only by filling in the ballot, but also be active in the meetings with the candidates," he added.
Hasanov said that there are not only the parliamentary election ahead, but also the presidential and the municipal elections.
"By taking an active participation in these elections, you also secure your own representation in the government," he said. "Your representatives aren't only the young people who are elected from your ranks and who take part in the parliament's work. Your representation is also the candidates you'll vote for in your constituencies and the commitments you entrust to them."
"As an official, I wish that each of you, realizing the civic responsibility, the responsibility for statehood, take active part in the elections," he added.
Hasanov further said Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, through his policy, shows a resolute stance on ensuring accountability, lawfulness, statehood and the state's interests, and on establishing an independent state policy.
"Sometimes this resolute stance creates certain problems for Azerbaijan," he said. "On international arena, some circles, which don't like Azerbaijan and try to control it, are taking attempts within various standards to interfere in the country's independent policy, to influence the decisions taken by Azerbaijan's president, thereby trying to secure their own interests."
"But our task is to take care of it and protect Azerbaijan," Hasanov added.