BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29
Trend:
In the most difficult days for Azerbaijan, the treasury was empty, the Popular Front-Musavat tandem plundered it, plundered the jewelry fund, President Ilham Aliyev said at a ceremony on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Baku State University, Trend reports.
The young people in the audience today should also know this history, he said.
"I have repeatedly said this: We, the people who lived through this history, will never forget it, of course. We will always appreciate our successful development that we see today. Young people did not see what was before. It seems to them that it has always been like that. It seems to them that Azerbaijan has always been such a prosperous and thriving state. This is not the case. We remember those days too well," the president said.
"During the period of the corrupt Popular Front-Musavat tandem, tens of thousands of people spent hours in lines trying to buy bread. Armed thugs committed atrocities, tortured people in our cities, abducted them, tortured and beat journalists. It is the government of the Popular Front-Musavat – the elements that called themselves democrats – that introduced censorship in Azerbaijan. Having come to power, Heydar Aliyev abolished censorship. Young people should know this history. Teachers should tell this history to them so that they know the truth and so that Azerbaijan never finds itself in such difficult situation again in the future. So that Azerbaijan never feels guilty to anyone, does not depend on the will of others, does not bow to other states," said the president.
The head of state noted that during the PFPA-Musavat tandem, foreign ambassadors used to kick the doors to the president’s office and told him what to do.
"And he obediently followed those instructions. This is why he found himself in such situation. Does anyone love us more than we love ourselves? Sometimes we hear from some external circles that they want to help Azerbaijan, they want to see Azerbaijan a developed country. All this is a lie. I am saying this quite sincerely. In the most difficult days for us, the treasury was empty, the Popular Front-Musavat tandem plundered it, plundered the jewelry fund. People gave their last jewelry to help our army. At that time, the president, the secretary of state and the prime minister plundered the jewelry fund. There was no trace left of it," President Ilham Aliyev stressed.
"At that time, when the treasury was empty, we applied for loans, but no-one gave them to us. Okay, if you love Azerbaijan so much, then why didn't you help us at that time?! Why didn’t you help the country in a difficult situation?! Today, those interested in giving us a loan are lining up. We do not accept them. We give loans ourselves. Our external debt accounts for 17 percent of the gross domestic product. According to this indicator, we are in ninth place in the world. We can get any amount, even $10 billion, right now, tomorrow. But we don’t do that. I do not allow this to happen. I am reducing the debt further. So when someone says that they wish Azerbaijan well, don’t believe them. Don’t let the youth believe that either. No-one will ever love us more than we love ourselves."