BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 15. No-one can influence our will, no-one can dictate anything to us, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said addressing the meeting dedicated to the results of six months of this year, Trend reports.
"We are rebuilding and must rebuild Karabakh and Zangazur. How much money is required for this? We are doing everything at our own expense. In one year and eight months, we were not provided with any assistance. No-one has helped us with a single manat and we are doing everything ourselves. We are building cities and villages, we are constructing buildings and will do so much more. In parallel with this, we are solving and will continue to solve social issues. No-one should doubt that because, let me repeat, we consider it our moral duty, and our social policy has always been like that. Notice how much wages have increased in recent years. This year, for example, the average salary has grown by about 14 percent and pensions by more than 10 percent. This growth has a source, the state budget – a budget thanks to which we are building up and will continue to build up the power of our army for the reasons I have mentioned, a budget, thanks to which we are solving social issues, rebuilding Karabakh, providing for all other needs without receiving a single manat from anyone. Therefore, everyone should know this. Those who have forgotten this should refresh their memory, as they say, and be a little more attentive.
Of course, the economy is the basis for the implementation of all this work. Economic independence has been gained, and this is exactly why we have gained political independence and independence on the international plane. No-one can influence our will, no-one can dictate anything to us, we are not dependent on anyone and, I am sure, we never will be. If we depended on someone, then Karabakh would still be under occupation. Therefore, economic independence is one of the main factors, and there are great achievements there as well," the head of state said.