On September 21, Azerbaijani parliament marks its 100th anniversary of foundation in 1918. 

 

President Ilham Aliyev declared 2018 as a Year of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in the country. 

 

The country has already celebrated the centenary of the formation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Armed Forces.

 

The beginning of the last century

 

The twentieth century remained in history not only as an age of science and technology, but also as a period of national revival and the formation of national states.

 

In the wake of collapsing of the Russian Tsar Empire in 1917, Azerbaijan declared its independence in 1918, as it became the first democratic republic in the Muslim East. It was a parliamentary republic. ADR adopted state attributes - a tricolor national flag and anthem. The Azerbaijani language was declared as the official language of the country.

 

The first democratic parliament in the East

 

The government was formed on the basis of separation of responsibilities and powers, and the Azerbaijani parliament was a legislative branch elected, in which a multiparty system was ensured.

 

Over the two-year period of its activities ADR Parliament was managed to hold 155 meetings, discussed more than 240 bills. Another important point in the process of state building was the establishment of the Appeals Chamber in the creation of a modern judicial system that verifies the powers of parliament and the Cabinet.

 

The building of the ADR Parliament

 

Key principles

 

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, from the first days of its foundation, based on the principles of democracy and equality of people, giving all citizens of the country the same rights, eliminated racial, national, and religious inequality.

 

The Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, constantly pursuing a peace-oriented policy, tried to establish mutual cooperation with all states based on the principle of respect for each others' rights.

 

The first meeting of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

 

Historical mission 

 

Thanks to the activities recognized by the world community, the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan became a subject of international law, which prevented the liquidation of Azerbaijan, as a state, from the political map of the world after the Bolshevik occupation in April 1920.

 

Having achieved restoration of independence in 1991, the modern Azerbaijan Republic demonstrated adherence to the ancient traditions of statehood, being the political and spiritual successor of the Democratic Republic, adopted its tricolor flag, national emblem and anthem.

 

Festive events

 

Azerbaijani MP Asim Mollazade commented on Eurasia Diary's questions on the upcoming events on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Parliament.

 

Asim Mollazadeh, Azerbaijani MP

 

He said that diplomatic missions and officials of several countries are expected to attend the ceremony. 

 

In particular, Chairmen of the Parliaments of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Djibouti, Indonesia and Pakistan, as well as Deputy Chairmen of the Parliaments of Russia, Iran, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Vietnam will participate at the event. 

 

It is worth noting that representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic-Speaking Countries, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PA BSEC), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (PA CIS), the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of GUAM (Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova).

 

"The Azerbaijani Parliament is the first democratic parliament in the East, and I think that today the Azerbaijani government continues to follow the tradition that respects the basis of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic in the early 20th century. The Azerbaijani people created not only a multi-party democratic parliament, it granted womenthe right to vote, and for the first time in the East, women became members of parliament," concluded Asim Mollazadeh.

 

Lanita Ganbarova

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