**By AzerNEWS**
A period of thirty-five years in Azerbaijan's history that spanned over three decades from the late 1960s to the early 21st century is associated with the name of the National Leader - Heydar Aliyev. The responsibility of true leadership within this period reflected the most arduous and difficult trials.
Undoubtedly, when talking about Heydar Aliyev's invaluable services to the Azerbaijani people, it is first necessary to look at the years 1969-1982, the time when he led our republic during the Soviet Union. In their memoirs about the National Leader, statesmen and artists, businessmen, and intellectuals always express their pride in being a contemporary of such an outstanding personality and note that his leadership of Azerbaijan was a fundamental turning point in the history of Azerbaijan. Until that time, the republic called Azerbaijan was not well known not only in the world but even in the former Soviet Union. However, Azerbaijan was distinguished in the union with its rich culture and underground resources. Nevertheless, the Azerbaijan Republic was mentioned as one of the remote national provinces. It was with the appointment of Heydar Aliyev as the head of the republic at the historic July plenum of 1969 that a period of rapid development began in the history of Azerbaijan. Within a short time, on his initiative, important industrial enterprises were built in the cities of Azerbaijan, and decisive reforms were implemented in the fields of economy, science, and education.
**As history continued, responsibility grew**
The 1990s entered the history of Azerbaijan as a period of severe tragedies. At that time, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Azerbaijan became the only country among the 15 union states where 20 percent of its territory was occupied. The country suffered from the loss of more than 20 thousand martyrs and had more than 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons. After the January 20 massacres that occurred in Azerbaijan due to the cruelty of the Soviet regime, Heydar Aliyev returned to his birthplace, Nakhchivan, and began to lead the Supreme Assembly here by the will of the people. It was thanks to his determination and selflessness that there were no deaths or losses in this land, and people closely united around the wise leader and found salvation in his example.
On November 17, 1990, when the first session of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic was held, Azerbaijan's tricolor flag fluttered over the building for the first time at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev. This event is the brightest page in the history of Azerbaijan's struggle for independence, and with it, the period of development of the ideology of national Azerbaijaniism began. Expressing his loyalty to the national flag and spiritual values, Heydar Aliyev put his physical existence at risk and put serving his nation above all else, and did not fear any difficulties or prohibitions on this path.
Having received the historic opportunity to regain independence at the end of the 20th century, Azerbaijan soon faced the threat of losing it. The crisis of power in the country reached its climax in June 1993, and chaos and anarchy engulfed the republic. The conflict, which had escalated to the level of a civil war, directly targeted not only Azerbaijan's independence but even its national existence. The continuous occupation of Azerbaijani lands by the Armenian armed forces, the increasingly tense political situation, and the increasingly difficult social situation of the population necessitated the need for a leader who could save the country from these troubles and lead the people behind him. All layers of society were convinced that the only person capable of bringing the country, which had just regained its independence, out of the difficult and unbearable situation it had found itself in was Heydar Aliyev.
Thus, on June 9, 1993, National Leader Heydar Aliyev, responding to the call of the people, returned to Baku and saved the country from troubles and calamities, where even more terrible events were expected to happen. That day, in the truest sense of the word, was a turning point in the fate of Azerbaijan. So, an important step was taken towards great salvation and the path leading the Azerbaijani people to salvation began directly from that day.
**A spirit living in many hearts**
December 12, 2003, is the day when the founder of Azerbaijan's modern statehood, national leader Heydar Aliyev, physically said goodbye to life. Despite the many years that have passed since his physical absence, the Azerbaijani people never forget their savior, they always remember him with respect. Not only on December 12 but also on ordinary days, people go to the Alley of Honor to pay tribute to the National Leader. When we think about the immortalized life path of the National Leader, there is only one notion that leaders who dedicated their lives to their people and provided unparalleled services to their nation and state can never be forgotten.
From the very first day, he relied on his people as a wise leader, and the people supported him and demonstrated solidarity around him. Heydar Aliyev addressed the youth of Azerbaijan, explaining that the homeland was in danger and stating that the nation and state also trusted the youth. Inspired by this call, hundreds and thousands of our young people took up arms and set off for war. Eventually, this was clear that the leadership of the state was in reliable hands and the army was led by a wise commander.
Among the very important reforms implemented by the National Leader during the period of independence, it is also important to note the work done in the re-establishment of the national army. In the winter of 1994, it was the National Leader who was the author of the first successful operation of the Azerbaijani Army at the front. The commander, who went to military units and training grounds on the front line, met with soldiers and officers and inspired them to fight for a sacred cause - to protect the territorial integrity of young independent Azerbaijan. Most of the commanders who led those battles were graduates of the Heydar Aliyev School - the Military Lyceum named after Jamshid Nakhchivansky. At one of the anniversary ceremonies of this educational institution, addressing the officers and cadets sitting in the hall, the National Leader did not accidentally say: "Looking at you, I feel an infinite sense of joy that I have created such a school in Azerbaijan and the graduates of this school are as dear to me as my own children."
As a leader of the country Heydar Aliyev deemed it crucial to carry out economic, political, social, and legal reforms and to embed the democratic values in the society. He therefore attached great importance to drafting the new Constitution of the country and governed the process personally. The first democratic Constitution of the independent Azerbaijan was adopted by popular vote after long-winded deliberations on 12 November 1995. The first parliamentary election ever in the period of independence was conducted and the first convocation Milli Majlis began to work on the same day.
The adoption of the Supreme Law of the land created a legal foundation for building the state as much as it did for the future public progress. Thus began the most productive epoch in our history in terms of making the independence of Azerbaijan stronger and acquiring a permanent and irreversible nature. A short while after, the Commission for Legal Reforms was put together to the order of the Head of the State dated 21 February 1996; the Commission drew up draft laws concerned with the various segments of life in the country in a brief period. The Parliament supported Heydar Aliyev in this work.
Speaking of the laws that were passed then, one could mention the following: the Civil Code, the Civil-Procedural Code, the Code of Administrative offences, the Criminal Code, the Criminal-Procedural Code, the Penalty Implementation Code, the Customs Code, the Tax Code, the Merchant Shipping Code and other codes; and the laws – On Land Reform, On the Constitution Court, On Courts and Judges, On the Prosecution Office, On the Police, On Lawyers and the Bar, On the Diplomatic Service and so forth.
Those documents played a role central to the construction of a legislative basis for the legal, democratic, and secular state and the civil society as well as for the market economy in the country.
If one referred to the statistical information, one would see that 975 out of the 1,715 laws and resolutions that the Milli Majlis passed from 10 October 1993 to 30 December 2002 were passed at the instance of President Heydar Aliyev.
Azerbaijan, which created the first democratic republic in the East on Heydar Aliyev’s initiative in 1998, was the first once again – this time, as regards the abolishment of the death penalty. That was a clear example of the attention to the human rights and freedoms exercised at the state level.
Heydar Aliyev issued a decree on 2 June 2002 putting on popular vote a draft act of the referendum on constitutional amendments with a view to the continued streamlining of the national laws and accelerating the Euro-Atlantic integration of our country. That was firstly intended to make the state as well as the democratic standards and principles stronger yet, following the logic of Heydar Aliyev’s deep philosophical reasoning.
The return of Heydar Aliyev to political power in Azerbaijan began a new political era and a new age of thinking in this region of the ancient Caucasus. It was precisely that new era that gave Azerbaijan the reason to be called a legal and democratic state in the 21st century.