On May 28, Azerbaijanis celebrated their Independence Day. On this occasion,

H. E. Mr. Huseyn Huseynov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Bulgaria, hosted a reception at the Hyatt Regency Sofia Hotel. The event was attended by numerous guests – ministers, ambassadors and diplomats, representatives of business, culture, and media, Azerbaijanis living in Bulgaria, and friends of Azerbaijan.

In his welcome speech, H. E. Mr. Huseyn Huseynov stated:

Today we celebrate 107^th anniversary of the establishment of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), the first parliamentarian republic in the Moslem world. Despite only two years of its existence before the Bolshevik invasion in 1920 the ADR succeeded in setting effective state institutions and upholding the rights of its citizens. State-building and democracy building became the cornerstone of the newly established democratic republic. The government was formed on the basis of accountability and separation of powers and the parliament was a multi-party and truly representative legislative. ADR surpassed leading Western countries in granting women the right to vote and hold office in 1918.

As the successor of the ADR the current Republic of Azerbaijan restored its state independence in 1991.

His Excellency emphasized that in recent years his country has been "at the verge of loss of its restored independence, which was gravely undermined with armed aggression and military occupation of 1/5 of its internationally recognized territories."

He also shared that thanks to large-scale reforms, as well as a precisely developed development strategy, Azerbaijan has today become "a leading country with growing economic development and political influence." He further explained:

Promotion of good governance besides with the successful implementation of socio-economic reforms began to gradually improve, generating high economic performance and growth. Azerbaijan has advanced from the participant and observer to a promoter and implementer of a largescale international energy, transportation and connectivity initiatives as well as serving as a host to prestigious political, economic and humanitarian global platforms.

Azerbaijan is increasingly perceived as a secure, stable and sustainable power in the region, and reliable and trusted partner in the globe. Azerbaijan advances its interest in peaceful coexistence and mutually advantageous relations both on bilateral and multilateral fora, engaging the partners with respect and cordiality.

Situated on the crossroads between the West and the East, Azerbaijan has absorbed the values of both civilizations and has the unique nature of belonging to both cultures. It is a country with fabulous nature, ancient history and rich culture, and the lifestyle of its people presents a harmonious combination of different values and confessions. The country takes pride in its religious and ethnic diversity preserving and promoting the languages, traditions, and customs of all the ethnic groups that form parts of the nation's cultural fabric.

Later in his speech, the ambassador emphasized Azerbaijani-Bulgarian relations.

I am happy to highlight that in recent years the relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria have been advanced to a qualitatively higher level of bilateral collaboration, the logical manifestation of which was the signing of the Joint Declaration on Strengthening the Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Bulgaria in May 2024 in Baku.

The dynamic development of Azerbaijan-Bulgaria relations built on good traditions, mutual trust and joint support have becoming stronger year by year. The efficient and mutually beneficial level of our interstate relations and high level of active political dialogue create a favourable ground for further enhancement of bilateral cooperation in all spheres of activity.

There is a significant potential for more developing our strategic partnerships for the sake of welfare of our friendly peoples and countries, and we have no doubt that the relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria will continue to evolve in the spirit of true friendship and cooperation.

Long live the eternal friendship between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria!

On the Bulgarian side, a welcome address at the reception was delivered by the Minister of Energy, Mr. Zhecho Stankov.

After the official part, the guests enjoyed the celebration, engaging in lively conversations against a backdrop of classical music.

The photos are provided by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Republic of Bulgaria. Above: H. E. Mr. Huseyn Huseynov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Bulgaria, delivering his welcome address.