There was an event on 4 January organised to distribute wheelchairs to gazies and shahid family members with physical disabilities. It went with the participation of Deputy Chair of the Milli Majlis/Chairman of the Youth and Sports Committee Adil Aliyev, the MPs Etibar Aliyev, Javid Osmanov, Jala Ahmadova, Vugar and Isgandarov and Aziz Alakbarli as well as the head of the Azerbaijani-Turkish Culture Society of the Netherlands Ilhan Aşkın. The other participants were the deputy chairman of the War, Labour and Armed Forces Veterans’ Association Colonel Jalil Khalilov, the theologist Haji Shahin Hasanli, shahid members’ families, gazies, mass media and members of the public.

Before the event proper began, they had put flower bouquets at the bust of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev on the premises of the Veterans’ Association and had had a minute of silence in memoriam the shahids fallen for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The national anthem was sounded.

Colonel Khalilov thanked Mr Aşkın for the care of our gazies taken by the Society. The colonel welcomed the guests and underlined the unfailing and tireless care taken of the shahid families and the gazies in our country.

Ilhan Aşkın, in turn, began with a brief outline of the work done by his organisation, which, he mentioned, had for long years been spreading the truthful information about Azerbaijan around Europe and had waged its information war against the European anti-Azerbaijani forces during the 44 days’ Patriotic War. As regards today’s action, Mr Aşkın said his sincere thanks for the help in arranging it and bringing those wheelchairs to the country to Deputy Chair of the Milli Majlis Adil Aliyev as well as to KROS Medical, Yardım Yolumuz, the Qırmızı ürəklər charity foundation and the company called VITTA that had taken part in this important and complex undertaking.

Adil Aliyev started his speech by telling of the liberation of our lands from the quondam occupation thanks to the bravery and resolve that our valiant army led by President, victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev had shown on the battlefield. Our tricolour flies proudly over the wide spread of the Motherland today. Mr Aliyev also mentioned the care that President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva are taking of the shahid families and of the gazies alike; this care is setting the highest standards possible, according to Mr Aliyev. The citizens belonging to the two categories are given flats and cars; besides, tremendous steps are taken to meet their other needs. At the same time, it is the duty of each Azerbaijani to hold both the gazies and the families that the shahids left to us in high esteem. The Azerbaijani-Turkish Culture Society based in the Netherlands and KROS Medical have delivered 80 electronic and 20 mechanical wheelchairs to Azerbaijan for the eventual distribution to the gazies and the shahid families in the format of the project called ‘From the Outland to Garabagh’. Having said that, Mr Aliyev thanked the leader of the said Society Mr Aşkın for such a beautiful undertaking.

Mr Aşkın had been doing a lot to tell the international community of Azerbaijan’s rightful position before the 44-day Patriotic War; he is closely concerned with the defence of the Azerbaijani interest today as well, Mr Aliyev emphasised.

As for taking care of the shahid families and the gazies, it is a duty in conscience, a civic duty of each one, in the opinion of the deputy speaker of the Milli Majlis.

The divine Haji Shahin Hasanli, too, expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani-Turkish Culture Society, adding that it was very important to help shahid families and gazies both morally and from the religious viewpoint.

Next, the gazi Akif Zeynalli said that he and his heroic comrades had been discharging with merit the combat tasks put before them during the Patriotic War. Some of his comrades had fallen as shahids; others had become gazies. They had laid down their lives and health for their Motherland, according to Akif Zeynalli.

The speeches were followed by the distribution of the wheelchairs to the recipients – gazies and members of shahid families.

Both gazies and shahid families attending the event said they could always sense the state care being taken of them; for that, they thanked the Head of State and the First Lady. They also expressed their gratitude to the organisers of today’s project for their noble initiative.

Then, a number of public and political activists were awarded by the Azerbaijani-Turkish Culture Society.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis