Baku:Jordanian news outlets, including Ammon News, Jordan Daily, Nayrouz, Al Qubbah News, Rasid News, and Al-Balad News, have published articles emphasizing the significance of Azerbaijan’s Restoration of Independence Day.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Azerbaijan commemorates the Restoration of Independence Day on October 18, marking the adoption of a constitutional act in 1991 that reinstated the country’s sovereignty and reaffirmed its historical ties to the first Azerbaijani republic established in 1918. On that date, Azerbaijan’s Supreme Council enacted the Constitutional Act ‘On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan,’ laying the legal groundwork for its independence as the Soviet Union neared collapse.
The act acknowledged the continuity of Azerbaijani statehood by referencing the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which was proclaimed on May 28, 1918. This republic, noted as one of the pioneering democratic states in the Muslim world, existed for 23 months before being overtaken by Soviet rule in April 1920. The 1991 restoration of independence marked Azerbaijan’s return to sovereign statehood after more than seventy years under Soviet domination. This decision was subsequently affirmed through a nationwide referendum on December 29, 1991, where voters endorsed the constitutional act.
Post-independence, Azerbaijan revived its national symbols, including its tricolor flag, national anthem, and state emblem, as expressions of national identity and links to the legacy of the 1918 republic. The distinction between the two significant dates in Azerbaijan’s history was clarified in 2021, when legislation designated May 28 as Independence Day and renamed October 18 as Restoration of Independence Day, replacing its former designation as State Independence Day. This change helped clarify the roles of these dates, with May 28 commemorating the establishment of the first republic and October 18 marking the restoration of independence in 1991.
The post-independence period in Azerbaijan brought significant political and economic challenges, as well as armed conflict over the Karabakh region. Today, Restoration of Independence Day serves as a reminder of Azerbaijan’s historical journey and its endeavors to consolidate sovereignty, develop independent state institutions, and pursue its own foreign policy. The anniversary connects the aspirations of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic with the modern state, highlighting the enduring importance of independence in the country’s national identity and political development.