DIPLOMATIE ASERBAIDSCHAN Azerbaijan: A new stage of reforms Progressive changes and additions made to the basic law will further enhance participation opportunities of the youth in the state administration. Text Shahsultan Hassanov Fotos: nikolai fokscha, jewgenia stasiok, arne müseler, shahsultan hassanov View on Astana from the waterfront 92 | <strong>SOCIETY</strong> 2_<strong>2016</strong>
DIPLOMATIE ASERBAIDSCHAN The Azerbaijan Republic, which achieved its independence at the end of the last century, will solemnly celebrate the 25th anniversary of this great political event. Our native people, who have been yearning for independence, to live their lives freely and have the full ownership of their natural resources, bravely endured many difficulties on this honorable road. This became apparent after a severe trial stage on June of 1993 – at the fateful time where a world-renowned politician, who returned to power on the basis of persistent request of the people – national leader Heydar Aliyev, who has protected the country from the threats of collapse and dissappearance from the map of the world and civil strife with his emergency rescue mission and took them to the path of sustainable development. At the same time, the policy of national leader Heydar Aliyev responded to the interests of the people and turned to the conceptual development way promoting a life quality of separate social groups in society, forming economic stimuli and respect for human rights, and generally, establishing social welfare, political stability and justice norms. This policy also provided formation of a favorable social and moral climate, solidarity conditions and the formation of a fair legal system. As a leader of a new era, the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, successfully implements innovative ideas of the national leader into practical life. Events serving the formation of a strong independent state in the country, empowerment of the reputation of Azerbaijan in the world, increase of the social welfare of every citizen in the country in the past 13 years prove that once again. Besides rapid economic development of our republic, successive reforms are carried out in the direction of strengthening the democratic norms and the development of civil society institutions. These reforms, generally practice application of modernization ideas in Azerbaijan and serve the higher national idea of raising our republic up to the standards of a modern and developed country. The necessity of preparing our republic for the period without oil, while still providing for the lifestyle of the citizens in accordance with the lifestyle of the future is among the top priorities in Azerbaijan. Without integration to the modern world, it is impossible to build an economic, political and legal system in accordance with the challenges of the modern world. In this regard, the president, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, is taking important steps in the direction of integration of Azerbaijan into the modern world. As a student studying in Russia, I can proudly say that, as the result of this successful policy, the world knows Azerbaijan and reckons with it. Contructive ideas addressed to our Republic in the 5th International Humanitarian Forum prove that once again. The leader of the country Mr. Ilham Aliyev, who takes the challenges of the globalization era into account, considers the importance of the acceleration of reforms and preparation of administrative and legal systems for new stage. This provides the realization of cardinal changes reflecting social demand on the basis of public administration. The nationwide referendum held on September 26, <strong>2016</strong> in connection with amendments and changes proposed to the constitution, has opened a new qualitative stage in the comprehensive development of our country. Besides being another triumph of the policy pursued by the country authorities, the initial results of the referendum allow the adaptation of the legal norms in the country to the current growth of the community in order to promote state administration and give a more reliable protection of constitutional rights of the citizens. Sustainable and stable development of each country depends on the progressive nature of its legal system. The fact that the legal reforms remain behind the pace of the development of society, and do not meet modern requirements is not desirable in terms of a stable and dynamic state development. It should be kept in mind, that changes made to the constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, which were made in 1995 and after the nationwide referendum in 2002 and 2009, also help in the adaptation of the main law. Constitutional innovations, which were installed on September 26, as the embodiment of the political will of the people, gave new legal status to some norms in connection with the state administration. The project of the referendum act of the Azerbaijan Republic “On the changes in the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan” serves for more reliable protection of human rights, freedom and improvement of mechanisms of state administration. It is possible to witness this again in the background of a brief description ➢ <strong>SOCIETY</strong> 2_<strong>2016</strong> | 93