Ilham Aliyev congratulates people on opening of Vagif Poetry Days

"It is a very significant day in the life of our country today. We are celebrating the opening of the Vagif Poetry Days in front of the mausoleum of the great Azerbaijani poet, statesman, and vizier of the Karabakh khan Molla Panah Vagif. I heartily congratulate you and all the people of Azerbaijan on this occasion," President Ilham Aliyev said at the official opening of the Vagif Poetry Days, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the native city of the poet for the first time after the liberation of Shusha from occupation, Report informs, citing AzerTag.

"Vagif's mausoleum, like all other historical sites in the occupied territories, was vandalized by the Armenians. The mausoleum has been fully restored and was opened for the second time yesterday.

"As you know, the decision to erect the mausoleum of Molla Panah Vagif in Shusha was made by great leader Heydar Aliyev. On his initiative, the mausoleum was opened here on January 14 in snowy and frosty weather. This was no ordinary event. Because Shusha was a part of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region at the time. As you know, the Armenians had claims to Shusha for many years, tried to portray Shusha as an Armenian city. However, there was no historical or cultural basis for that. We must also take into account that Molla Panah Vagif was not only a poet but also a vizier of the Karabakh khan. During the Soviet era, Soviet ideology and the Soviet government's approach to history were such that khanates were described as a black spot in history. Despite all this, as a result of the resolve and determination of the great leader, this mausoleum was erected, and Shusha was reaffirmed as an Azerbaijani city again," the head of state noted.