Russian senator hails Azerbaijan's flawless parliamentary elections

The snap parliamentary elections held in Azerbaijan on September 1 have completed the process of legally legitimizing the country's sovereignty restoration, according to Ilyas Umakhanov, the head of the observation mission of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation and the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education, and Culture, according to Report.

"We want to congratulate the Azerbaijani people on another brilliant conduct of elections to the highest legislative body," Umakhanov said. "In my opinion, after the presidential elections in Azerbaijan [held in February 2024], the parliamentary elections complete the process of legal legitimization of the country's sovereignty restoration."

Umakhanov emphasized that it is crucial for Russia to be surrounded by prosperous, sovereign, and strong states. "This is exactly how we perceive Azerbaijan," he added.

The Russian senator noted that the documents signed during the recent visit of the Russian President to Azerbaijan would give impetus to the development of ties between Baku and Moscow. He said as a representative of Dagestan in the Federation Council, Umakhanov knows many candidates for the Azerbaijani parliament. "These people are leaders of public opinion, and I want to wish them luck," he said.

"Dagestan and Azerbaijan are linked by centuries-old traditions. I wish, above all, good luck and prosperity to the people of Azerbaijan," Umakhanov concluded.