Official reception to mark Azerbaijan's Victory Day held in Serbia

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Serbia has hosted an official reception in Belgrade to mark November 8 - Victory Day.

According to Report's Balkan bureau, the event was attended by representatives of Serbian government institutions, members of parliament, the diplomatic corps, international organisations and the media, as well as prominent figures from academia, education, culture and the arts.

The event opened with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Serbia.

In his welcoming remarks, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Serbia Tahir Taghizada spoke about the historical significance of Victory Day for the Azerbaijani people. He noted that the occasion symbolises national unity, determination, statehood and the Azerbaijani people's resolve to restore the country's internationally recognised territorial integrity and sovereignty.

According to the diplomat, the historic victory marked a turning point in strengthening Azerbaijan's international standing and shaping new geopolitical realities in the South Caucasus.

The ambassador recalled that, following the restoration of its independence, Azerbaijan faced nearly three decades of military aggression by Armenia, which resulted in 20% of the country's territory coming under occupation and around one million people becoming refugees and internally displaced persons.

He also noted that four UN Security Council resolutions adopted in 1993, calling for the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces, remained unimplemented for nearly three decades.

Taghizada stressed that the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020 marked a historic turning point, while Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty over its entire internationally recognised territory in September 2023.

The diplomat identified four key factors behind the historic victory: the decisive political leadership and strategic vision of President Ilham Aliyev; the courage and professionalism of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces; national unity and solidarity; and political and moral support from the country's friends and international partners.

Addressing Azerbaijani-Serbian relations, the ambassador noted that the two countries enjoy a strong strategic partnership based on mutual respect, trust, support for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and commitment to the fundamental principles of international law.

He said that high-level political dialogue provides a solid foundation for expanding cooperation in energy, the economy, transport, culture and other areas.

As concrete examples of bilateral cooperation, Taghizada cited SOCAR's project to build a combined heat and power plant (CCGT) in the Serbian city of Nis, as well as the activities of Azerbaijani company AzVirt in developing Serbia's infrastructure network.

Azerbaijani Military Attaché to Serbia Lieutenant Colonel Elmaddin Hasanov also addressed the event, speaking about the Azerbaijani Army's military capabilities during the 2020 Patriotic War, the use of modern technologies and the specific features of the operation to liberate Shusha.

He noted that the 44-day Patriotic War marked a decisive chapter in the history of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief and President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani Army demonstrated its combat readiness, professionalism, advanced military capabilities and determination to restore the country's territorial integrity.

According to the military attaché, one of the defining features of the war was the extensive use of modern unmanned aerial vehicles. Azerbaijan deployed these systems for reconnaissance, surveillance of enemy positions and precision strikes against military targets.

Hasanov also highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia, noting that military cooperation, the exchange of professional expertise and dialogue between the two countries' defence institutions are important components of this partnership.

Concluding his remarks, the military attaché said that Victory Day serves as a reminder that an army's strength is determined not only by its weapons and technology, but also by the professionalism, discipline, courage and determination of its servicemen.