Starting from the early 1990s, the Republic of Armenia grossly violated the requirements of the Charter of the United Nations and implemented a policy of aggression against the Republic of Azerbaijan and occupied 20 percent of the internationally recognized territory of our country using military force. Ethnic cleansing was carried out against Azerbaijanis in Armenia and the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, as a result of crimes against humanity and war crimes, our cities and villages were destroyed, the natural resources of our country were looted, and the Khojaly genocide, one of the most terrible tragedies of our time, was committed.

As a result of the 44-day Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, in response to Armenia's new invasion plans, the next attempt at military aggression and successive provocations, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan defeated the Armenian army and won a historic Victory. By liberating its lands from 30 years of occupation, Azerbaijan succeeded in restoring its territorial integrity and fulfilling the resolutions of the UNC Security Council.

On September 19, 2023, an anti-terrorist operation was launched in order to prevent large-scale provocations committed in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, to disarm and remove the remnants of the Armenian armed forces from our lands, and to restore the constitutional structure of the Republic of Azerbaijan in those areas. As a result of the operation, which lasted only 23 hours and ended on September 20, the brave Azerbaijani Army fulfilled all the tasks set before it with high professionalism. Thus, as a result of the next brilliant Victory, the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan was fully restored. Today, thanks to the glorious Victory, which is of exceptional importance in the life of the Azerbaijani people, the State Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan flies majestically in all territories where our sovereignty is established.

For each nation, owning its own destiny, creating and developing its independent state is its greatest achievement. Despite the difficulties, occupation, and deprivations faced at various stages of history, no force has been able to shake our nation's determination for independence and statehood. Today, the people of Azerbaijan have their own independent state, our territorial integrity and sovereignty obtained at the expense of the blood of our heroic soldiers and officers, our martyrs, is the national wealth of our people.

Guided by Clause 32 of Article 109 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on September 20, 2023, taking into account that the rule of law has been ensured in the entire territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the state sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been restored, I make a decision:

1. Every year, September 20 should be celebrated as the Day of State Sovereignty in the Republic of Azerbaijan
2. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan should resolve the issues arising from this Order.

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku city, September 19, 2024