Commemorating the 34th Anniversary of the Khojaly Tragedy in Bucharest

A commemorative ceremony dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy was held in Bucharest, organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Romania.

The event was attended by foreign ambassadors and employees of accredited diplomatic missions in Romania, deputies of the Romanian Parliament, socio-political, scientific, and cultural figures, as well as members of the Azerbaijani, Tatar, and Turkish communities in Romania, and businesspeople.

At the beginning of the event, participants observed a minute of silence to honor the dear memory of the victims of the tragedy.

Opening the event with an introductory speech, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Romania, Gudsi Osmanov, provided information about the Khojaly genocide. He spoke about the "Justice for Khojaly!" campaign, which has been active since 2008 at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, aimed at gaining international recognition for the genocide and conveying the truths of Khojaly to the world community.

The Ambassador stated that the restoration of Khojaly and other liberated territories, as well as the return of the original residents, is currently at the center of President Ilham Aliyev's attention. He also expressed his belief that some of the perpetrators of the genocide have received their deserved punishment before the law in Azerbaijan, and those temporarily evading responsibility will one day be punished by the Armenian people and the leadership of Armenia. Expressing hope that a peace treaty will be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan this year, G. Osmanov emphasized that the South Caucasus will turn into a transport hub between the East and the West.

Speaking next, the Turkish Ambassador to Romania, Özgür Kıvanç Altan, emphasized that his country's unconditional support for Azerbaijan will continue hereafter, and thanks to the Victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, the Caucasus has already turned into a region of peace, not wars.

Romanian Parliament deputy Amet Varol, in his speech, spoke about his trip to Karabakh and his visits to Khojaly and Shusha, and offered condolences to the families of the Khojaly victims. He noted that Azerbaijan is Romania's main ally in the region and pointed out that his country is interested in peace and stability in the region.

The Mufti of Romanian Muslims, Yusuf Murat, recited prayers for the memory of the innocent victims of the Khojaly genocide, and also announced that prayers for the souls of the Khojaly martyrs would be recited during Friday prayers in all mosques in Romania this week.

Romania's first ambassador to Azerbaijan, Professor Tasin Cemil, spoke about his acquaintance with refugee camps and his painful memories, noting that at that time the world remained indifferent to the tragedy occurring in our country and the fate of one million refugees and internally displaced persons.

The founding director and editor-in-chief of the "Geopolitica" magazine published in Romania, well-known journalist Vasile Simileanu, noted that the Khojaly tragedy must be strongly condemned by the international community. Calling the horrific event a shame for humanity, he emphasized the importance of punishing those responsible for committing the genocide.

Then, a video clip about the Khojaly genocide was shown, and participants were also given the opportunity to get acquainted with a photo exhibition dedicated to the genocide and the mine problem in our country. Detailed information was provided to those viewing the exhibition by the ambassador and staff.