Jordan Daily - Azerbaijan marks Restoration of Independence Day on Sunday, commemorating the adoption of a constitutional act in 1991 that restored the country's independence and reaffirmed its historical ties to the first Azerbaijani republic established in 1918.
On Oct. 18, 1991, Azerbaijan's Supreme Council adopted the Constitutional Act “On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” establishing the legal basis for the country's sovereignty as the Soviet Union approached collapse.
The act recognised the continuity of Azerbaijani statehood by referring to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, proclaimed on May 28, 1918. The republic, one of the pioneering democratic states in the Muslim world, lasted 23 months before Soviet rule was established in April 1920.
The restoration of independence in 1991 marked Azerbaijan's return to sovereign statehood after more than seven decades under Soviet rule. The decision was subsequently put to a nationwide referendum on Dec. 29, 1991, when voters were asked to endorse the constitutional act.
The country also revived its national symbols following independence. Azerbaijan's tricolor flag, national anthem and state emblem became expressions of national identity and links to the legacy of the 1918 republic.
The distinction between the two key dates was formalised in 2021, when legislation designated May 28 as Independence Day and renamed Oct. 18 Restoration of Independence Day, replacing its previous designation as State Independence Day.
The change clarified the roles of the two dates in Azerbaijan's national history: May 28 marks the establishment of the first republic, while Oct. 18 commemorates the restoration of independence in 1991.
The country's post-independence period brought significant political and economic challenges, alongside armed conflict over the Karabakh region.
Today, Restoration of Independence Day serves as a reminder of Azerbaijan's historical experience and its efforts to consolidate sovereignty, develop independent state institutions and pursue its own foreign policy.
The anniversary connects the aspirations of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic with the modern state, underscoring the enduring place of independence in the country's national identity and political development.
