Turkish MP: Azerbaijan - shining star in region

By  Trend

Azerbaijan, which has an ancient and rich historical heritage, is a shining star in the region, head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group, Necdet Unuvar told Trend.

He stressed that the road to independence was not easy for Azerbaijan, which today marks the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

He added that Azerbaijan, declaring its independence in 1918, established its first ties with the Ottoman Empire.

"Today, Azerbaijan and Turkey are supporting each other in the international arena," he said.

Today, Azerbaijan marks the 100th anniversary of establishment of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

The 1917 Russian Revolution put an end to the rule of the Romanovs and saw the collapse of the Russian Empire. Shortly thereafter, on May 28, 1918, patriotic leaders in Azerbaijan founded the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan was the first democratic republic in the East. It was a parliamentary state, had a flag, an anthem and an army. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic existed only 23 months. On April 28, 1920 the Bolshevik 11th Red Army occupied Azerbaijan and the republic collapsed.

The Republic Day is celebrated as a state holiday on May 28 since 1990.