Appreciated talent
Heydar Aliyev began his career as a detective in the state security organs of the USSR. The young officer showed extraordinary skill, determination and willpower. He quickly rose to the rank of Major General, Chairman of the Azerbaijani KGB. On his own account, the development and management of brilliant intelligence operations, including abroad. This work provided access to key information, formed a broad vision and sharpened Aliev’s analytical mind. The State Security Committee of Azerbaijan at that time was one of the best among the republican KGB bodies.
The logical result is the appointment of Heydar Aliyev as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. It became a new stage in the history of the republic. It was then that the foundations for the phenomenal future of Azerbaijan were laid: structural economic reforms were carried out, a number of new industries were created. From 1969 to 1982, 313 industrial enterprises began to operate in the republic. Azerbaijan has supplied products to 65 countries of the world.
Social issues and culture do not stay out of Heydar Aliyev’s attention. Suffice it to say that in 1978 the Azerbaijani language received the status of a state language. From the raw materials periphery of the empire, Azerbaijan became the advanced republic of the USSR. Twelve times in a row, he won the socialist contest among the other republics.
Such leaders were needed not only for Azerbaijan, but for the entire USSR. One of the first personal decisions of Yuri Andropov, who came to power, was the appointment of Heydar Aliyev as the first deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. Aliyev becomes a member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee. In this position, he faces tasks of a completely different magnitude.
Heydar Aliyev is a unique politician with a great soul. Photo: Vladimir Perventsev/ RIA Novosti
The construction of the century went through the heart
Heydar Aliyeva controlled the activities of 12 ministries. His colossal energy and efficiency made it possible to implement key strategic projects for the country. Among them is the main Baikal-Amur line, which connected the Eurasian space with the Far East. He knew how to make difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions. And he was not wrong! Without any exaggeration, it can be said that the construction of the century passed through the heart of Heydar Aliyev. Subsequently, the question arose more than once: “Was such an expensive project necessary for the state?” Time gave the answer. Now, BAM is operating at the limit of its capacity. Russia again threw its forces into the revival of the legendary construction site. The work of Aliyev and his associates has not been in vain. By the way, one of the biggest train stations in Angoy is named after Heydar Aliyev.
Under his leadership, the main capabilities of the fuel and energy complex were explored and put into operation, and a unified energy and transport system was created. This incredibly complex and efficient infrastructure has worked for the benefit of the entire country, and we are still building our well-being on this foundation.
A man with a capital letter
Heydar Aliyev headed the Commission on Operational Issues of the Council of Ministers, called the “Second Politburo”. At the meetings of this commission, the strategic development of almost all sectors of the national economy was outlined. He has done a great deal even in fields apparently non-essential to himself, such as science, health and education. Aliyev initiated educational reform and modernization of the material and technical base of medicine. For the first time, large diagnostic centers have appeared in each region. He endorsed the establishment of the Svyatoslav Fedorov Eye Microsurgery Center, supported Soviet surgeons who advocated open-heart surgery. Such cases are not subject to a simple rationalistic evaluation.
Why was Heydar Aliyev so popular in the country? And here there is no mystery. He was a single person in power. Many believe that there is no place for morality in the political arena. Aliyev argued that is not the case. Suffice it to recall the wreck of the ship “Admiral Nakhimov”. Aliyev set up a government commission overnight and three hours later he was in Anapa. Then there was an unspoken rule, according to which a member of the Politburo could arrive at the scene of an emergency in the morning, initiate all assistance mechanisms and return to Moscow three days later. But such settlements were not for Aliyev. He couldn’t take care of himself. For twenty days, he is at the scene of the tragedy and meets the relatives of the victims every day. They trusted him, they hoped. It is these leaders who are associated with the Soviet era, although, we admit, this is only a myth. Most preferred to sit in their office. Even today, few civil servants are capable of such dedication.
With the collapse of the USSR, Azerbaijan had the chance to become a state that major world powers will reckon with. And Aliyev did not miss this opportunity. In 1990 he returned to his beloved Azerbaijan and led the ongoing historical processes in the country. He succeeded in eliminating the threat of civil war and establishing an atmosphere of national unity. Aliyev gave the country a Constitution that immortalized Azerbaijan’s independence. He again built railways, signed contracts of world significance, including the “Contract of the Century”, which linked eight countries, including Russia, to economic ties. In 2001, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first official visit to Baku, Heydar Aliyev noted, “You can’t throw anything out of your heart, and Russia has a very good place there.”
On the example of the life of Heydar Aliyev, one can understand the role played by a person in history. Today, Azerbaijan is a reliable bridge between Eastern and Western civilizations, it is one of the most dynamically developing countries in the world. It was Heydar Aliyev who laid the foundations for good neighborly relations with Russia. President Ilham Aliyev is successfully continuing his father’s wise policy. Azerbaijan’s prestige is constantly growing, and all this rests on the foundation created by a unique politician with a great soul – Heydar Aliyev.
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