We can say that this man went to his presidency from his youth, and he inherited the most important post of the country from his father. And no matter how much criticism pours into his address, one thing remains obvious: Ilham Aliyev - the son of Heydar Aliyev - as the president of Azerbaijan did a lot of good for his country. This is recognized not only by Azerbaijanis, but also by foreign politicians.
Childhood and early youth
Aliyev Ilham Heydarovich was born in the capital of the Azerbaijan SSR on December 24, 1961. His father at that time was already a fairly large official - he served as deputy head of the city department of the KGB. And soon became the boss. Some time later, Heydar Aliyev was elected First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Republic.
In 1967, the offspring of the main person of Azerbaijan became a student of Baku Secondary School No. 6, from which he graduated in 1977. None of the family had any particular doubts about the further development of events. Moscow was waiting for Ilham and, of course, one of its most prestigious institutions.
In the first summer after prom Ilham Aliyev, whose biography began so successfully, became a student at MGIMO. At the time of admission, he was only 15 years old, and selection committee gave the go-ahead only after she received a certificate stating that Aliyev would turn 16 in a few months.
According to the future president, studying in the capital was not easy. But he did his best and did not disgrace his father. In 1982, the young man's parents also moved to Moscow, and at the same time, after graduating from the Institute international relations, went to graduate school with him. In 1985, Ilham Aliyev defended his doctoral dissertation, which gave him a Ph.D. in historical sciences.
Start of work
Domestic politics
During his debut inaugural speech, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev promised bright prospects for the country. And he didn't lie.
Literally from the very first steps in power, the head of state focused on the development of the oil industry. Domestic investment was also stimulated, jobs were created and private business was encouraged, and socio-economic policy was pursued in the regions. And all this very quickly gave good results.
Already by 2007, the gross domestic product of the republic reached three thousand dollars per capita, and Azerbaijan was recognized as one of the fastest developing countries peace.
The level of medical care was rapidly increasing in the state, housing was being built, roads were being repaired. And people were imbued with more and more confidence in their president.
Relations with Russia
As soon as Aliyev Jr. took the main post of the country, he went to Moscow, where he concluded with the President of Russia (Vladimir Putin) After that, trade and economic relations between the countries significantly revived, which benefited both sides. In addition, Azerbaijan supported the Russian Federation in the fight against Chechen terrorists.
Relations with Armenia
The most problematic point of Baku's foreign policy was relations with Armenia. Ilham Aliyev made attempts to restore order in this area, for which he held a number of meetings and negotiations. But none of them were successful.
In April 2005, the President of Azerbaijan stated that Baku does not rule out a military confrontation with its neighbor and is ready for it. And after another unsuccessful talks in May of the same year, the leader of the republic put the issue of building an oil pipeline along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route at the forefront. It ran through the territory of Karabakh and could have made Yerevan more accommodating.
As a result, this project brought even more benefits than expected. Its launch put an end to Moscow's oil hegemony, and Azerbaijan began to grow rich rapidly.
Relations with the USA
Aliyev Jr. also inherited a difficult legacy in the sector of Baku-Tehran-Washington relations.
The United States increased its confrontation with Iran, which, contrary to the wishes of the world community, developed its nuclear potential, and considered Azerbaijan as a platform for an attack on this country. And Tehran, in turn, promised to bomb the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline if such an option becomes a reality.
Having gone to Washington for negotiations in 2006, the President of Azerbaijan stated that the territory of his state would never become a springboard for hostilities.
Relations with Europe
But Azerbaijan's relations with Europe from the very beginning of Aliyev's presidency have developed much more kind.
The mutual understanding was based on the energy issue, which became especially acute during the conflict between Gazprom and the Ukrainian authorities, which resulted in a sharp decrease in the supply of blue fuel to the EU.
In addition, the Europeans have repeatedly expressed admiration for the rapid pace of development of Azerbaijan and supported it.
Aliyev and opposition
Not a single government, even the most durable and authoritative, can do without opposition. Ilham Aliyev encountered protest moods in society in the very first "minutes" of his presidency. The very next day after the 2003 elections, people took to the square of the capital, not recognizing the outcome of the vote. The protests were brutally suppressed by the authorities - not even without human casualties.
The next "attack" of the Azerbaijani opposition happened 2 years later. And he was also mercilessly "stopped". For this, troops had to be sent to Baku. Thousands of people were under arrest. The situation in the country was truly explosive, but Aliyev was supported by the then US President George W. Bush. And gradually the situation improved.
Personal life of the President of Azerbaijan
The marriage of the President is an example of strong and harmonious marital relations. Ilham Aliyev's wife, Mehriban, has been supporting her husband in everything since 1983, when their wedding took place. Being a national standard of beauty, a very smart, active and educated woman, she tries not to "exhibit" her virtues and in public keeps in the shadow of her husband.
For more than thirty years of a joint path, the couple managed to "acquire" three children. And in 2008, the eldest daughter of Ilham Aliyev and his wife, Leyla, gave her parents two grandchildren at once - she gave birth to twin boys. The couple's youngest daughter, Arzu, is also already married.
As for the president's third child, Azerbaijanis are seriously wondering if Ilham Aliyev's son will become his heir as head of state, as he himself once did. Wait and see. For now, it's too early to talk about it. The father is full of energy, and Heydar, named after his grandfather, is still too young - he was born in 1997.
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev (Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev) is the fourth president of Azerbaijan. Son of the third president. He was elected president three times (2003, 2008, 2013). The time of his leadership of the country is characterized by the relative stabilization of the economic and political life of Azerbaijan. However, Aliyev is often accused of establishing a dictatorship and authoritarian regime in the country.
Childhood and youth
Ilham Aliyev was born in Baku (Azerbaijan SSR) on December 24, 1961. Ilham's father, Heydar Aliyev (May 10, 1923–December 12, 2003), at that time headed the counterintelligence of the Azerbaijan KGB. Mother Zarifa Aliyeva (April 28, 1923 - April 15, 1985) - Azerbaijan's leading ophthalmologist, professor, member of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences. Sister - Sevil Aliyeva (October 12, 1955).
Ilham Aliyev with his parents and sister
The future president studied at high school 6 Baku city. After graduation, Ilham Aliyev entered the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Heydar Aliyev at that time already held the post of first secretary of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan. After graduating from the institute, in 1982 he continued his studies in graduate school. In the same year, the Aliyev family moved to Moscow (on November 24, 1982, he appointed Heydar Aliyev as First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR).
Policy
After graduating from graduate school, Ilham defended his dissertation and remained a teacher at MGIMO. With coming to power, Heydar Aliyev fell into disfavor. After the resignation of his father, Ilham was denied a teaching position. He went into business. In 1991, Ilham Aliyev became the general director of the Orient company and moved to Istanbul. He returned to Azerbaijan when his father became president of the country.
In the period 1994-2004, Ilham Aliyev served as vice president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan SOCAR. He embodied the geopolitical interests of Heydar Aliyev in the oil sector. Actively participated in the conclusion in 1994 of an agreement on the development of deep-water deposits of the Caspian in the territory of Azerbaijan. The agreement between 13 companies from 8 countries was called the "Contract of the Century" and became the beginning of the "New Oil Strategy" of Azerbaijan
In 1995 and 2000 he was elected as a deputy of the Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan. He actively promoted the construction of sports facilities in the country, the opening of sports schools. Ilham Aliyev was an active participant in the program for the development of traditional sports in Azerbaijan. In 1995 he was elected chairman of the Azerbaijan Olympic Committee. For his personal contribution to the cause of the Olympic movement, he was awarded the IOC with the highest order of the International Olympic Committee, the Order of Glory "Grand Cordon" of the International Military Sports Council.
In 1999, Ilham Aliyev was elected one of the five deputy chairmen of the New Azerbaijan Party. In 2001, he became the first deputy head of the party. In the period 2001-2003 he was the head of the delegation from the Mejlis to PACE. In 2004, Aliyev was awarded a diploma of an honorary member of PACE and a PACE medal.
In July 2003, Ilham Aliyev, together with his father Heydar Aliyev, became a candidate for the presidency of Azerbaijan. And in August of the same year, the Majlis appointed him prime minister. Two months later, Heydar Aliyev announced on all Azerbaijani TV channels that he was withdrawing his candidacy from the elections in favor of Ilham Aliyev.
President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev won the presidential elections on October 15, 2003 with 79.46% of the votes. The elections were accompanied (according to international observers) by numerous violations and caused massive protests by opposition supporters. The clash between protesters and internal troops resulted in human casualties.
From the young head of Azerbaijan, both in the country and in the West, they did not expect cardinal actions in politics and the economy. Ilham, according to popular belief, was not interested in politics, had no experience and depended on the ruling political power. However, the new president of Azerbaijan adopted a tough leadership style, preparing a complete change of the country's ruling elite in two years. Most of this state of affairs did not suit. In 2005, the "old guard" attempted a coup d'état.
The instigators were Ilham's uncle, Minister of Economy Farhad Aliyev, and Ali Insanov, Minister of Health. 12 conspirators were arrested. They included Finance Minister Fikret Yusifov and President of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences Eldar Salayev. The arrest of the leader of the Yeraz clan, Insanov, meant the end of the distribution of power in the country according to clan affiliation. From now on, the policy of Azerbaijan was determined only by the president.
The next presidential elections were held in Azerbaijan on October 15, 2008. Ilham Aliyev won with 88% of the vote. The government continued to work practically unchanged. In 2009, a referendum was held in Azerbaijan, one of the issues of which was the election of the same candidate for president more than twice. This allowed the opposition to announce the arrival of a "monarchy" in the country. The European Commission has declared a rollback on the path to democracy.
During the reign of Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has seen economic growth. This is due to an increase in the sale of energy resources. Even at the start of Ilham's presidency, export oil pipelines bypassing Russia were launched: Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum. During the first two years of the presidency, Azerbaijan's GDP increased by 16.4%. Now the country's economy is completely dependent on the sale of hydrocarbons.
According to the government, the poverty rate in the country has fallen to 11%. However, this is mainly the merit of social government benefits.
Ilham Aliyev is pursuing a flexible policy in the international arena. In 2005, he signed a non-aggression pact with Iran. An agreement, advantageous for Baku, has been signed with Russia on a 390-kilometer delimitation on the state border.
After a new round of aggravation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh In April 2016, the President of Russia initiated a meeting in Yalta between the heads of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan. The leaders of the warring parties to the conflict made an attempt "to give additional dynamics to the settlement in".
All transformations in the country are reported on the presidential website and in social networks.
Personal life
In 1983, Ilham married. Mehriban is from an intelligent Azerbaijani family. She studied at the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after. N. Narimanov, First Moscow Medical Institute. I.M. Sechenov. She graduated last in 1988. While studying in Moscow, she met and married Ilham Aliyev and managed to give birth to two children.
There are three children in the Aliyev family: (born in 1985), Arzu (1989), Heydar (1997). Daughter Leila on April 30, 2006 became the wife of the vice president of the Crocus Group, a musician. Leyla Aliyeva has three children: sons Ali and Mikail and adopted daughter Amina. In May 2015, Emin and Leyla divorced.
Another daughter of the Aliyevs, Arzu, in 2011 married the son of businessman Aydin Gurbanov, Samad. After graduating from the institute until 1992, Arzu worked at the Research Institute of Eye Diseases in Moscow. In 1995, she founded and became the head of the "Friends of Azerbaijan Culture" charitable foundation. In 1996, she became the founder and editor-in-chief of the journals "Heritage of Azerbaijan" and "Azerbaijan-Irs", published in Azerbaijani, Russian and English. The purpose of the publications is to popularize Azerbaijani culture in the world.
In 2002, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected president of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation. She became the initiator of holding the 2005 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Azerbaijan. And in 2015, Aliyeva headed the national committee for holding the "First European Games" in Azerbaijan. She became the initiator in 2008 of the burial of the singer who died in Moscow at home, in Baku, on the Alley of Honor.
Interestingly, President Aliyev was among the top three highest presidents in the world. The growth of Ilham Aliyev, like that of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, was 190 cm. Above only the President of Montenegro Philip Vujanovic (200 cm).
Ilham Heydar now
Following the results of the referendum held in Azerbaijan in 2016, a new position was established: First Vice President. Since then, in the event of an untimely departure from the post of president of the country, power in Azerbaijan passes to the vice president, and not to the prime minister.
In February 2017, by the decree of President Ilham Aliyev, Mehriban Aliyeva was appointed to the post of Vice President of Azerbaijan. The appointment in the Azerbaijani press, which is completely controlled by the authorities, caused favorable reviews. However, world experts were wary of the new post of the first lady of Azerbaijan. The future of the country is now in the hands of one family, and this is a step towards neo-monarchist rule.
In the summer of 2016, the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan approved amendments to increase the presidential term to 7 years and reduce the age of a presidential candidate to 25 years. The opposition suspects that Aliyev is preparing a successor in the person of Heydar's son. At the time of the next presidential election in 2025, he will be 28 years old.
The Aliyev family is accused of corruption. On September 10, 2015, the European Parliament, in a resolution of 10 September 2015, demanded that the EU investigate the Aliyev family for large-scale corruption. Thus, journalistic investigations about the receipt by the Azenco construction holding (owned by Aliyev) of millions of contracts financed by the Azerbaijani budget served as a catalyst.
In addition, from an investigation by The Washington Post journalists, it became known that 9 luxury villas in Dubai were bought for $44 million in the name of the president's minor son. In addition, the property was bought by the president's daughters. The total cost of housing is $75 million.
The president's children own the company cellular communication, the bank of the holding company, which is the owner of the services of the state-owned AZAL airline, etc.
In early April 2017, a popular Russian TV presenter conducted a 2-hour interview with President Aliyev. According to the TV presenter, despite the opposite opinion on a number of issues, Ilham Aliyev was extremely correct.
I will make a reservation right away that the events predicted in this article do not claim to be 100% likely to come true in detail, since, as you know, particulars are difficult to succumb to analytical calculations or purely irrational predictions for the future.
However, with regard to the essence of the course of action, which will be discussed below, I personally do not have a shred of doubt on this score. In any case, time itself will show the extent to which the picture described here corresponds with the development of events in Azerbaijan in the near future. Please note - it is a picture, and not a caricature or a banal caricature, since it will only reflect in realistic colors the action that will seriously unfold in our neighboring state. Another thing is that this action itself will be full of comedy and absurdity. In general, I beg your pardon for inaccuracies in the details, but I vouch for the essence.
So, a referendum has already been held in Azerbaijan, as a result of which new large cavities have formed in the constitutional government, like in leaky Swiss cheese, ready to be filled by members of the current president's family. Obviously, Ilham Aliyev is thus trying to strengthen his power and guarantee his control over the country for the future. To the question of how he sees or, rather, dreams of this very future, we wrote in one of the previous articles, and now let's turn to the character through which Ilham Heydarovich is trying to realize his plans, and for the sake of which, in essence, all this fuss with a scandalous referendum. It will be about the only and beloved son of the sun-like president, Heydar Jr.
It is to him, as all connoisseurs of Azerbaijani realities say unanimously, that a loving father will seek de jure to hand over the reins of government. And in this case, it doesn’t matter yet what the nature of that power will be at the time of its transfer: with the attributes of a scepter, crown and royal throne, or with an ordinary presidential chair, obligatory photos of Heydar Sr. pasted everywhere in the office, and a selector console for direct communication with a horde of thousands of ministers, generals and all sorts of bureaucrats cooking elections. Although, according to the concepts prevailing in present-day Azerbaijan, an equal sign appears between the monarchy and the presidency with quite mathematical persuasiveness.
The monarch or the president, it doesn’t matter what can be rolled out of the Heydarchik test, it is important that a consensus is reached on this figure and the squabble between the Nakhichevan Aliyev clan and the all-powerful Pashayev family, who also were not averse to securing the highest position in the person of the radiant Mehriban khanum, has finally stopped in the state. And now the figure of the granddaughter of both families has loomed on the political horizon, and by blood, and by the possibility of influencing him, is quite acceptable for the warring parties.
Information for thought
Aliyev Heydar Ilham oglu
True Azerbaijani (Kurdish origin on the paternal side does not matter). Born in 1997. Single. According to the publications of the influential newspaper The Washington Post, he owns several mansions in the UAE, with a total value of 44 million US dollars. At present he is a student of the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. He studies with great diligence and has an enviable academic performance. Classmates at the university, schoolmates and teachers described him as an open, friendly and sociable young man. In acts discrediting the personality (car races along the spacious avenues of Baku, shootings, beating of waiters, teachers and traffic cops, drunken orgies, etc.). Unconditionally and zealously supports the policy of the President and the New Azerbaijan Party. Merciless to the enemies of the fatherland.
In general, not a lot, but according to the meager information collected into a single one (and in the Azerbaijani media space, the data about Heydar Jr. is indeed severely censored), it turns out to be a portrait of a completely normal, well-bred young man from a ruling family. In general, the initial positions of Heydar Ilhamovich are not bad, but the trouble is, the political component in them is round zero. However, naturally, where, one wonders, at the age of 19, a young man can have a political biography. After all, he is not Napoleon Bonaparte or Alexander the Great. These have been sculpting themselves for power since childhood, but Heydar Jr. will have to be sculpted by all the ospreys of the family, the servants of the family and the servants of the servants of the family (I apologize for the rubbish). And if Macedonian's mentors were only his mother Olympias and the philosopher Aristotle, then Geidar Jr. would be hired by a whole galaxy of advisers. True, they will not only teach the wisdom of the political jungle, but simply PR, since you can’t find Aristotle now for any money.
And so, probably, by the next elections to the Milli Majlis, the euphonious name Aliyev Heydar Ilham oglu may appear in the lists of candidates. It is very possible that he will run on a majoritarian basis from some district remote from the capital, preferably with an impressive agricultural sector (talks about an agricultural breakthrough in Azerbaijan are now in a big trend). It will also be considered preferable if in the given area there is an impressive number of migrants on the voter lists, the promises to whom on the topics of improving living conditions and the indispensable (at least in a hundred years) “bizimdir” will be a resounding success.
And surrounded by a large retinue, respectable candidate Aliyev will travel around some Goygol region, from village to village, from farm to yaylag, thus carrying out the first part of the action called “Heydar Appears to the People.” The obligatory program of district voyages will include ritual visits to countless centers and houses of culture, factories, hospitals, schools, sports schools, kindergartens, nursing homes, markets, parks, squares, mosques and everything that proudly bears the name of Heydar Aliyev Sr. The meetings of the crown prince with work collectives, youth, aksakals and the gold-toothed party activists of the district will be widely covered in the media. And all these loving rendezvous will be accompanied by indispensable attributes of pre-election passions - bread and salt, eulogies, promises, encore applause, joint photographs, hugs and kisses.
Regarding the last point, cherished in the greenhouse of the Baku superelite, pampered Heydar will naturally resist, but PR people, that is, experts on the Azerbaijani mentality, will insist on his indispensable and unconditional non-resistance to the feelings of the people. De - your wise grandfather acted in the same way, not sparing his cheeks for the sake of the desire of cotton growers, shepherds and milkmaids to mingle with Heydar Baba in such an intimate way. De - nothing personal, just business. And so, against his will, but for the sake of the fatherland, young Aliyev will have to expose his tender cheeks to the savory smacks of some Ibrahim kishi or Aygun khanum at all pre-election meetings. But what a dizzying success such self-sacrifice will turn out for Heydar's political start. Touched by the charm and true genetic wisdom of the candidate, the voter with raised hands with salute and fanfare will introduce him to the Milli Majlis, ensuring a crushing victory over some opposition candidate, of course, if there is such a daredevil and dares to compete (most likely he will not be found himself, but there will be hired to provide the appearance of a fair democratic struggle).
This is how the first level of the grandiose game will be overcome with Aliyev Heydar Ilham oglu entering the political arena. But not only him from the young growth of the Azerbaijani political elite will be destined to stake out a deputy chair for himself. Together with the crown prince, according to the results of the next elections, a whole herd of stallions, numbering twenty or even thirty heads, will gallop into the spacious meeting room of the Milli Majlis. This will be done in order to somehow set off Heydar's appearance from nowhere and to shut up the mouths of liberal Western squealers, they say, we generally rejuvenate the composition of our legal writers, so to speak, inject young blood into the work of the Majlis, whose meetings have recently been increasingly accompanied by snoring of old people who have sat in deputies . And if in the company of people's deputies, according to the new policy, there was a place for twenty or thirty skittish youngsters, then why not be among them and the bright presidential child. Such will be the message to the Western squealers.
So, having found himself among the deputies, young Aliyev will join the legislative activity with enviable energy. At first, he will gather around himself something like a youth wing of the Eniazerbaijanis or a faction of young reformers, at the head of which he will begin to criticize and throw lightning bolts at the outsiders of his father's camarilla that hinder the progress of the state, who, from Rabiyat Aslanova to Eldar Makhmudov, are rejected in batches every year, sweep out of power and hang on them all the sins for the state of affairs in the state. Aliyev Jr. will be allowed, like a kitten, to which his father-cat brought a mouse to be torn to pieces for hunting experience for the future, to beat such mercilessly. However, in addition to attacking, and with a wider coverage, the constructive activities of the young deputy will be replicated, so to speak: periodic visits to his polling station, tea parties with martyr families, knocking out state funds to repair bumpy roads and drainpipes, opening new grandfather monuments, night gatherings with young people by the campfire, and again, those ill-fated kisses with unwashed shepherds and all that, which hones the image of a newly-minted creative politician-reformer. In general, within a year or two, preparations will be scrupulously carried out for the next level called “Heydar's Appearance to the World Elite”.
To overcome this stage, a launching pad will probably be chosen, like some kind of Majlis committee on inter-parliamentary relations. And since the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis has already accumulated rich experience in relations of a caviar-intimate nature over the long years of its work, all acquired connections will be included for the benefit of this action. A lot of work will be typed here for generously paid Western PR people, most likely recruited from the UK, since they have no experience in this area, and the Aliyev family somehow has a special warm attitude towards Foggy Albion, gets out with all sorts of deals with BP, and mansions Bought some in London. And PR people from Ilkham's child will sculpt the image of a sort of universal young man, right from which side you don't get up: a Swiss, a reaper, and a gambler on the pipe. Everything in it is harmoniously laid out on the shelves: smart, well-mannered, businesslike, generous, open and in addition - with all its guts it reaches for the West, like a lamb for an udder.
And the rumor about a miracle boy will go for a walk from the Strasbourg corridors to the high-society parties in Monaco, who alone is able to steer Azerbaijan out of the barbaric wilds of the East onto the path of liberalization and democracy. It's nothing that his dad snaps furiously at every healthy dose of criticism he receives. After all, it is beyond the power of a person to take, and even pick out his soviet mentality. Another thing is that the son is malleable and open to contact.
This is how, through the channels of parliamentary diplomacy, Heydar Ilhamovich's personal path to the hearts of Western elites will be beaten. And the crowns of these successes would be audiences knocked out by assertive lobbying with influential people of this world. Here already, unlike the kisses of the shepherds, he himself would not mind smacking his cheeks. This would be considered not only a high honor given to a young man, but also an actual "good for the reign."
This is what Ilham Aliyev will seek for his heir. Over the years, he himself will gradually but surely fade into the shadows, giving the future successor the opportunity to position himself in front of the world and the country as the only alternative to the incumbent president. As for the issue of the son’s transitional stages of office from a deputy mandate to the presidency, it seems to me that Aliyev Sr. will not waste time on trifles and can immediately drag his son to the vice presidency, since the eastern despotisms, whatever their facade may be , in such cases it is not typical to put things off indefinitely. Although, such intermediate positions as, say, the mayor of Baku or the minister of youth, sports and tourism are not excluded.
Talking about the stages of Heydar's ascent to the imperious Olympus, I deliberately omitted the description of one of them at the beginning, being unable to predict whether the illustrious heel of the crown prince would touch this stage at all or simply skip it. I suspect that the radiant president himself has not yet decided on this level. Of course, we are talking about military service. On the one hand, the decision to send his son to serve in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces would be very wise, since Ilham Aliyev himself once shied away from everyday service in the ranks of the Soviet army, and, even more so, from some, well, at least the most formal participation in the Karabakh war, which later very seriously backfired on his reputation as a politician, commander in chief, and just a man.
But on the other hand, my little son is pampered, God forbid, something happens... And Mehriban Aliyeva can't stand being away for two whole years. Yes, and Zakir Hasanov is probably against it. After all, he, the poor man, will have to leave the pressing problems of the entire army, day and night, not to take his eyes off the unit to which the fighter Geidar will be seconded. Or rather, the unit itself, or the whole corps will be seconded to the fighter Heydar. The mouth is already full of worries, and then guard it with the forces of the whole corps and tremble with the entire headquarters of the army so that not a single hair falls from the future crowned head.
By the way, about the headquarters: of course, you can send him to serve in the headquarters, but the people will not understand that this is not a service, but honey. It would be better to go to some field unit, where you can earn medals to the fullest for honest service, and directly with these medals to include a child who has already served in the parliamentary elections. The effect would be stunning... What if there is a war tomorrow, if tomorrow we go on a campaign?.. In a word, the dilemma is intractable for the president. It is all the more difficult for us to predict the outcome of his reflections.
In any case, with or without service, the campaign to promote Heydar Jr. and bring him to the political horizon is expected and does not cause a shred of doubt.
I repeat that in particular we may be mistaken, but the essence of the above is irrefutable. Sooner or later, the process will begin, and we, Armenians, whether we like it or not, must follow the changes in the neighboring state. We must follow, because these changes, one way or another, cannot bypass the Karabakh conflict, cannot but affect the relations between the two warring states. The question is, in what direction will these changes pull the tension in the Transcaucasus? Towards a deeper disunity, or vice versa - détente?
The most intense episodes of history prove that individuals, contrary to the law of Polybius' determinism, decide everything and can reverse the course of history. I would like to believe that in the future, the person who inherits power in Azerbaijan, whoever he is, will adequately assess the current situation and find the courage and wisdom to overcome the barrier of enmity and alienation, built hastily by the fathers, without looking to the future. Although personally I have no illusions on this score yet, just as I do not feel hostility towards young Heydar. I say this with perfect sincerity, because we are talking about a man who personally has not done anything bad to my people, however, has not yet done ...
So, Heydarchik, I beg your pardon for the sarcastic style. As they say, nothing personal, just business...
Bogdan Atanesyan
Doctor of Political Science
Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR
daughters: Arzu and Leila
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev(Azerbaijani İlham Heydər oğlu Əliyev, December 24, Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) - Azerbaijani political and statesman, President of Azerbaijan since November 2003.
Biography
Having received a secondary education, Ilham entered (MGIMO). After graduating from the institute, in a year he entered the graduate school of MGIMO. In the same year, at the invitation of Andropov, the Aliyev family moved to Moscow. To the question of journalist Mikhail Gusman about entering MGIMO, Ilham Aliyev replied:
| I was accepted on the basis of a certificate that officially stated that I would turn 16 in just five months. The first year of study was the most responsible. It is one thing to study in Baku for the son of the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, and another thing in Moscow, in a completely different environment, and even at such a young age. But I did not let my father down, I studied well at the institute, and then in graduate school. |
Having defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of historical sciences, he remained in teaching at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
Business. The beginning of a political career
After Heydar Aliyev left the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Ilham went into private business; headed a number of production and commercial enterprises. In 1992, he moved to Istanbul and only returned when his father became president of the republic.
From 2001 to 2003 - head of the delegation of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
In January 2003, Ilham Aliyev was elected Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and a member of the PACE Bureau. By this time, Heydar Aliyev was already a sick man. In order to transfer power to his son, Heydar Aliyev changed the Constitution of Azerbaijan (if it is impossible to fulfill his duties as the president of the country, his powers are transferred not to the speaker of parliament, but to the prime minister). However, Heydar Aliyev did not have time to appoint his son as prime minister, because. As a result of a heart attack, he turned out to be incapacitated and was urgently taken to the Gulhane Turkish hospital, and from there on the plane of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation, in a coma, to the Cleveland clinic. Who signed the appointment of Ilham Aliyev to the post of prime minister is still unknown. But it is indicative that, in fear of losing power, the Aliyev clan was in such a hurry to “appoint” Ilham Aliyev as prime minister that they forgot that Prime Minister Artur Rasizade was still in his post. At some point, there were two prime ministers and two acting ministers in Azerbaijan. [source?] Thus, Heydar Aliyev essentially handed over power by inheritance, creating all the conditions for the transfer of power to his son Ilham.
In April 2004, for active participation in the work of PACE and adherence to European ideals, he was awarded a diploma of an honorary member of PACE and a PACE medal.
Personal life
He is fluent in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French and Turkish. He is the author of a series research work on geopolitical aspects of the oil policy of sovereign Azerbaijan. Doctor of Political Sciences.
VERSION TWO - LONELY SYNDROME
This version is based on the premise that Ilham Aliyev is by nature very lonely - he has no friends, his entourage is completely corrupt and, the saddest thing, he knows this very well. The father was the last person in whom the son felt a sense of confidence.
Heydar Aliyev loved his son very much. Even too much. With him, like with all dictators, this love sometimes took very cruel forms. And having lost his father, Ilham Aliyev lost his last life landmark. That is why, in search of the lost, he turned to his wife, trying to find in her what he had lost with the death of his father.
But this version is opposed by the fact that all these years there were relations between the spouses that are very difficult to call friendly. In principle, the very marriage of the offspring of the august family was not the result of great love, but of ordinary everyday calculation.
Heydar Aliyev, having learned that the reason for his son's "departure" from MGIMO was his systematic non-attendance of classes, asked the competent services where his offspring spent the time allotted for studying the basics of international relations. Imagine his surprise when he learned that all this time his son had been flying from Moscow to Baku to a certain person, neither social status nor whose nationality (his passion was Armenian) did not allow her even to hope for a successful completion of the affair with the prince. It is only in fairy tales that princes marry Cinderella and beautiful beggars grazing geese near the walls of the palace. Everything in life, as in the song of Alla Borisovna - "No king can marry for love."
Heydar Aliyev realized that "the boy has already matured", and the family began searching for a bride. Having received an unexpected refusal from several well-known families of the Baku establishment, the Aliyevs turned their attention to the intelligent, but non-nomenklatura Pashaev family, descendants of academician Mirjalal Pashaev. For the Pashayevs themselves, it was a fantastically good match...
But from the very beginning, the family life of the new couple was overshadowed by the protest behavior of Ilham Aliyev, who could not argue with his father, but, not resigned to fate, went on a rampage. Until recently, with the exception of the moment when his wife bore him a son, their relationship was very, very tense. And that is why the change that has taken place in the august couple is so striking. Within a few weeks, the eternal follower Mehriban Aliyeva suddenly turned into the leader of the family, claiming public status.
VERSION THREE - THE LEADER NEEDLY
Another version is based on the following premise. Ilham Aliyev is a weak leader. This is already obvious to everyone. So, the other day, one very high-ranking official asked me: “Do you know who rules the country?” And having received a negative answer, he said in surprise: “I don’t know either.”
It is likely that the president's wife was simply forced to take the reins of government into her own hands. Willy-nilly. They fell into her hands automatically. History is replete with examples of when weak and weak-willed kings turned out to be very far-sighted and strong wives. True, such a transformation almost always ended with the elimination of the interfering king and the accession of the queen.
Many experts even tend to see Mehriban Aliyeva as an Azerbaijani version of Catherine the Great.
But here other arguments come to mind. Too fully and tenaciously took over the power of the presidential wife. One gets the impression that she has been waiting for this moment for a long time, and now the moment of her triumph has come. If she would have taken power involuntarily, only for the sake of saving her own family, then this would have been felt. And here we see that before our eyes there is a sharp strengthening of the positions of the entire Pashaev family. This is a natural result of a coup in power, since many decisions are already being made without the participation of the president.
Of course, the fact that Ilham Aliyev is not able to make decisions played a role in strengthening the person closest to him, but it could not lead to a total strengthening of her position.
VERSION FOUR - DISINHERITABLE
This latest version. She claims to try to exhaustively answer all the "unkempt" questions regarding the change in the social status of the first lady. To be objective, it is necessary to consider this problem in a more broad sense than the relationship of spouses.
If none of the versions gives a full explanation of the reasons for the changes that have taken place, then it is necessary to look for a third factor. At the very least, psychologists say that a change in the status quo in a family cannot happen without a reason. To do this, the social status of one of the spouses must change.
De jure, the social status of Ilham Aliyev not only did not decrease, but even increased. He became an authoritarian ruler, the head of a mafia clan, and, having replaced his father in this post, he began to claim the status of a "nationwide macho", because in countries like Azerbaijan, the president is a priori “the husband of a thousand wives”. Not in a direct, but in a virtual sense - the head of a multi-million dollar family.
But here he does not cope with his immediate duties. This means that the reason is not in Ilham Aliyev, but in the changed status of his wife. Suppose that her status has changed, but what and how could lead to a coup in the august family?
And here it is necessary to recall the events of recent history. It is well known that Ilham Aliyev really did not want to be the head of state. Despite his father's intensified attempts to involve him in state activities, he denied it in every possible way. Moreover, many in his circle knew that in the event of the death of his father, he would immediately leave the country. And only a few months before his death, Heydar Aliyev managed to turn the tide. Ilham Aliyev - with an air of one doomed to sacrifice - agreed to inherit his father.
None of the experts could explain the reason why Ilham Aliyev took this suicidal step for him. What could make our play-bay abandon his own life principles and take a step from which he had saved himself all these years?
According to available information from competent sources, this reason is that Heydar Aliyev CHANGED HIS WILL a few months before his death. As you know, everything last years the late patriarch was obsessed with the passion to accumulate more money. The most striking and ever-increasing trend has been the concentration of capital in the hands of the family. The usurpation of capital and national wealth began to bear an unprecedented character. The clan was oligarchized to the size of a family, which meant that the main goal of the mobilization regime was to provide the family with financial flows. It is to this goal that the whole logic of the development of the current regime is subordinated.
In this case, the tactics become clear. It takes a lot of money to provide sufficient resources. There are two ways to get them. Evolutionary - when the government is slowly corrupted and enriched, and revolutionary - when the scale of corruption becomes gigantic.
The implementation of the first option takes time. Namely, the patriarch did not have it. Therefore, he created a system that allows maximizing preferences with minimal costs. His passion for money overshadowed all his other passions. Money became his life. And thanks to this, in a relatively short period, he was able to collect one of the largest fortunes in the world. According to our information, during his lifetime he was one of the five richest people on the planet.
Ilham Aliyev hoped that this fortune would allow him to live comfortably after the death of his father and lead a life more in line with his needs. And Heydar Aliyev understood that with Ilham's lifestyle, money, even such huge ones, would not be enough for him for a long time. And so he found a way to persuade his son to fulfill his so unloved presidential duties. HE DEPUTYED MY SON.
Everything ingenious is simple. Heydar Aliyev gave all his money to his namesake and beloved grandson Heydar Aliyev. And thus put his son in an idiotic position. Now Ilham has only one chance to lead his usual way of life - this is to continue to rule the country with his father's methods in order to earn his own capital.
MECHRIARCHAT
But having solved one problem, the wise patriarch did not think that he had automatically created another one. Now all his money belongs to his grandson. But money needs to be managed.
Ilham Aliyev does not yet have enough money to continue his former way of life. After the death of his father, financial flows became shallow. In addition, many oligarchs refuse to pay him. For example, the main reason for the conflict between the president and objectionable ministers was that they refused to pay him and pay their due share to his unloved uncle. Therefore, Ilham Aliyev is in dire need of money.
The only source is the legacy he left, but he can use this money only with the consent of Mehriban Aliyeva. According to the legislation existing in the world, until the child reaches the age of majority, parents can use his funds only with mutual consent. Moreover, in the event of a divorce, the right to use the money will pass to the mother of the child.
In our opinion, the main reason for the increased status of the first lady lies in the fact that without her, Ilham Aliyev cannot now spend even a cent from his father's money. Thus, he is obliged to lead an obedient life and fulfill the wishes of his wife. This, most likely, is the reason for the rise in the social status of both Mehriban Aliyeva herself and her family members. That is why politically sensitive television channels began to praise the virtues of the first lady herself, and the Space channel urgently shot a documentary film in which members parental family first lady were canonized.
For many, it is obvious that the strengthening of the positions of the first lady is the result of the weakening of the positions of Ilham Aliyev. And this will inevitably lead to a change in the existing balance of power. Many personnel appointments are already out of the control of the president.
There was a strengthening not only of the first lady, but of the entire Pashayev clan, where the first lady comes from. Thus, the administrative resource of her older sister Nargiz Pashayeva and her father Arif Pashayev has greatly increased. Members of the Pashayev clan began to step on the heels of the members of the Aliyev family. Such a development of the situation will inevitably lead to an increase in the conflict of contradictions in the ruling elite.
SAD PARALLELS
Analyzing the relationship in the august family and the strengthening of the first lady, I relentlessly caught myself thinking that all this reminds me of something. And only when I saw on television a film about the family of the last Russian emperor, I realized - Alex and Nicky.
Weak and weak-willed Nicholas II, who was not ready to take power and accepted it under the total pressure of his father. Look into the eyes of Ilham Aliyev and compare them with sad eyes last emperor Russia. In both you will see fatal doom and resignation to fate.
He knows he was not made to rule. He was forced to do this, and he is doomedly waiting for an answer from fate - what will be the price for the weakness shown? There is a fear of the future in his eyes, which makes him be so cruel that no one understands that he is mortally afraid. And so that no one realizes how damn tired he is of the role imposed on him and the country imposed on him, which, kneeling, humiliated and lowered, is trying to discern in him the signs of a future rebirth, but sees only the outlines of the coming horror.
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