OREANDA-NEWS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Wednesday in his address to the nation about the transfer of the Kalbajar District adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh under the control of Baku.

“Dear compatriots, today the Kalbajar District has been liberated from occupation. I cordially congratulate the entire Azerbaijani people on this occasion,” the head of state said. The President stressed that the Azerbaijani people have been looking forward to this day for many years. Aliyev noted that from the point of view of the territory, Kalbajar is one of the largest districts of Azerbaijan. “The monuments, mosques and churches located there are our historical heritage,” the politician said. According to him, all churches are protected by the state as a cultural property. “Let no one worry, these churches will continue to be protected by the state,” the Azerbaijani leader emphasized.

Aliyev also announced plans to restore Kelbajar. “We will restore everything, we will rebuild Kalbajar,” he said, adding that he had given instructions to prepare a general plan for the reconstruction of the district.