President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their daughters Leyla Aliyeva lit a holiday bonfire on the Jidir Duzu plain in Shusha.
Then the head of state addressed:
- Dear sisters and brothers, I sincerely congratulate all of you on the occasion of Novruz holiday! I wish all the people of Azerbaijan good health and happiness!
This year we celebrate Novruz in Shusha, on the Cidir Duzu plain. This is a historic event. After 28 years we returned to Shusha. We celebrate Novruz on the Jidir Duzu plain, we have restored historical justice.
We will restore Shusha, we will definitely restore it. Restoration work has already begun. Today, while in Shusha, I am getting acquainted with the implementation of the tasks I have already given. We will restore not only Shusha, but all the liberated lands.
Our war - the Second Karabakh War - is being studied today in the military schools of the world's leading countries. We have waged the war of the 21st century, we have destroyed the enemy. There is no Armenian army, we have destroyed it. Today, while celebrating Novruz on the Jidir Duzu Plain, I proudly say: "Shusha, you are free!", "Shusha is Azerbaijan!", "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!"