BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 24. A delegation of Finnish public and political figures, visiting Azerbaijan at the invitation of the Finland-Azerbaijan Friendship Society, has recently toured Shusha and Lachin, TurkicWorld reports.
According to the State Committee on Work with the Diaspora, the delegation included Finnish MP Mikko Polvinen, Markku Kangaspuro, Director of the Aleksanteri Institute’s Center for Research on Finland, Russia, and Eastern Europe, a journalist and Deputy Editor of "Hymy" magazine, former Chairman of the Parliamentary Group (2021), former member of the Vantaa-Kerava City Council (2022), and former member of the Vantaa-Kerava Regional Government Antero Eerola, former Finnish Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Board of consulting firm "J-E Enestam AB" Jan-Erik Enestam, former Deputy Head of the Finnish Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union Jaakko Laakso, and Tarana Nazarova, Chairman of the Finland-Azerbaijan Friendship Society.
During the visit, the delegation had a meeting with the Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan in the Shusha district. They got the whole nine yards about the history of Shusha, the damage to monuments, Jydyr Duzu, Armenian vandalism against Azerbaijani historical sites in Shusha, and the ongoing restoration efforts.
The delegation also paid a visit to the Shusha fortress, where they witnessed the restoration and construction work happening at lightning speed and commended the tremendous efforts being put in. They denounced the occupation-era destruction committed by Armenians against Shusha's cultural landmarks and mosques.
The Finnish delegation then hit the road to Lachin.
In Lachin, they visited the Special Representation of the President, where they were briefed on the conditions, job opportunities, and social support for resettled residents, as well as the ongoing reconstruction and restoration projects. They also learned about the villages of Sus and Zabukh.
The delegation toured one of the first 22 restored houses in Lachin, met with the families living there, and conducted interviews. The homeowners expressed their happiness at returning to their homeland after 30 years, highlighting the high-quality living conditions provided. They thanked Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani army. The delegation left with positive impressions.
They also visited the Hakari fish farm and the villages of Zabukh and Sus, where they were warmly welcomed by local residents. The beauty of Azerbaijani nature and the hospitality of the people left a favorable impression on the delegation.
