Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has congratulated Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on his landslide victory in Wednesday’s elections, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
In his message of congratulations, Tajik leader said, “Through their will, Azerbaijanis once again demonstrated high confidence in the policy carried out under your leadership aimed at sustainable prosperity of the country and strengthening its authority on international arena.”
“Thanks to your hard work and efforts, Azerbaijan has made significant progress in its social and economic development, and we sincerely rejoice at these achievements of our friends,” President Rahmon said.
“We are convinced that in the coming years the cooperation between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan will be further developed in the interests of the two countries,” the message said. “Tajikistan’s side is ready to work with you to make all the necessary efforts.”
Presidential elections were held in Azerbaijan on April 11. Eight candidates ran for the presidency. The winner, Ilham Aliyev, was elected president for the next seven years
Azerbaijan’s national electoral commission said that with 65 percent of the ballots counted, President Ilham Aliyev had received 86 percent of the vote in an early presidential election. The commission reported the turnout at nearly 75 percent.
Ilham Aliyev, 56, has led Azerbaijan since 2003. He succeeded his father, Geidar Aliyev, who ruled Azerbaijan first as Communist Party boss and then as a post-Soviet president for the greater part of three decades.
Since Aliyev won the last election in 2013, Azerbaijan’s constitution has been amended to extend the presidential term from five to seven years.
