A robust legal framework has been established to support the implementation of the "1st State Program on the Great Return to the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan." Legislative amendments have been introduced to provide new benefits, leave entitlements, tax incentives, and social insurance privileges for individuals working and residing in the Garabagh and East Zangezur economic regions.
Operative Information Center-OMM, citing AZERTAC, reports that Musa Guliyev, chairman of the parliamentary committee, announced these developments during a joint session of the Milli Majlis committees on Labor and Social Policy, Human Rights, and Legal Policy and State Building.
Guliyev stated that the proposed amendments to the Housing Code, as well as the laws "On the status of refugees and internally displaced persons" and "On social protection of internally displaced persons and persons equated to them," are designed to refine the legal framework for the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the liberated territories. These measures aim to ensure the protection of property rights and clarify the procedures regarding the loss of IDP status.
A key outcome of the amendments to the Housing Code will be the creation of a new institution: the Permanent Settlement Fund for liberated territories. Residential areas included in this fund will be utilized to facilitate the relocation of IDPs and the transfer of these properties into their ownership.
Furthermore, the proposed changes to the law "On the status of refugees and internally displaced persons" will provide greater specificity regarding the conditions under which IDP status is lost. Under the new proposal, individuals will be provided with alternative housing in their respective regions, replacing their previous residences. This initiative serves to fully restore the citizen's property rights. Conversely, the legislation stipulates that if an individual refuses the government-offered housing, they will forfeit their IDP status.
The committee chairman noted that the draft law also clarifies the duration of social protection measures. The existing three-year grace period will be calculated from the date the individual loses their status or refuses the offered housing. Additionally, amendments to Article 5 of the law "On social protection of internally displaced persons and persons equated to them" will reform the resettlement mechanism, establishing that the state's obligation is considered fulfilled once a residential area is offered, thereby balancing the housing rights of IDPs with the interests of third parties.
The "Great Return" program is a cornerstone of Azerbaijan's post-conflict reconstruction strategy, aimed at the comprehensive restoration of liberated lands and the sustainable reintegration of former IDPs into their ancestral homes.
