President Ilham Aliyev and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini visited the city of Shusha on July 14 to inspect the bullet-ridden busts of renowned Azerbaijani cultural figures—Khurshidbanu Natavan, Bulbul, and Uzeyir Hajibeyli—which were damaged during the period of occupation.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing the Presidential Press Service, the visit served to highlight the historical and cultural significance of the city, as well as the impact of the conflict on its heritage sites.
Shusha, often referred to as the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, has been a focal point of restoration and reconstruction efforts since its liberation in 2020. The bullet-ridden busts of Natavan, Bulbul, and Hajibeyli have become symbolic reminders of the destruction inflicted upon the city's cultural monuments during the decades of occupation. These artifacts were returned to Shusha following the liberation, serving as a testament to the city's resilience and the ongoing efforts to preserve its historical identity.
