Ex-minister of Defense proposes to mark December 8 as important day in history of Azeri independence

"The first military unit of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan composed of volunteers mainly took an oath of enlistment at the Martyrs’ Alley on that day in 1991," said ex-minister of Defense, currently chairman of the Confederation of Officers in Reserve, major-general Dadash Rzayev.

Stating that the first soldiers and officers of the National Army remember December 8 every year, Rzayev called this day to be one of the most important events in the history of Azerbaijan’s independence. "Our armed forces were established in a very hard period. The first oath of enlistment was discussed much and at last I wrote the text. Some technical amendments were made to it later on and our soldiers take this oath of enlistment today," Rzayev said.