Destiny of the people, expelled from their native lands at the result of the armed aggression of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, the improvement of their domestic conditions and the maintenance of their social protection is constantly in the center of state attention.

A number of essential steps in this direction is take during last years, at the expense of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, state budget, the states - donors and the international humanitarian organizations: new settlements for ten thousand families are constructed, in separate cities and areas, houses and apartments of modern type are constructed and handed over for the use of refugees and IDPs, numerous humanitarian projects and other measures for their social protection are carried out.

Despite of the large-scale measures carried out in this sphere, most of refugees and IDPs still live in tent camps, wagons on railway stations, incomplete public buildings, unsuitable for residing and other places with very heavy conditions and collide with a lot of social problems.

With the purpose of the improvement of domestic conditions of our compatriots, lodged in goods wagons on railways, tent camps and other, unfit for human habitation places, the creation of workplaces for them and the solution of other social problems before the occupied lands of Azerbaijan are liberated and our fellow citizens-refugees has returned to their native places, I DECIDE:

1. To approve the state program on the improvement of living conditions and the increase of employment among refugees and IDPs.

2. To charge the heads of corresponding state bodies of the Republic of Azerbaijan: before IDPs return to their native places, and before they are settled in new settlements and houses for temporary residing, irrespective of the property to avoid the cases of their eviction from public buildings, apartments, the lands and other objects, where they have lodged in 1992-1998.

3. To recommend to the heads of private enterprises, academy and average special educational institutions to provide to refugees and IDPs with necessary help for providing them with work and exemptions on education payment.

4. To the Ministry of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

- Together with corresponding enforcement authorities to take necessary measures for the execution of the state program approved by the present order;

- To present quarterly to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan the information on the implemented work related with the execution of State Program.

5. The present Order comes into force from the day it is signed.

Ilgam Aliev
The President of the Azerbaijan Republic

Baku, July 1, 2004,
No. 298

The Restoration and Repatriations program ("Great Return")
The Repatriation of IDPs

The development of  "Great Repatriation (Great returning) programs" by the Azerbaijan government together with international financial structures, the agencies of the United Nations, international, local humanitarian organizations and the organizations of development founded by them is considered in the State Program.

This will allow to count up exactly the volume of damage caused to the occupied territories, to begin restoration and reconstruction work directly after liberation, and will provide confidence about the correctness of the program, prepared in international financial structures and the organizations.