Azerbaijan, Slovakia Strengthen Ties as Presidents Lay Foundation Stone of New School in Aghdam

Aghdam, The Gulf Observer: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini on Tuesday inspected ongoing reconstruction efforts in Bash Garvand village of the Aghdam district and jointly laid the foundation stone of the Milan Rastislav Štefánik Secondary School, a new educational institution designed to accommodate 840 students.

President Pellegrini is currently on an official visit to Azerbaijan, during which both leaders toured the village and reviewed progress on major reconstruction and development projects in the region.

During the visit, Emin Huseynov, Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for the Aghdam, Fuzuli and Khojavend districts, briefed the two presidents on the large-scale reconstruction work underway in Bash Garvand village.

Located approximately 18 kilometers from the center of Aghdam city, Bash Garvand village remained under Armenian occupation for many years before being liberated on November 20, 2020. President Aliyev laid the foundation stone for the village’s reconstruction on December 24, 2023.

Officials informed the two leaders that extensive work is underway to establish modern social infrastructure, including administrative and service buildings, a medical center, educational facilities, and other public services. A multifunctional administrative complex, secondary school, and kindergartens are also planned as part of the development project.

Infrastructure works include the construction of 35 kilometers of roads as well as the installation of communication, electricity, natural gas, drinking water, and sewage networks. Alternative energy solutions are also being incorporated to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability.

The presidents were further briefed on the Milan Rastislav Štefánik Secondary School, which will be constructed on a three-hectare site. The school will feature 35 classrooms, technology and computer laboratories, military training facilities, a library, and specialized laboratories for physics, biology, and chemistry.

Additional facilities will include an assembly hall, sports hall, cafeteria, and other modern educational amenities. Solar panels will be installed to provide renewable energy for the school’s operations.

The school grounds will also include a sports field with a running track, playgrounds, recreational areas, and landscaped green spaces designed for both students and local residents.

Following the briefing, Presidents Aliyev and Pellegrini jointly laid the foundation stone of the school, which is being built as a gift from Slovakia to Azerbaijan. Slovak companies are also participating in the broader reconstruction of Bash Garvand village, reflecting growing cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders later visited a newly completed residential house in the village and reviewed plans for future development.

Covering nearly 480 hectares, Bash Garvand village is being developed in two phases. The first phase spans more than 200 hectares and includes the construction of 851 detached houses designed to accommodate approximately 3,703 residents. The housing project comprises 170 two-room homes, 417 three-room homes, 145 four-room homes, and 119 five-room homes.

The reconstruction of Bash Garvand forms part of Azerbaijan’s broader efforts to restore and revitalize territories liberated following the 2020 conflict, while also highlighting the strengthening partnership between Azerbaijan and Slovakia through infrastructure, education, and development cooperation.