This morning, at the age of 86, former statesman and ex-Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vagif Yusif oglu Novruzov passed away.
Vagif Novruzov was born in 1940. He devoted his professional career to upholding law and order and serving the state. From the mid-1980s, Vagif Novruzov headed the Internal Affairs Department of Baku’s Narimanov district.
In 1990, he was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR of the 12th convocation, where he served on the Commission for Legislation and Legality. From 1990, he headed the 6th Directorate of the republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, and from February 1991 he held a leadership post in the Main Directorate for Combating the Most Dangerous Crimes, Organized Crime, Corruption and the Drug Business of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Vagif Novruzov entered the history of modern statehood as one of the people’s deputies who signed the Declaration of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Restoration of Azerbaijan’s State Independence on August 30, 1991. By signing this fateful document while holding a high state post within the structure of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, he knowingly put at risk not only his career but also his life for the sake of the Motherland’s future.
Vagif Novruzov was also a veteran of the First Karabakh War.
During the most difficult period of the country’s emerging independence, on July 3, 1993, by decree of the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Heydar Aliyev, Vagif Novruzov was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, a position he held until April 29, 1994. His many years of service, from head of a district department to minister, will remain an example of loyalty to official duty and of integrity.
Colleagues and contemporaries remember Vagif Novruzov as a highly skilled professional, a principled officer and a man who made a significant contribution to strengthening the rule of law and the system of law enforcement agencies.
The bright memory of Vagif Yusif oglu Novruzov will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew him. We express our deep condolences to the family, relatives and loved ones of the deceased.
Allah rəhmət eləsin!