From Janez Kocijancic, President of the European Olympic Committees and Raffaele Pagnozzi, Secretary General of the European Olympic Committees

14 April 2018, 11:10

His Excellency Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan

His Excellency, dear President.

Our warmest congratulations for having been re-elected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

This re-election gives you credit, confirming your excellent work during the previous years, as well as the confidence that your people have in you, as the driving force of the country’s prosperity. Under your leadership Baku and the whole state has been having a development and a modernization that is at the attention of the world.

Let us take the opportunity to express our deepest admiration and sense of friendship for you and for the NOC of Azerbaijan, of which we are very fond of.

The highly successful inaugural European Games, as well as the next EYOF to be staged in Baku, give evidence that Azerbaijan has built a strong reputation in Europe, showing it is a modern, dynamic and vibrant nation populated by resourceful and friendly people.

We wish you the best for your future presidential commitments and we very much look forward to meeting you in Belgrade next 11-12 May.

With best wishes,

Janez Kocijancic

President of the European Olympic Committees

Raffaele Pagnozzi

Secretary General of the European Olympic Committees