On July 20, commenting on the debate about the advisability of erecting a monument to an Azerbaijani politician in Makhachkala, Sergey Melikov, the head of Dagestan, stated that not only representatives of one of the titular nations of Dagestan but also those who understand how important it is to cherish friends today want to perpetuate the memory of Heydar Aliyev, the former President of Azerbaijan. 

"Incorrect comments, especially those that can be taken with resentment by our closest neighbors and friends, are not only inappropriate but also harmful, so I suggest that everyone return to a constructive, civilized dialogue. After all, it is in it that the key to the harmonious development of our republic!" the head of the republic said.

He stressed that the city should belong to the citizens, and all-important decisions should be made considering their opinion. "This also applies to the renaming of stadiums, places of installation of monuments, and other important issues for the city that do not require emergency measures. Options should be considered, but no one should and will not act on such issues without considering society's opinion," Melikov said. According to him, everyone will agree that symbols of respect for people who have left a significant mark on our history should appear in the [federal] republic. "One of them is a prominent statesman, Heydar Aliyev, who laid a solid foundation for the union of our states. Not only do representatives of one of the titular nations of Dagestan want to perpetuate his memory, but also those who understand how important it is to cherish friends today. An example of our friendship is the Azerbaijan State University of Economics in Derbent, where I recently visited and was surprised to learn that Dagestanis study there for free, while representatives of Azerbaijan pay for their studies," Melikov added.

Paying tribute to the merits of Heydar Aliyev, Melikov noted, "Monuments in his honor were erected in many regions of Russia and the world, he will also appear in Dagestan." "But the decision on how it will be and where it will be installed should be made taking into account public opinion and based on the results of public hearings," Melikov said. 

Notably, earlier, the mayor's office of Dagestan announced where the monument to Heydar Aliyev would be installed and launched a poll in its Telegram channel to choose one of the two options for the monument. There was no "Against the installation" option in the survey. Social media users have questions about the appropriateness of the installation of this monument.