The inaugural gathering of the National Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (PDPA) took place in Baku on January 13, with 54 participants in attendance. While the party is informally known as "Boz Gurd" or grey wolves, the PDPA clarified that this moniker is not official. The conference, chaired by Tufan Kyarim, also served as a precursor to the upcoming party congress, where the election of a chairman is anticipated.
A key objective of the conference was to document the PDPA's existence, laying the groundwork for the submission of registration documents to the Ministry of Justice in compliance with the recently enacted "On Political Parties" law of 2023.
Founded in 1993 by the then Minister of Internal Affairs, Iskander Hamidov, the PDPA traces its roots back to a period when its members actively participated in the first Karabakh War. The party aligns itself with the ideals of Iskander Hamidov's original vision. Despite facing challenges such as the collapse of the Popular Front government, the arrest, and conviction of Hamidov, the PDPA asserts that it has maintained its principles and operational continuity.
The Azerbaijani "grey wolves" identify as ideological allies of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). In Turkey, the official name for the group is Idealists, established in the late 1960s under the guidance of Colonel Alparslan Turkesh and supported by the MHP. The party's political aspiration centers around the creation of a confederation uniting all Turkic countries and peoples, along with the preservation of the Turkic identity within their respective states.
While not officially recognized, the "Grey Wolves" in Turkey align themselves with President Recep Erdogan's Idealists. Erdogan, in a notable gesture at a rally in March 2018, displayed the "grey wolves" hand sign, symbolized by the middle and ring fingers forming a 'V' shape, reduced to the thumb.
Politics
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On January 23, the Deputy Commander of the Azerbaijani Ground Forces, Ilgar Latifov, met with a Pakistani delegation headed by the Director General of Military Operations, Abdullah Kashif. The parties discussed the state and prospects for the development of military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, as well as the importance of increasing the intensity of joint exercises.
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The announcement of 2025 as the "Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty" in Azerbaijan has sparked rumors and speculation about the government's plans to hold a constitutional referendum this year. Today's statement in the Milli Majlis by the head of the parliamentary committee on human rights and concurrently the director of the Center for Humanitarian Studies, Zahid Oruj, confirmed that these expectations are not groundless.
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As part of the peace process with Azerbaijan, Armenia has proposed solutions to all agenda issues, stated Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Armenia's Security Council, on January 23. "We are not asking for peace, we are offering peaceful solutions to all existing issues. For the two unresolved points, we have sent proposals and are waiting for a response from the Azerbaijani side. We hope that we will find solutions," Grigoryan said, according to Armenian media. Meanwhile, the press service of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Turan that "negotiations on the text of the peace agreement are ongoing."
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On January 23, Hilal Mammadov, a member of the Board of the Public Council of Talysh of Azerbaijan (OSTA), was interrogated by the State Security Service (SGB) as a witness in the case of researcher Igbal Abilov, who is accused of treason. As reported by Turan, Mammadov was questioned about Abilov's activities, scientific works, and publications.
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