Every year, one of the most important dates in the history of the new statehood of independent Tajikistan, that is, the Day of the establishment of the National Army, which is one of the most important pillars of statehood and a reliable shield of the Motherland, is celebrated in the country with great splendor. The National Army Day is celebrated at a time when the residents of the country are under the encouragement and great impressions of the next Message of the Founder of Peace and National Unity, the Leader of the Nation, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and are making efforts to implement its main goals and objectives.
We remind you that the National Army and the establishment of the Armed Forces are really born from the era of independence, which was established only one and a half years after the state’s independence, at a very difficult and sensitive historical stage, in conditions where the existence of the Tajik state and the survival of its independence was in danger of extinction.
The first attempt in this context was the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan dated December 24, 1991 “On the establishment of the National Guard”. Later, on January 4, 1992, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan “On the Establishment of the Defense Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan”, on June 10, 1992, the Decree on the Establishment of the “People’s Front” and on September 17, 1992, the Decree on the Establishment of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Although Tajikistan was published, but due to the unhealthy political situation and the complex beginning of state independence, the opportunity and conditions for the establishment of one of the main pillars of the independent state, that is, the National Army, did not succeed in Tajikistan. Because the country was in very difficult and complex political and social conditions. Because the civil war was going on in the country and the lack of food, clothing, military equipment and ammunition and the like was felt at every step.
Only after the historic XVI Session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan was held, the creation of the National Army took place. On December 18, 1992, the Decision of the Board of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan “On the Establishment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan” and the decision on the immediate leadership, centralized management and mobilization of the armed forces of military structures in order to stabilize the political situation as soon as possible and ensure national security and the protection of rights and freedoms of citizens was adopted, the leadership of which was entrusted to the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The adoption of these decisions created the legal basis for the formation of the National Army.
On February 23, 1993, the first military parade was held, and the day of the parade, namely February 23, was announced as the day of establishment of the National Army of the Republic of Tajikistan, which we are celebrating today, its 31st anniversary.
The great contribution of the progeny of the nation, Emomali Rahmon, as the founder of the Armed Forces and military structures and units, is that at the stage when the anti-state armed forces and organized criminal groups outnumbered the state military forces, he was able to develop a specific strategy of both fighting and and determine the organization of the National Army and implement it.
The head of the country described the National Army as the main guarantor of independence and noted that “Our National Army, unlike other former Soviet republics, which at that time already inherited weapons and military equipment and other material and technical bases, without any foundation and the first base was created, we had to start work in an empty place. But despite all the problems, today we can proudly say that the Tajik National Army was created. It has enough power to protect the country from domestic and foreign threats.”
The first grounds for the creation of the National Army, which was established on December 5, 1992, with the establishment of the “Special Assignment Brigade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan” with a set of tasks as its first structure. The formation of the National Army of Tajikistan has gone through three stages, the first stage is related to the creation of material and technical bases, the mobilization of qualified personnel, the second stage is related to the creation of various types of Armed Forces and their deployment, and the third stage is related to its strengthening.
