Azerbaijan increases defense spending over AZN 1 billion

Baku. 17 November. REPORT.AZ/ Some amendments were made in expenditures section of Azerbaijan state budget draft for 2017 year. Report informs, defense spending in new draft increased by 63.6% or AZN 1.027 billion to reach AZN 2.642 billion.

Distribution of spending is as below:

- Defense forces – AZN 1 269.9 million;

- National security – 111.9 million;

- Defense and security researches – AZN 2.6 million;

- Other purposes – AZN 1 257.6 million.

“Expenditures to strengthen defense capacity and to ensure national security of our country, living in war conditions, make up AZN 2.8 billion or 16.7% of 2017 budget, which is AZN 77.0 million or 2.9% higher in comparison with current year”, lawmakers noted.

Moreover, AZN 2.521 billion industrial and construction spending for next year has been determined, which features AZN 639 million or 34% increase in annual comparison.

This upsize expenditures has been balanced by reduction of spending for education, science, healthcare, culture, agriculture and other sectors.

2017 state budget income is forecasted to be AZN 15.955 billion, expenditures – AZN 16.6 billion; including, centralized income – AZN 15 334 706.0 thousand; local income – AZN 620 294.0 thousand; centralized expenditures – AZN 15 911 286.0 thousand; local expenditures – AZN 688 714.0 thousand.

Notably, ratified forecast of total defense spending in 2016 budget was AZN 1.838 billion with below distribution:

-Defense forces – AZN 1 723 million;

- National security – AZN 108.895 million;

- Defense and security researches – AZN 2.422 million;

- Other purposes – AZN 3.022 million.

Later the parliament made amendment to the budget to increase defense spending by AZN 391 million (21.3%).