Azerbaijan raises military budget by 20,9%

According to the 2020 Azerbaijani draft budget, the defense expenses must make 3 billion 853 Azerbaijani manat (about 2 billion 267 million USD) which is more from the last year’s 3 billion 187 manat by 20,9%.

Speaking to Aysor.am Razminfo coordinator Karen Vrtanesyan said in general in Azerbaijan the budget increase is being officially explained with the economic growth.

“The increase of the military budget by a country getting prepared for war is justified. Azerbaijan has never hidden its dreams of military “settlement” of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” Vrtanesyan said.

Armenia’s 2019 budget draft envisaged 300 billion 437 million AMD (about 629,5 million USD) and the 2020 budget draft envisages 301 billion 243 million (about 631 million USD).

“Armenia’s military expenses concede to the ones of Azerbaijan while we must consistently increase the defense expenses in parallel with the increase of state budget,” Vrtanesyan said.