Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Dec 27 2004

Armenia Increases Military Spending 35 %

Despite of the Social and Economic Problems Armenia Increases
Military Spending 35 Percent in 2005

Jan Soykok (JTW), 27 December 2004

According to Arminfo News Agency (Yerevan, Armenia) the Armenian
National Assembly made a decision to increase military spending more
than 35 per cent in the Armenian state budget of 2005. Military
spending envisaged by the final version of the 2005 draft budget
amounts to 127m dollars, Armenian Security Council Secretary and
Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan has told journalists.

Armenia has suffered from economic and social catastrophes since the
independence. Armenian forces occupied about 20 percent of
neighboring Azerbaijan, and Armenia does not recognize neighboring
Turkey’s national borders. Armenian groups also encourage irredentist
movements among the Armenians in Georgia and Russian Federation.
Armenian economy is depend on foreign aids from the United States and
the European Union. The Armenian diaspora also send significant
amounts. Armenian politicians accuse Turkey and Azerbaijan for the
economic problems. However Dr. Nilgun Gulcan from ISRO says `Armenian
Government curtails the real problem by abusing problems between
Armenia and Turkey.’

`Armenian people suffer from corruption and economic shortages while
the Government spends sources for imagined enemies. The decision to
increase military spending will definitely not help to ease Armenia’s
social problems. Moreover, the decision will not help stability and
peace in the region. Armenian increase in military budget will
possibly cause new increases in Azerbaijan’s and Georgia’s military
spendings. Armenia should not waste the American and European aids in
‘playing war games” added Gulcan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress