TBILISI: EU Warns Georgia Over Increasing Defense Budget

EU WARNS GEORGIA OVER INCREASING DEFENSE BUDGET

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Aug. 30, 2006

European Commission said on August 29 that European Neighborhood
Policy Action Plans have been successfully negotiated with Azerbaijan,
Armenia, and Georgia and now await member-state approval, RFE/RL
reported.

But the EC has also warned Georgia and Azerbaijan to stop increasing
defense budgets.

Speaking at a conference in Slovenia on August 28 EU External Relations
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said "defense expenditure in the
region is going through the roof." She also said that increase in
defense spending is not justified in the region which is "in desperate
need of investment in education, health, and small businesses,"
according to the RFE/RL.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner has also called on the regional leaders to
refrain from "inflammatory rhetoric."