DEFENCE EXPENDITURES OF ARMENIA GROW BY 7.6% IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2007 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
May 15 2007
YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Out of the budgetary expenditures
of 93 bln 73.9 mln drams (about 259 mln USD) in January-March 2007,
expenditures in the defence sector amounted to 15 bln 762.9 mln drams,
exceeding by 7.6% the index of the same period of alst year. The ratio
of defence expenditures to Armenian GDP made 5.1% in January-March
2007 against 5.4% in January-March 2006.
According to the RA National Statistical Service, budgetary
expenditures on protection of public order, national security and
justice made 7 bln 474.8 mln drams, exceeding by 12.7% the index of
the same period of 2006, while thier ratio to GDP was 2.5% in the
first quarter of 2006 against 2.4% in the first quarter of 2007.
Expenditures in the sphere of education and science made 15 bln 711
mln drams (23.3% growth on the same period of last year), while their
ratio to GDP increased from 4.7% to 5%. 13 bln 284.9 mln drams was
spent in the sphere of social insurance and social security (14.5%
growth), while their ratio to GDP remained at the same level of
4.3%. Expenditures in the health sector amounted to 7 bln 334.4 mln
drams (16.1% growth), their ratio to GDP remained at the level of 2.3%.
In January-March 2007, 6 bln 23.4 mln drams was spent in the sectors
of transport, communication and road maintenance (40.5% growth). The
ratio of these expenditures to GDP made 1.9% against 1.6% in the same
period of last year.