DEFENCE EXPENDITURES OF ARMENIA INCREASE BY 25.3% IN JANUARY-NOVEMBER
2007 ON SAME PERIOD OF 2006

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Out of the budgetary expenditures of
486 bln 58.4 mln drams (more than 1 bln 406.7 mln USD) in
January-November 2007, expenditures of 86 bln 840.7 mln drams were made
in the defence sphere, which exceeds by 25.3% the index of the same
period of the previous year. The ratio of defence expenditures to
Armenian GDP grew from 3% in the first 11 months of 2006 to 3.2% in the
same period of 2007.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, budgetary
expenditures on public order protection, national security and judicial
sphere amounted to 41 bln 584 mln drams in January-November 2007,
exceeding by 23.4% the index of the same period of 2006. Their ratio to
GDP did not change as compared with the same period of the previous
year and made 1.5%.

Expenditures on education and science amounted to 76 bln 299.8 mln
drams (23.1% growth compared with January-November 2006), while the
ratio of these expenditures to GDP grew from 2.7% to 2.8%. 56 bln 161.1
mln drams was spent in social insurance and social security spheres
(18.6% growth), the ratio of these expenditures to GDP remained
unchanged – 2.1%; 36 bln 837.8 mln drams was spent on health care
(22.1% growth), the ratio of health care expenditures to GDP increased
from 1.3% in January-November 2006 to 1.4% in the same period of 2007.

35 bln 14.5 mln drams was spent in the transport, communication and
road sector, which is more by 29.3% as compared with January-November
2006. The ratio of these expenditures to GDP grew by 1.2% in the first
eleven months of 2006 to 1.3% in the same period of 2007.