HOW TO SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS
by Dzhasur Mamedov
Translated by Pavel Pushkin
Source: Voenno-Promyshlenny Kuryer, No. 47, December 06-12, 2006, p. 3
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 13, 2006 Wednesday
Azerbaijan does not have a well considered strategy for spending the
defense budget
AZERBAIJAN: HOW WILL THE INCREASED DEFENSE BUDGET BE DISTRIBUTED?;
In 2007, military expenditures of Azerbaijan will reach a level
unprecedented for the South Caucasus.
In 2007, military expenditures of Azerbaijan will reach a level
unprecedented for the South Caucasus. According to statements of
various official sources, defense budget of the country will amount
to 907 million manats ($1.039 billion). According to Ziyafet Askerov,
deputy speaker of the parliament and chair of the permanent commission
for defense and security issues, in 2007 defense expenditures will
grow 27.9% and the military components will account for 16% of the
budget for 2007.
>>From the sums allocated for military needs the Defense Ministry will
receive 796 million manats ($912.8 million) and 110.2 million mantas
($126 million) will go to the Ministry of Defense Industry. According
to Doktrina center of military studies of journalists, if the budget
of the country reaches this level Azerbaijan will confirm its first
place in the South Caucasus with regard to defense expenditures per
capita. In 2007, defense expenditures of Azerbaijan will amount to
$105 per capita. In Armenia this parameter amounts to $70 per capita
(the national military budget amounts to $220 million) and in Georgia
it will amount to $65 per capita.
Stockholm-based SIPRI points at a 51% growth in defense expenditures
of Azerbaijan between 2005 and 2006, and a 23% growth in defense
expenditures of Armenia. It is believed that Azerbaijan as an oil
producing country actively uses revenues from oil sale for purchase of
armament. According to SIPRI, the speed of growth of the Azerbaijani
defense budget is faster than the average international statistical
parameters.
Colonel General Safar Abiev, Defense Minister of Azerbaijan, also
connects increase of the defense expenditures with growth of economic
might of the state.
Although Azerbaijani independent experts welcome the growth of the
defense budget, they express concern about its wise spending. Hence,
even a small poll was held among military experts as a result of
which it was found out that they would like to receive answers to
the following seven questions related to the budget:
1. What are the exact reasons for annual growth of defense expenditures
in circumstances of absence of a strategy of armed forces buildup
in the country, which representatives of the state substantiate
dramatic increase of the military expenditures and what are their
arguments? Incidentally, up to date, the state of war of Azerbaijan
against Armenia was the pretext for growth of military expenditures.
2. Which part of the money allocated for the army will be spent on
money allowances for servicemen, for food and for uniforms?
Incidentally, according to various sources 70% of the money allocated
for the armed forces was spent on the aforementioned goals. Such
distribution of money is recognized as being far from international
standards.
3. Will increase of the sums allocated for defense result in
improvement of social guarantees for personnel of the armed forces?
4. Which part of the defense budget will be spent on purchase of
modern armament and combat hardware? In circumstances of absence of
a military doctrine, concept of national security and strategy for
buildup of the army from which countries will Azerbaijan buy armament
and combat hardware and with which standards will they comply, those
of NATO or those of Russia?
5. Which role will increase of defense expenditures play in the future
development of the armed forces? What will be the difference of the
army of 2007, spending $1 billion from the army of 1991-2003 existing
with $100-200 million?
6. What is it planned to do for improvement of authority of the
armed forces in society, specifically, for increase of prestige of
the military profession?
7. Are there guarantees of correct spending of the money allocated
for defense and non-appropriation of this money by private
individuals? Which tasks will be set for the law-enforcement agencies
because of this?
Answers to these questions are necessary. The government increases
military expenditures at its own discretion but evades reporting
in any form to society and to parliament. That is why there appear
presumptions of appropriation or possible appropriation of the money
allocated for defense.
It is also necessary to mention the stance of NATO towards increase
of the military expenditures by Azerbaijan. Brussels presumes that
increase of the defense budget along with growth of revenues is
normal. However, Brussels simultaneously advocates transparency of
the military budget to parliament and to society. Representatives of
NATO announced their readiness to help the government of Azerbaijan in
this aspect. The Individual Partnership Action Plan for partnership
between NATO and Azerbaijan (IPAP) clearly outlines goals of defense
planning. According to the document, Partnership Action Plan on Defense
Institution Building (PAP DIB) being a vehicle for implementation of
reforms in the field of defense and security makes democratic control
over the Armed Forces and budget transparency necessary. Incidentally,
for this goal Azerbaijan will form an expert group for implementation
of the plan of defense strategy and will make some aspects connected
with military expenditures open for discussion.
That is why it is possible to presume that in the near future
informing society about defense expenditures will be inevitable
for the government of Azerbaijan. This requires intensification of
relations with NATO. The final evaluation of cooperation between
Azerbaijan and NATO according to IPAP is expected between March and
April 2007. Official Baku will likely have to inform NATO officials
about fulfillment of provisions of the document entitled "Transparent
financing of the defense sector."