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ARMENIA: SECRECY SURROUNDS ARMENIA'S $400 MILLION DEFENCE BUDGET
Trend
Nov 14 2011
Azerbaijan
The Armenian Parliament plans to increase its defence budget next year
to 150 billion drams. The public wants to know how the Government is
going to spend this money, website EurasiaNet said.
Where does the need for keeping a state secret end and where does
public control over transparency of state actions begin? Public
activists most often ask this question in connection with the news
that the defence budget has been increased by 5.6 per cent, the
article reads.
'The sum of 150 billion drams, or around $400 million is the highest
amount of annual military spending over the entire country's history.
However, one can only guess how exactly and effectively the Ministry
will spend this extra money. Information of defence expenditure has
long been considered a matter unavailable to the broader public,'
the article said.
The article's author believes many Armenians want to know how their
Government plans to use this money, which is much more limited compared
to Azerbaijan's.
"Following the suspension of the conflict with Azerbaijan whose
military budget is a six fold increase against Armenia's, there is
the following question. How do they, the Armenian authorities spend
our small budget?" asks Emma Umanyan, a member of public organisation
Soldier & Law lobbying interests of military servicemen. "We usually
never receive an answer, "she added.
Armenian Defence Minister Seiran Oganyan told Parliament that the
extra funds will be spent for 'an increase in the number of skilled
personnel and purchase of new military hardware and arms'.
Any other information is considered as not available for broader
discussion. The Control Chamber which is responsible for setting
out the state budget performance, does, from time to time, makes
irate statements about different agencies breaking the law, but never
releases information of spending by the Defence Ministry. The results
of the Ministry's auditor checks last year were totally restricted.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
From: Baghdasarian
Trend
Nov 14 2011
Azerbaijan
The Armenian Parliament plans to increase its defence budget next year
to 150 billion drams. The public wants to know how the Government is
going to spend this money, website EurasiaNet said.
Where does the need for keeping a state secret end and where does
public control over transparency of state actions begin? Public
activists most often ask this question in connection with the news
that the defence budget has been increased by 5.6 per cent, the
article reads.
'The sum of 150 billion drams, or around $400 million is the highest
amount of annual military spending over the entire country's history.
However, one can only guess how exactly and effectively the Ministry
will spend this extra money. Information of defence expenditure has
long been considered a matter unavailable to the broader public,'
the article said.
The article's author believes many Armenians want to know how their
Government plans to use this money, which is much more limited compared
to Azerbaijan's.
"Following the suspension of the conflict with Azerbaijan whose
military budget is a six fold increase against Armenia's, there is
the following question. How do they, the Armenian authorities spend
our small budget?" asks Emma Umanyan, a member of public organisation
Soldier & Law lobbying interests of military servicemen. "We usually
never receive an answer, "she added.
Armenian Defence Minister Seiran Oganyan told Parliament that the
extra funds will be spent for 'an increase in the number of skilled
personnel and purchase of new military hardware and arms'.
Any other information is considered as not available for broader
discussion. The Control Chamber which is responsible for setting
out the state budget performance, does, from time to time, makes
irate statements about different agencies breaking the law, but never
releases information of spending by the Defence Ministry. The results
of the Ministry's auditor checks last year were totally restricted.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
From: Baghdasarian