MPs Discuss Defense Budget

On December 20 the Parliamentary Committee for Defense and Security launched discussions over the defense budget for 2005.

Despite the authorities? earlier pledge to double defense spending, according to the draft 2005 budget the government intends to allocate only 126.3 million Lari (more than USD 70 million) for the Defense Ministry next year, which is roughly a 35% increase over last year’s budget of 91.6 million Lari (USD 50.8 million).