Defence Expenditures Grow by 20.7% in January-April 2007

[Antonian Lara]

ARMENIA'S DEFENCE EXPENDITURES GROW BY 20.7% IN JANUARY-APRIL 2007 ON
SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-April 2007, out of budgetary
expenditures of 140 bln 824.6 mln drams (over 391.4 mln USD), 25 bln
408.5 mln drams was spent in the sphere of defence, which exceeded by
20.7% the index of the same period of last year. The ratio of defence
expenditures to Armenian GDP in January-April 2006 made 5.1% against
5.3% in the same months of 2007.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, budgetary
expenditures on protection of public order, national security and
justice amounted to 11 bln 189.1 mln drams, exceeding by 12.2% the
respective index of last year, while their ratio to GDP made 2.4% in
the indicated period of 2006 against 2.3% in the first four months of
2007.

Expenditures on education and science made 23 bln 522 mln drams (21.7%
growth on the same period of last year), with their ratio increasing
from 4.7% to 4.9%. 19 bln 471.5 mln drams was spent in the social
security and social insurance sectors (23.3% growth), while their ratio
to GDP increased from 3.8% to 4.1%; 10 bln 675.7 mln drams was spent on
public health, the ratio of health care expenditures to GDP remained
the same - 2.2%.

In January-April 2007, 7 bln 775.2 mln drams was spent on communication
and road maintenance (15.9% growth). The ratio of these expenditures to
GDP remained at the level of 1.6%.