Aliyev: Azerbaijan will increase defense spending in 2023 state budget

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted that the country’s authorities reviewed the parameters of the 2023 state budget and decided to increase the funding of the defense sector.

“In the matter of army building, we have always worked in a systemic way and we continue this work. After the second Karabakh war, we did not stop, on the contrary, we are moving forward. Additions will be introduced in this year’s state budget; a considerable part of additional spending will again be earmarked for defense purposes. Why? Because we must always be ready. The threats are increasing, the danger is increasing, and we must be able to overcome any threat,” Aliyev said in his address to the nation on Wednesday.

Also, he stated that the Azerbaijani army is one of the strongest armies in the world.

“The Azerbaijani army is among the strongest armies in the world both in terms of weapons and combat readiness. Our army fought, showed its strength not in a [military] parade, but on the battlefield; this is our army. Army building is being ensured at a proper level today as well, it will be ensured from now on as well,” Aliyev emphasized.

In the 2023 state budget of Azerbaijan, 5.3 billion mantas—more than $3.1 billion at the current exchange rate—, or 16 percent of the state budget spending, are planned for the provision of defense and national security of the country.