In the 2024 budget, defense expenditures have more than doubled compared to 2018, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan told the parliament on Thursday, November 16.

“This is preparation not for war, but for peace, because the sense of security of citizens is the most important guarantee of peace and stability,” Pashinyan said.

“I am sure that all neighboring countries are convinced that we are not going to attack anyone.”

In this regard, the Prime Minister said he does not consider the concerns expressed about reforms in the Armed Forces of Armenia to be appropriate for two reasons.

“Firstly, every sovereign state has not only the right, but also the obligation to reform and strengthen its army, which is what we are doing. And secondly, over the past ten years, Azerbaijan’s defense spending has been on average three times higher than that of Armenia. And, in fact, they continue to remain so,” Pashinyan concluded.