In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million), the press service of the Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday, May 30, TASS reports.

"It is planned to allocate an additional 1.11 billion manats to strengthen the country's defense capability and national security, including 1 billion manats ($588 million) for special projects and defense measures," the agency's website said in a statement.

According to the Ministry, after the increase, spending on special projects and defense measures will amount to 3.07 billion manats ($1.81 billion).

Azerbaijan is also increasing spending on “reconstruction work” in Karabakh and Zangilan by 2.26 billion manats ($1.3 billion) - up to 5.26 billion manats ($3.1 billion).

The country's budget for 2023, adopted by the Azerbaijani parliament at the end of 2022, includes defense and security spending in the amount of 5.3 billion manats ($3.1 billion), and 3 billion manats (about $1.8 billion) for the restoration of territories in Karabakh. ).