Baku: “Responding to Armenia’s large-scale militarization policy has made it necessary to increase Azerbaijan’s defense and security spending and further enhance our defense capabilities,” Azerbaijan’s Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov stated during a discussion on the “State Budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025” draft law at a meeting of the Milli Majlis Committee for Economic Policy, Industries, and Enterprising, APA reports.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Minister emphasized that improving the well-being of Azerbaijani people is, traditionally, a priority. “Socially-oriented spending has been a major focus in the 2025 state budget. As part of the implementation of the President’s relevant directive, funds have been allocated for wages, pensions, and social benefits in the 2025 state budget. The living wage and the need criterion are set to increase from AZN 270 to AZN 285. Compared to 2024, a 9.6% increase in funding will be allocated for social security and social protection expenses
.”