According to a draft amendment to the 2005 state budget, an additional 46 million Lari (approximately USD 25.1 million) will be allocated to the Defense Ministry to be spent on customs dues for the import of unspecified equipment which has recently been purchased by the Defense Ministry.
The parliamentary opposition criticizes this draft amendment as being ?non-transparent.”
MP Ivliane Khaindrava from the opposition Republican Party said on May 19 at the parliamentary session that ?if 46 million Lari is meant only for paying customs dues, it means that the Defense Ministry will spend almost half of its budget, approximately 200 million Lari, on acquisitions.?
As a result of this amendment to the state budget, the total defense budget will be increased to 314.7 million Lari.
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