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Abbas Ganbay

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Armenia's defence budget will be increased by 309 billion drams ($772 million) in 2024, the republic's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the Armenian parliament, Azernews reports.

"I would like to particularly note the increase in the defence budget by AMD 309 billion. This is 125% more than the 2018 defence budget. It is important for us to carry out reforms in the army. At the same time, I would like to note that the increase in the defence budget does not contradict our announced 'peace agenda'," Pashinyan says.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed hope that the agreement on opening checkpoints on the border with Turkiye will be implemented in the near future.

"I hope that in the near future we will manage to implement the agreement reached at the talks between the special representatives of Turkiye and Armenia on opening the borders. At this stage, it is planned to open the border for citizens of third countries and holders of diplomatic passports," Pashinyan said.

According to him, infrastructure restoration work is now underway at the checkpoints.

Recall that in protest against the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, Turkiye closed its borders with Armenia in 1993 and broke off all relations with the country. After the second Garabagh War, official steps were taken to normalise relations between Ankara and Yerevan. Turkiye appointed Serdar Kılıcı and Armenia appointed Ruben Rubenian as a special representative for the normalisation of relations.

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