BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 23. A total of 8.7 billion manat ($5.14 billion) will be allocated from Azerbaijan's 2026 state budget for defense and national security expenses, which is 318.5 million manat ($188 million) or 3.8 percent more than in 2025, and 2.15 billion manat ($1.27 billion) or 32.8 percent more compared to the 2024 execution.
The data obtained by Trend from the draft law "On the state budget of Azerbaijan for 2026" shows that compared to 2022, the share of defense and national security expenditures in the state budget will increase by 5.7 percentage points, and in absolute terms will rise by 3.8 billion manat ($2.25 billion), or 1.8 times.
The 2026 budget will also allocate 3.34 billion manat ($1.97 billion) for the maintenance of the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and the prosecutor’s office, which is 151.6 million manat ($89 million) or 4.7 percent more than in 2025, and 533.8 million manat ($314 million) or 19 percent more than the 2024 execution.
The budget took into account funds required to fully staff defense and law enforcement personnel, improve their material and technical support, and organize relevant services in the liberated territories.
The 2026 budget includes 35 million manat ($20.6 million) for housing and necessary expenses for military personnel with 20 or more years of service (both active and reserve), and 15.5 million manat ($9.1 million) for cash compensation to military personnel without housing, including those in reserve and retired, for rented accommodation.
Off-budget expenditures financed from the defense, national security, judiciary, law enforcement, and prosecution sections of the 2026 state budget will total 494.7 million manat ($29.2 million), which is 102.8 million manat ($6.1 million) or 26.2 percent higher than in 2025.
Out of that amount, 48.5 million manat ($28.6 million), or 9.8 percent, accounts for defense and national security expenses (5.7 million manat or $3.36 million, or 13.4 percent more compared to 2025), and 446.2 million manat ($263.2 million), or 90.2 percent, for the maintenance costs of the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and prosecution (which is 96.8 million manat or $57.1 million, or 27.7 percent more compared to 2025).
