Tajikistan's parliament has approved the Central Asian nation's 2005 budget, significantly increasing spending on border protection, defense and law enforcement, officials said. The budget, passed by Parliament on Wednesday, envisions revenues at 1.256 billion somoni, or about US$430 million (¤320 million), a 37 percent increase from 2004, said the government's press office. Expenditures are forecast at 1.291 billion somoni, about US$440 million (¤328 million). Prime Minister Akil Akilov told Parliament Wednesday that according to the budget expenditures on border control would increase by 100 percent and on defense and law enforcement by 45 percent. The nation's 2005 budget also envisages a 50 percent increase of expenditures on social needs, Akilov said. The inflation rate is expected to be around 6 percent, according to the budget. Forecast GDP growth figure was not announced. Tajikistan is one of the poorest Central Asian nations. President Emomali Rakhmonov is expected to sign the budget before the end of the month.
