Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has published an annual SIPRI report, Yearbook 2010, which reflects the main world trends in arms control, disarmament and international security in the world. According to Swedish experts, in 2009, Belarus increased its military spending by 17%.
By this index, our country ranks fourth in Europe. The largest increase in military spending among European countries recorded in Cyprus, Turkey and Macedonia — 21%, 18% and 18% respectively.
In general, SIPRI notes the worldwide increase in military spending. The leader on this index is the United States, who had 54% of world military spending growth in 2009. The top-five also includes China, France, Britain and Russia.
All the countries spent more than 1.5 trillion dollars for military purposes in 2009, what is 5.9% more compared to 2008 and 49% — to 2000.
«Many countries increased public expenditure in 2009, which became one of the ways to increase demand in order to combat the economic downturn», SIPRI military expenditure program manager, Sam Perlo-Freeman, noted in comments to the press.
«The data show that in many cases military expenditures are long-term strategic choice of many major and medium powers — such as USA, China, Russia, India and Brazil, and they stick to this choice even in difficult economic times», the author of the report noted.
