OREANDA-NEWS. November 05, 2009. The committees of the Azerbaijani parliament continued to discuss the package of budget bills for 2010.

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Vagif Sadikhov said in the parliament that the Foreign Ministry appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers with  request to increase  a number of staff schedule of the ministry by another  80-100 units in order to enhance efficiency of activity of the ministry.

“However, it will be impossible to fulfill  the request, because volume of fund, to be allocated for the Foreign Ministry from the   2010 budget almost will not be changed as in 2009,” V. Sadikhov said. AZN 51 million is envisaged for the Foreign Ministry.

“The sum will include AZN 20 millions of investments, that is, expenses to purchase   real estate for the  embassies,  which will be opened in 2010, new equipment, including AZN 15 million will be allocated for construction work of the diplomatic small town, AZN 2 million – for requirements  of apparatus of the ministry, AZN 3 million – for Azerbaijani diplomatic representations abroad,’’ V. Sadikhov said.

According to Deputy Minister of Finance Fazil Farajov, AZN 15.2 million, envisaged  for the Foreign Ministry in 2010, will be allocated to carry out events abroad, AZN 1.1 million – to implement the events, connected with Azerbaijanis, residing overseas.

Azerbaijan has 65 diplomatic representations abroad, including 50 embassies, five Azerbaijani constant representations at international organizations, 8 consulates, three honorary consulates and two diplomatic missions.