The Presidential Palace on Friday announced a plan to cut the waste out of security institution budgets.

“There will be no significant reduction in our security budget unless we reduce unnecessary spending and prevent wastage,” said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ghani.

In the next year’s (1399) budget plan, more than 155 billion Afghanis have been allocated for the Defense Ministry, Internal Affairs Ministry and the National Security Directorate.

There will be an increase for the Ministry of Defense and the National Directorate of Security, but a decrease in the budget for the Ministry of Interior.

In the fiscal Year 1399 budget’s document, 81.4 billon Afghanis are earmarked for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, 54.2 billion for the Ministry of Interior, and 19.5 billion for the National Directorate of Security.

However, in the current fiscal year (1398), the budget of the Ministry of Defense is 78.8 billion Afghanis, the budget of the Ministry of Interior is 54.8 billion, and the budget of the National Directorate of Security is 18.2 billion Afghanis.

“Over the past eight months, the Interior Ministry has saved three billion afghanis in the fight against corruption. Next year's budget has been arranged and finalized based on needs, and there will no shortage in it,” said Nasrat Rahimi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior.

“All unnecessary expenditures have been deducted. If there is a shortage, the Ministry of Defense will face a problem,” said Rohullah Ahmadzai, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.

Meanwhile, a number of members of the House of Representatives are concerned about a possible reduction in the budget of the security agencies.

“If there is no drastic change in the Afghan war situation and in the management and leadership of the security agencies, this reduction can be problematic in itself,” said Qayoum Sajadi, a parliament member.

“Considering the current situation in the country, we need this budget not to be reduced,” said Arif Rahmani, another member of parliament.