A member of ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) expressed the party’s readiness to vote for government-proposed 2012 state budget draft.

At news conference in Yerevan, Rafik Petrosyan assessed the newly-drafted state budget as “realistic and social.” “At the same time, I understand opposition’s budget-related criticism and hope it will contribute to increasing effectiveness of the government’s work,” the MP said.

A member of Heritage opposition party, Larisa Alaversyan slammed the draft budget, noting the government’s failure to fulfill any of the goals stipulated. To prove her point, the oppositionist cited the budget-stipulated 11% poverty level which is nearing 34%, according to official reports.

Petrosyan, however, explained the situation by the consequences of financial crisis which stood in the way of the government’s plans.