At the Telegraph UK, "Alexis Tsipras launches scathing attack on IMF as Greek authorities vow to fight desperate state cash grab":
Greek premier says IMF bears “criminal responsibility” as authorities vow only to transfer reserves if its the "last drop of blood" that will save the country from a euro exit.
Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras escalated his defiance towards the country’s official creditors, with a pointed attack on the International Monetary Fund, accusing the institution of “financial asphyxiation”.More.
In a firebrand speech to his parliament, Mr Tsipras said the IMF bore "criminal responsibility" for his country’s cash crisis.
"The fixation on cuts...is most likely part of a political plan...to humiliate an entire people that has suffered in the past five years through no fault of its own,” said Mr Tsipras.
This is the first time the Greek premier has targeted his government’s ire at the Fund in such a public manner. The IMF, which holds the position of senior creditor in the country's €240m rescue, is demanding Syriza cross its sacred red line on pensions, which they calculate as amounting to 16.2pc of GDP.
The combative speech came after the prime minister had met with his parliamentarians and leader of opposition centrist To Potami party. According to reports, Mr Tsipras told his counterparts the country would not fulfil its latest IMF repayment on June 30 if no deal was reached.
His defiant address further exposes the rift between Greece’s troika of lenders, whose competing demands on the country have led to a five-month negotiating stalemate.
“Our biggest battles [with creditors] still lie ahead and we must be ready to fight,” added Mr Tsipras.
IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard has admitted the debtor country will need a further write-off on its mounting debt pile - a measure which has all but been ruled out by Greece’s European paymasters...
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