The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says his country has been transformed into an “austerity laboratory”.
Mr Tsipras told the European Parliament this morning that Greece has faced the toughest measures in the region, even though other European countries have also faced some austerity.
His country has been given until Friday to come up with new proposals to reach a deal with international creditors ahead of another emergency EU leaders summit on Sunday.
Although last night’s leaders’ meeting in Brussels apparently broke up after no new proposals came from Athens, Mr Tsipras says they did make submissions, which are now being worked on.
He said: “And today we are working with the support arrangements in the next two or three days.
“We have undertaken to bring forward concrete proposals in detail and I am confident that in the next few days we will be able to meet the obligations at this crucial time in the best interests of Greece and lso for the Eurozone.”
Mr Tsipras said his country wants a deal that will mean a definitive end to Greece’s protracted financial crisis, and that last Sunday’s referendum result does not mean a break with Europe.
Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Tsipras said Greece’s troubles date to long before he took office five months ago.
European leaders have readied a “Grexit scenario” about a possible exit from the euro.
