Tsipras unwilling to sign any troika agreement

If talks fail between SYRIZA's government and the lenders, he said, the party will implement the programme announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair. Asked whether the country will not be excluded from markets, he said it already is excluded now.

Among other things, Tsipras stressed that he does not recognise the right of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to speak on behalf of the other 27 EU member-states and expressed the belief that the Europeans would not risk the mutilation of Europe in order to punish SYRIZA; attitudes about Greece are changing, he noted.

Asked whether he would collaborate with former PASOK officials, Tsipras said that not all former PASOK officials are con artists. SYRIZA will not be used to whitewash anyone, nor will it become exclusive.

To another question related to the safety of bank accounts, the main opposition leader said it was despicable and unethical that the prime minister made popular-style announcements about deposits. Even more unethical, he said, was for government representatives to spread fake news.

These rumours do not destabilise SYRIZA, he said, but the banking system itself, which has recently passed the stress tests and guarantees deposits. SYRIZA will not come vengefully, but it will publicly control banks, in collaboration with the European Central Bank.