Tsipras defends gov’t in Parl’t, Mitsotakis calls him ‘corrupted’

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras expressed optimism about the prospects for Greece's economic recovery following last month's Eurogroup deal and defended his government's record during a speech in Parliament on Monday.

"Now we have a deal and those who should explain themselves are the false prophets of disaster," Tsipras said in a dig at the political opposition.

Referring to New Democracy and its leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Tsipras referred to a "disaster-mongering mill" that had been in operation until the deal was reached on June 15.

"Now that the review has finished, it is not at all easy to sell disaster-mongering and fear," he said, noting that the reactions of markets since the deal cannot be distorted.

He emphasized that the Greek economy is "correcting itself and will soon return to competitive and sustainable levels as regards borrowing," adding that the path was now open for investors.

He insisted too that Greece had secured specific measures as regards relief for the country's debt.

Mitsotakis hit back hard, declaring to Tsipras that, "power has corrupted you" and reiterating his demand for snap elections.

He added that the government is a "champion" at imposing taxes but a loser in its purported crackdown on tax evasion.

"The numbers say it all, you said you would collect 3 billion euros in six months and you collected less than 100 million in 30 months,"he said,