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".
In a firebrand speech to his Parliament, 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 Tsipras.
![Alexis Tsipras. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/ZET5TGZBWDRUOGWOZUDXT3KQX4.jpg?auth=d817625d46b4c4a9e9077f04b03b6175fd371b8153803e339d2cfafa896f18e8&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
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 240 million ($388 million) rescue, is demanding Syriza cross its sacred red line on pensions, which they calculate as amounting to 16.2 per cent of GDP.