Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis "is arrogant, has a lack of compassion, and cannot understand the pain and the agony of the average Greek citizen," SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras said in an interview with Alpha TV on Tuesday.
Tsipras mainly focused on a dinner Mitsotakis attended on Ikaria island despite COVID-19 restriction on large gatherings, calling it "a serious faux pas" and a cause for Greeks losing their trust as the prime minister cannot observe "the measures he has announced."
During the interview, he also asked how the New Democracy government plans to deal with the spectre of urgent issues in the business sector.
The opposition leader called for a write-off of 40%-60% of debts to the public sector and a repayment of 120 instalments.
He also called out the banks that have ample liquidity but are not passing this on to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Tsipras described it as a "scandalous."
Commenting on his party's low poll rating, he said that his experience in politics and since 2008 at the helm of SYRIZA, has shown him that major overturns may occur at any time.
He said he "wouldn't rest comfortably if I were prime minister" because the majority of the Greek people "feel great anger."
Asked why he didn't push for elections, he said that "the time has not come to ask for national elections," adding, "but that time will come."
During the interview, he also endorsed the illegal protests taking place in Greece amidst COVID-19 lockdown and proclaimed that he is “willing to take the risk” of the virus being spread further.
Η αριστερά του ανθρωπισμού.
— Ομάδα Αλήθειας (@omadaalithias) February 9, 2021
Τσίπρας: Δέχομαι το ρίσκο να κολλήσουν κάποιοι κορωνοϊό στα συλλαλητήρια pic.twitter.com/qmXFOSkWBe
Government spokesperson Christos Tarantilis accused Tsipras of inviting citizens to participate in rallies.
Specifically, in a statement late on Tuesday, Tarantilis said:
"So Mr. Tsipras is taking the risk of getting people infected in the rallies. How can one be indifferent to the dangers that this entails for the health of the citizens?" he questioned.
"How hypocritical is it to accuse the government of inadequate measures, when he is taking responsibility for their violation?" Tarantilis continued.
"How irresponsible is it for the main opposition to invite people to participate in rallies and marches during this critical period when society battles the pandemic? The health of our fellow human beings must be a top priority for all of us," he concluded.
