Creditors trying to humiliate Greek people, says Tsipras

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras lashed out at Greece’s creditors yesterday, accusing them of trying to “humiliate” Greeks, as he defied a drumbeat of warnings that Europe is preparing for his country to leave the euro.

The unrepentant address to politicians after the collapse of talks with European and IMF lenders at the weekend was the clearest sign yet that the leftist leader has no intention of making a last-minute U-turn and accepting austerity cuts needed to unlock frozen aid and avoid a debt default within two weeks.

Financial markets, for months indifferent to wrangling over releasing billions of euro of aid for Greece, reacted with mounting alarm.