Greek PM Tsipras Accuses Lenders Of Making "absurd" Demands

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has lashed out at the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, accusing the creditors of making "absurd proposals" as to what reforms the country should introduce. Writing in French daily Le Monde on Sunday, Tsipras blamed the institutions for the lack of reform agreement so far and accused them of wanting to impose a "harsh punishment" on Greece. The prime minister explained that Athens has already offered serious concessions in its economic overhaul, but that the creditors are insisting on tougher measures. The comments come as Athens is racing against time to hammer out a deal with its lenders before it runs out of cash to repay upcoming loans, including a 300 million euro ($327 million) payment to the IMF on Friday. In his Le Monde article, Tsipras further warned that Europe is at a crossroads and must choose between solidarity, equality and democracy or rupture and division. "My conclusion, therefore, is that the issue of Greece does not only concern Greece; rather, it is the very epicenter of conflict between two diametrically opposing strategies concerning the future of European unification," he said.