ATHENS (Sputnik) — Greece's government was forced to choose between agreeing with the creditors' terms or bankruptcy and leaving the Eurozone, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Tuesday.
"The night before last was bad for Europe. There was pressure on one country, on one people with 'might makes right.' On the negotiating table was an agreement, or bankruptcy and an uncontrolled euro exit," Tsipras said in an interview with ERT television.
Tsipras also said that he knew about German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble's plan regarding Greece’s exit from the Eurozone since March, had studied this opportunity but found it inadmissible.
“No one wants chaotic bankruptcy. What seemed an alternative to it, was Schaeuble’s plan, meaning the consent on the exit from euro. I knew about Schaeuble’s plan since March,” Tsipras said in an interview with ERT.
He noted that Greece simply does not have currency reserves needed to support returning to the national currency, the drachma.
“We are now in extraordinary circumstances. I was taking critically important decisions,” Tsipras said.
On Saturday, German media reported, citing a Finance Ministry document, that Berlin saw Athens’ proposals on how to deal with its multibillion dollar debt as insufficient. The document suggested that Greece may be asked to leave the Eurozone for a period of at least five years and restructure its debt, while still remaining the member of the European Union.
On Monday, the leaders of the Euro area reached an agreement on a new bailout package for Greece. After the deal was reached, Tsipras said that the idea of Grexit is now off the table
