Tsipras: SYRIZA-PA programme 'fully costed' and seeks to dismantle system of excessive profits

He also noted that the Greek people "have both memories and experience and know who forced us into the memoranda and left the state coffers empty in 2015 and which government managed to extricate us from the memoranda, to settle the debt and leave 37 billion euros in the state coffers. I am fully aware of the country's fiscal limits and difficulties and I have been in close contact with European officials in the last four years."

Asked about possible collaborations with other parties after the May 21 parliamentary elections using a system of simple proportional representation, he claimed that the first and the third party will be able to form a coalition government. If New Democracy (ND) comes first, Mitsotakis will seek to form a government and not take risk a second round, Tsipras predicted.

"If SYRIZA-PA comes first we will have a progressive government that will be based on a programme for the recovery of the economy, support of society and restoring democracy in the country," he added.

"It is not my vision or my dream to form a government that will be based on a party's tolerance. I want a long-term and stable government," he said.

Regarding foreign policy, Tsipras said that SYRIZA-PA will put the country "back on the tracks" of the national line: as a pillar of stability, a bridge for cooperation while, at the same time, the defence of the country's sovereign rights will be non-negotiable, as it was during SYRIZA's previous term in power.

Asked if he believes that politicians may have been blackmailed through the wire tappings, Tsipras replied: "we speak of blatant violations of the rule of law and proven breaches of communications privacy based on evidence. Mr Mitsotakis was covering this up for nine months, and he established a parliamentary examining committee to cover it up by citing reasons of national security."