Juncker says Greek government is 'misleading' voters over Greece

Jean-Claude Juncker has accused the Greek government of misleading voters as Alexis Tsipras said its creditors were trying to "humiliate" the country.

The European Commission president said the government had not told the truth about its bailout proposals.

"I am blaming the Greeks [for telling] things to the Greek public which are not consistent with what I've told the Greek prime minister," Mr Juncker said.

Mr Tsipras has said that the lenders wanted to raise VAT on electricity.

Other Greek ministers have criticised suggestions to increase sales tax on medicines.

However, Mr Juncker said: "I'm not in favour, and the prime minister knows that, ... of increasing VAT on medicaments and electricity. This would be a major mistake."

"The debate in Greece and outside Greece would be easier if the Greek government would tell exactly what the Commission... are really proposing," he added.

Greek finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis claimed that EU proposals did include VAT increases: "Juncker either hadn't read the document he gave Tsipras - or he read it and forgot about it."
'Criminal responsibility'

Mr Tsipras said on Tuesday that the EU and International Monetary Fund wanted cuts to pensions and tax rises to "humiliate not only the Greek government... but humiliate an entire people".

The IMF bore "criminal responsibility" for austerity measures that had plunged the Greek economy into recession, he added....
BBC
17/6/15
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