Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday addressed Parliament on the government’s proposed social security reforms, noting that all the political parties were obliged to adopt a position on an issue of such gravity as the sustainability of Greece’s social security system.

Mr. Tsipras blamed New Democracy and PASOK for the system’s current problems accusing them for 40 years of state pension fund mismanagement and “looting” under their government, while he said that his government did not share any responsibility.

Prime Minister, though, refused that the left government had caused any problems to the social security system in 2015.

Addressing the opposition parties, he asked whether “those who caused the problems, looted the funds and created the ‘black holes’ in these years of crisis also had any proposal to put forward.”

“Will you support the government’s agreement with the employer associations for an increase in their contributions or will you align yourself with the International Monetary Fund and its fixations, which will lead to new pension cuts, alongside the 12 previous [cuts] pensioners have been subjected to,” he said.

Prime Minister talked also about the future collapse of the social security system and defended with passion the reforms proposed by his government. He tried, though, to reassure that the reforms are not as painful as it is said to be and that the government had proceeded to corrective actions.

Mr. Tsipras also claimed that the government did not decide to proceed with the social security reform because it was asked by Greece’s lenders, but because it was necessary to do so in order to avoid its collapse.

“If future generations are to have social insurance, there is no room for stalling or prevarication,” Mr. Tsipras said, pointing out that the system was not currently viable. “Unless we take measures, it will collapse,” he added.