Independent Greeks (ANEL) party leader Panos Kammenos made the following statement on Saturday, in response to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras speech at an event for the 40th anniversary since the founding of New Democracy.

“The prime minister broke all 18 of his pre-election promises and now makes new ones. The man who handed over the country’s national sovereignty now speaks of (a duty to) the country. The servant of the new order now speaks of religion. The ruler that plunged Greece’s middle class into misery now speaks of dignity. The hand grenade went off. The damage is done,” Mr. Kammenos said.

During his speech at an ND event in Halkidiki, the prime minister had said the following regarding his role in dealing with the crisis: “Instead of basking in the glory of my country’s demise, I chose to change its course, to change its fate. Many warned me that I’d been given a hand grenade that could go off in my hands. I was aware of that. But I held on and I defused that grenade. I did not let it go off. Someone had to do it and it was us.”