Speaking about the Eurogroup meeting on Monday, government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis told the private MEGA TV station that he cannot understand how EU partners can issue “ultimatums” in such a “raw and harsh” way.

“The government is focused on one thing – on a mutual, steady agreement,” he said. “For this to happen there needs to be a joint agreement that would bring a common solution.” He expressed Greece’s willingness to enter a dialogue based on democratic principles in order to find joint goals and common solution but refused to accept “democracy”.

“What we need to understand is that negotiations in progress cannot end in just one week,” said Sakellaridis, adding that Greece will not seek an extension to a memorandum that expresses polar opposite political viewpoints to those on which the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) was voted to represent. “We will not bow down to an ultimatum or blackmail,” he said.

Sakellaridis was critical of German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble’s references to the Greek government as “reckless” and statements that he “feels sorry” for Greeks. He put into question the German finance minister’s own characterizations that hardly represent the words of a “responsible” person. Greece’s government spokesman said that what is needed isn’t stubbornness but a focus on correct and suitable policies that can put an end to the “absurdity” over the last few years in Greece.

He said that the first document that European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici’s draft document was one that Athens could have agreed to as it took into account the “humanitarian crisis” in Greece.

He said negotiations are continuing and said that Greece has the support of Belgium, Austria, Italy, Cyprus and, in part, from France.

“Finance ministers are technocrats and view things in a different way,” he said, referring to how the support that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had in Brussels had turned around so much in just a few days.

Publications referring to Varoufakis’ replacement

Sakellaridis said that he had seen these publications and cannot believe that an embassy or government could have put forth a request calling for the replacement of a country’s minister.