Government Spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis told the private SKAI TV channel on Monday that the government has acted responsibly in representing the Greek people and in its dealings with Greece’s EU partners.

He said that former finance minister Gikas Hardouvelis’ e-mail-laden communication with the “troika” of Greece’s creditors (IMF-ECB-EC) are a thing of the past.

He also maintained that austerity has come to an end.

Asked about Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) MEP Manolis Glezos’ statements, which sharply criticized the government’s agreement for a four-month extension and charged that it was like “baptizing meat into fish”, Sakellaridis said this is not the case.

“We don’t have a magic wand, we we’re working within a suffocating framework; and we succeeded in what the previous governments failed to achieve in five years,” he said, adding: “we can’t say we’ve won the war, but a battle has been won.”

“We shouldn’t celebrate because a crucial period is coming where the government needs to prove its credibility in making the necessary changes,” he said. “The 100 installments settlement will make it easier for those who can pay some of their public debt and be of benefit to both themselves and the state.” He said that an increase to the minimum wage will be gradual so that small businesses can adjust to this and the government will return the institution of group negotiations.