ATHENS — SYRIZA spokesman Alexis Charitsis said that party leader Alexis Tsipras' Friday speech in parliament illustrated how the country's economy is not only affected by the coronavirus pandemic but also by its state during New Democracy's rule, he told Prisma Radio on Friday.

Elaborating on his party's argument, he said that in the fourth quarter of 2019 Greek GDP decreased by 0.7 pct compared to the previous quarter, while a 1.6 pct decrease in GDP was recorded in the first quarter of 2020. "Two consecutive negative quarters, according to economists, means entry into recession," he underlined.

The SYRIZA government "had achieved positive growth rates for 12 consecutive quarters," he then pointed out.

The government must therefore take solid measures to support workers and businesses, while "a safety net is required for our fellow citizens who see their disposable income declining," Charitsis concluded.