ATHENS — "Mr. Tsipras has accustomed us to lying and populism. He did the same today," government spokesperson Aristotelia Peloni said on Friday in parliament, responding to the main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras.

"Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has today had successive meetings and joint statements with the European Council President Charles Michel. Nevertheless, Mr. Tsipras came to Parliament and complained that he did not come to answer a question regarding university admissions, at a time when hundreds of thousands of students are about to sit exams."

"Respecting the anxiety of students and their families, this discussion, as has already been announced, will take place at a neutral time," said the government spokesperson, and added: "As far as the implementation of the law on the protection of universities is concerned, the position of Mr. Tsipras proves once again the magnitude of his irresponsibility. The leader of the main opposition has adopted a position in the most official way, from the podium in Parliament, based on publications whose accurancy he had not bothered to cross-check. We therefore inform him that in the next few days, the announcement for the recruitment of university security staff, who will be university graduates, will be published."

Peloni concluded her statement: "But the truth was never compatible with Mr. Tsipras."