ATHENS – The government is responsible for turning Greece into "a European champion in recession and layoffs," Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras said on Wednesday, following a European Commission report that the Greek economy is expected to shrink drastically this year.

In statements posted on social media, the main opposition leader charged that "the Commission is confirming now what we have been saying from the very start, that Greece will unfortunately become the European champion in recession and layoffs, because of the choices of the Mitsotakis government."

The worst, Tsipras said, is that "the strategy of insufficient support of workers and businesses is not attributed to the inadequacy of his ministers, but to Mitsotakis' personal choice," and charged the prime minister with measures that favor large business and are doing away with the middle class.