ATHENS (Reuters) - A senior official of Greece's ruling Syriza party attacked the latest proposals from international lenders as "blackmail" on Thursday, highlighting the deep divisions between Athens and its creditors as wrangling continued over a bailout deal.
"The lenders' demand to bring annihilating measures back to the table shows that the blackmail against Greece is reaching a climax," Nikos Filis, the ruling Syriza party's parliamentary spokesman told Mega TV.
He said the Greek side was maintaining its insistence on debt relief as part of any accord, in comments that were echoed by Labour Minister Panos Skourletis.
"There cannot be a deal without a substantial reference and specific steps on the issue of debt," Skourletis said in an interview with state broadcaster ERT.
(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos and Michele Kambas)
