The government has sacrificed the country’s natural wealth to business interests and sees the protection of nature as an obstacle to development, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras charged on Thursday.

At a party meeting, Tsipras said “the state that New Democracy has created commits a crime against the present and future of its own citizens.”

The main opposition leader charged the government with “tearing up environmental legislation”, “planning the diversion of the Acheloos River”, and “leading the country to new fines by the EU over the natural environment.” He said his party is “determined to change this, and we shall change it together with you.”