GREEK Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sought parliamentary approval yesterday for new austerity proposals to international creditors.

Critics pointed out that the package proposed by the Syriza government’s ministers included cuts almost identical to the Eurogroup demands overwhelmingly rejected by Greek voters in Sunday’s referendum.

But with no popular mandate for an exit from the euro, now openly threatened by EU creditors since the plebiscite, Mr Tsipras had no choice but to return to the negotiating table.