The Greek opposition parties rejected on Saturday evening a keynote speech delivered by Prime Minister George Papandreou earlier at the Thessaloniki International Fair in northern Greece on his government's short- future economic policy.

Burdened with a big budget deficit that almost led Greece to default this year, Papandreou said that there is no other way than fully implementing austerity measures and proceeding quickly to harsh structural reforms to boost competitiveness and development to save the country.

By this way, he argued, Greece can exit the crisis by 2014 with the essential support of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, which added pressure for fiscal discipline and painful changes.

"Whatever the premier says cannot change the truth of harsh measures for the people, because reality speaks for itself," commented the country's main opposition, the conservative New Democracy party, in a first reaction.

"The prime minister and his government's provocative stance is limitless. They stand at the interests of bankers and reform of Greece with the worst policies for employees," said a statement released by the Greek Communist Party.

"There is no doubt that these policies lead to disaster. There is an alternative. We should stop these policies," said the left SYRIZA coalition.

"Hope for something new from the premier's speech was turned into boredom. It was proven that the ruling PASOK party does not know how to and cannot cope with the crisis. The country needs a government of national consensus," observed the far-right Popular Orthodox Party.