In an interview with state TV on Tuesday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that Sunday, when he signed up to the reforms demanded by eurozone creditors, was "a bad night for Europe, a defeat for Europe".
The prime minister criticized the deal, but said it was the best Greece could get, "The policies imposed on us were irrational ... But the policies offer a course out of the crisis" he said.
He added that he took "full responsibility" for signing an accord he did "not believe in”, but which he signed “to avoid disaster for the country".
"what is important right now is to ensure the safety of the country and of the working classes so that they do not suffer an economic catastrophe, and to ensure the safety of the banking system and protect people's savings."
The Greek prime said Greece must stick to the fiscal adjustment the deal foresees because a Grexit and a parallel currency were simply not options for the beleaguered country, as it does not have the resources to implement its own currency.
Tsipras said he had fought a battle not to cut wages and pensions, adding that the fiscal adjustment agreed in the deal was milder than adjustments agreed to in the past.
But he did not hide his bitterness over the acrimonious summit. "There was a vindictive attitude displayed by our partners regarding our decision to ask the people's opinion in a referendum," he said.
He ruled out ceding power to a national unity government and lashed out at party rebels who are considering voting against the measures.
Tsipras, who is facing growing dissent within his left-wing Syriza party after breaking election campaign promises to reach a deal for a third bailout, said he won't resign despite being pressed to impose more austerity measures in Greece.