Greek PM lashes out at reported EU criticism of bill to help poor

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday hit back at reported criticism from European partners on a bill legislating food stamps and free electricity to the poor, saying his government will not be scared into complying with lenders. Britain's Channel 4 had earlier reported that the EU's mission chief for Greece had told Tsipras's leftist government to enter into further talks over the bill or risk "proceeding unilaterally" against the terms of a Feb.20 accord that staved off a Greek banking collapse. "What else can one say to those who have the audacity to say that dealing with a humanitarian crisis is a unilateral action?" Tsipras told parliament before lawmakers vote on the bill, his government's first piece of legislation since taking power. "They are asking us to freeze bills so that thousands of households in Greece continue to freeze without electricity." The vote on the bill is expected to take place later on Wednesday and pass easily with support from the opposition as well. "If they're doing it to frighten us, the answer is: we will not be frightened," Tsipras said. "The Greek government is determined to stick to the Feb. 20 agreement. However, we demand the same from our partners... Let them stop unilateral actions, respecting the agreement they signed." (Reporting by Costas Pitas and George Georgiopoulos, Writing by Deepa Babington)