Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is seen on a television monitor whille addressing the nation early June 27, 2015. REUTERS/Pool Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras isn't backing down.

Despite an impending default, he says Greece will not be tossed from the eurozone.

In an interview on state TV, Tsipras said, "They will not kick us out of the eurozone because the cost is immense."

However, there are major financial difficulties ahead. The country's bailout program is set to end on Tuesday, and it will likely miss a payment to the IMF.

There is a referendum on the tentative deal that the Greek government reached with creditors, but it is not planned to take place until Sunday.

Bloomberg reports that Tsipras said the Greeks will survive even without a bailout program, and that Greece won't abandon democracy because its bailout program ends.

However, survival is relative. Banks are closed this week due to the lack of bailout extension, and Tsipras said they won't reopen until after the referendum next weekend.

Tsipras maintained that the referendum provides the government with a stronger negotiating position (although observers question if that is true). He said that the referendum goes back to Greece's democratic roots, and noted that the government will go with whatever the Greek people decide at the ballot box.

He did hint, however, that if voters say yes to the creditors' proposals, he may resign.



Tsipras also said that Greece's creditors would prefer that Greece not hold a referendum. But he also maintained his line that Greece has done everything in its power to reach a compromise with its creditors, and the creditors have not given the Greeks any acceptable solutions.

He said that it was the Eurogroup, not Greece, that abruptly cut off negotiations last week.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief-of-staff, Peter Altmaier, made a speech at the same time as Tsipras. He said that there will be no new financial aid for Greece until after the referendum. However, he also said "the door isn't closed" for Greece.

This post continues to be updated.