Outspoken Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis hailed results from the country’s referendum on a bailout deal with international creditors.

Speaking to reporters as the “No” camp won a convincing victory, Varoufakis said the result returned an ultimatum to creditors – the European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and euro-area nations. He said the results vindicated the government’s position and that the people of Greece said “no” to five years of hypocrisy.

He described the result as a “Yes” to a better vision of the eurozone, and said Greece was outstretching a hand of co-operation to creditors to negotiate a more realistic deal to help Greece grow.

Varoufakis had strained relationships with the Europeans and at one point was even pulled by Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras from the head of the negotiating team.