THE Scottish Conservatives have confirmed they will vote against the SNP-Green power-sharing deal when it comes before parliament this week.
The party claimed the Greens were "not fit for office" because of their desire to curb economic growth.
The SNP said the Tory comments "reek of sour grapes".
Nicola Sturgeon is expected to make a statement on the five-year pact on Tuesday, when Holyrood returns after the summer recess.
The arrangement, which sees Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater become the first Green ministers in the UK, stops short of being a full coalition.
However it does mean SNP ministers will not face votes of confidence, as they did in the last parliament, when they were outnumbered by all the opposition parties combined.
With the SNP now having 64 of 129 MSPs and the Greens seven, Nicola Sturgeon has said the deal will “cement the pro-independence majority” at Holyrood.
Green party members ratified the deal in a special meeting yesterday, a week after the SNP’s ruling body rubberstamped it.
The Tories said they would oppose “extremist” Green ministers in office, and demand the Greens lose their opposition privileges, such as a regular question slot at FMQs and opposition funding.
The Herald revealed earlier this month that the Greens remain in line to get £225,000 intended to support them as an opposition party despite also being in power.
Under a 1999 law, they would still qualify for the cash as they have less than a fifth of all ministers.
READ MORE: Scottish Greens in line for opposition funds even if in Government
Tory chief whip Stephen Kerr MSP said: “We cannot accept the Greens’ ludicrous attempt to game the system by being in government and opposition at the same time.
“This nationalist deal is a coalition, according to the Greens’ own constitution.
"It will see the Greens join the government and be bound by agreement to support the SNP in votes.
“The Greens cannot have their cake and eat it.
"The Scottish Parliament will be weakened if they are allowed to hold government office and retain the rights of opposition parties, including receiving additional funds and a key position at First Minister’s Questions.
“As we deliver our recovery, we also cannot endorse extreme Scottish Government ministers who would recklessly risk jobs and businesses.
"Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater freely admit that they want to hold back our economy.
READ MORE: Gordon Brown says SNP independence plans 'more extreme' than in 2014
“They have said themselves they are against 'endless economic growth'.
“The extremist Greens are not fit for office.
"They’re a danger to Scotland’s economic recovery with their anti-jobs, anti-business ideological agenda.
“Only the Scottish Conservatives will stand up to the serious economic threat posed by this nationalist coalition of chaos.”
An SNP spokesperson said: "No-one will be surprised at the Tories voting against a government which is building a greener fairer Scotland.
"As the only party since devolution now not to have held office, this reeks of sour grapes."
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