In a recently unveiled personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits the chaotic era during Greece's debt drama.
A Controversial Appointment
According to Tsipras's version, Tsipras appointed the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis to be his treasury head largely because of the latter's worldwide fame and his very persuasive skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, actually, more of a celebrity and less of an economic expert,” stated Tsipras.
Clashing Priorities
The former leader claims that Varoufakis possessed his own motives that involved advancing Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his own theories using the nation rather than genuinely advocating its financial survival.
He wrote that those talks to prevent bankruptcy became “not just a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were an experiment, an historic opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's theories.”
Critical Negotiations
Amid tense discussions, the country found itself dangerously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
At stake was not only Greece's destiny and those punishing austerity policies required in return for rescue loans by foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Attempts to find financing from other sources, such as an urgent plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, were rejected.
Assisting the indebted country was tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told Tsipras in Moscow.
Referendum Followed by Reversal
In July 2015, the punitive conditions were put to a public vote, a move which threw the EU into further crisis of identity.
Even though the referendum was won decisively by voters against austerity, the prime minister was forced but to ignore the result then negotiate a rescue deal with foreign lenders that turned out to be more severe.
Breaking Point
Tsipras revealed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the face of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who graced the front pages of publications globally … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”
When the minister proposed a backup strategy involving creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras said he realised it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras concludes that his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for a deal demanding complex and sensitive management.”
He further claimed how Varoufakis's confrontational approach left him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, and helped hardliners who were pushing for Grexit.
The retelling of history has been met with anger and shock in some quarters, while the former minister has so far kept a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
