In a freshly published memoir, titled Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits the turbulent era during Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Appointment
According to the ex-PM's account, Tsipras appointed that unorthodox economist Varoufakis as his treasury head mainly because of the latter's worldwide fame along with Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to communicator.
“He was, actually, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras suggests how his finance chief possessed a personal motives which included promoting his publications and testing out his economic models using Greece rather than genuinely fighting for its financial survival.
Tsipras noted that those talks to stave off insolvency became “not just a way to secure a better deal for Greece. They became an experiment, a monumental chance to prove the validity of his economic theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
During rollercoaster discussions, Greece found itself dangerously on the brink of leaving the single currency area.
On the line was both the country's future but also those punishing austerity policies demanded in exchange for bailout funds by international creditors.
Unsuccessful Alternatives
Attempts to secure financing from other sources, such as an urgent plea to Russia to purchase Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Helping Greece was equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader reportedly informed Tsipras in Moscow.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
That summer, those punitive conditions were put to a popular referendum, a move which threw Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.
Although the referendum was carried decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package from creditors which proved to be tougher.
Breaking Point
Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who attracted media attention, who appeared on the front pages of magazines globally … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When the minister proposed a contingency plan that included establishing a secondary currency and distributing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew that it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Lasting Rebuke
In the book, the author asserts that his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for a deal demanding complex and sensitive management.”
He further wrote how Varoufakis's confrontational style left him more and more alone with colleagues, put Greece at risk, and assisted hawks who were advocating Grexit.
The account of history has provoked anger along with shock among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has so far kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
