Within his freshly published personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras does not hold back as he revisits the chaotic period during Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Choice
In the ex-PM's recollections, he selected the unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis as his finance minister largely due to his international reputation and his “extremely attractive” skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, in reality, more of a celebrity and less of an economic expert,” recalled Tsipras.
Clashing Priorities
Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis had his own agenda which involved advancing Varoufakis's publications and testing out his own economic models using the nation rather than genuinely advocating its economic stability.
He wrote how the discussions to prevent insolvency were “not only a way of achieving a better deal for Greece. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to prove the validity of his theories.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
Amid volatile negotiations, the country came perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line was both the country's future and those punishing austerity policies demanded in exchange for financial aid by international creditors.
Failed Options
Attempts to secure financing from other sources, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, were rejected.
Assisting the indebted country was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Referendum and Reversal
In July 2015, those excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, an action that threw the EU into further crisis of identity.
Although the vote was carried resoundingly by those against the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to ignore the result then negotiate a rescue deal from creditors that proved to be tougher.
Breaking Point
Tsipras revealed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who drew media attention, who graced the covers of publications globally … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
After the minister outlined a contingency plan that included creating a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew it was the end and asked him: “Are you serious?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts how his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and delicate handling.”
Tsipras further claimed that Varoufakis's aggressive style made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, and helped hawks that were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The account of history has been met with anger and shock in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
