Within his freshly published memoir, called Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras pulls no punches while he examines that turbulent era during Greece's financial crisis.
A Controversial Choice
As per the ex-PM's recollections, Tsipras selected that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis as his finance minister mainly because of his international reputation along with his “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to speaker.
“He was, truthfully, more like a celebrity rather than an economist,” recalled the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis possessed his own agenda which included advancing his books as well as testing out his own game theories on Greece rather than genuinely fighting for its financial survival.
He noted that those talks to prevent insolvency were “not only a method of achieving a better deal for the country. They were a test, an historic opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”
Critical Negotiations
During rollercoaster negotiations, Greece found itself perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
On the line lay both the country's destiny and those severe austerity policies demanded in exchange for rescue loans from international creditors.
Unsuccessful Alternatives
Attempts to find financing elsewhere, including a desperate plea to Russia to buy Greek government bonds, were rejected.
Assisting the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly told Tsipras in Moscow.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were put to a popular referendum, an action which plunged the EU into a deeper crisis of identity.
Although the referendum was won decisively by voters against the cuts, Tsipras was forced to reject its outcome then negotiate a bailout package with foreign lenders that proved to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the figure who attracted media attention, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he relished his new role.”
After Varoufakis outlined a contingency plan involving creating a parallel currency and issuing vouchers to pensioners, the leader knew it was game over questioning him: “Is this for real?”
Enduring Criticism
In the book, Tsipras concludes that Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and delicate management.”
He further wrote how Varoufakis's confrontational approach left him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.
The retelling of events has provoked fury along with shock in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.
