Within his newly released autobiography, titled Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he reflects on the chaotic period during Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Appointment
According to the ex-PM's account, he appointed the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis to be the finance minister mainly due to the latter's worldwide fame and Varoufakis's very persuasive skills when it came to communicator.
“He was, in reality, more of a personality rather than an economist,” wrote Tsipras.
Conflicting Agendas
The former leader alleges how his finance chief possessed a personal motives which involved advancing Varoufakis's publications and experimenting with his game theories on the nation rather than truly fighting for the country's financial survival.
He explained that the negotiations to stave off insolvency were “not just a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became a test, a monumental chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
Amid volatile negotiations, Greece found itself perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
At stake was not only the country's destiny and the harsh austerity measures demanded in return for bailout funds by international creditors.
Failed Alternatives
Attempts to secure funds from other sources, such as a desperate appeal to Russia to buy Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting Greece was tantamount to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly informed Tsipras in Moscow.
Public Vote and U-Turn
In July 2015, the punitive bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, an action which threw the EU into deeper existential crisis.
Although the vote was won decisively by those against austerity, Tsipras was forced to reject its outcome and negotiate a bailout package with creditors that turned out to be even harsher.
Final Straw
Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the figure who attracted publicity, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”
When Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy that included creating a parallel currency as well as issuing vouchers to pensioners, the leader knew that it was game over questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the book, the author asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal that required complex and sensitive handling.”
Tsipras further claimed that his confrontational style made him increasingly isolated among peers, endangered the country, and assisted hardliners that were advocating Grexit.
This retelling of history has been met with fury along with shock in some quarters, while Varoufakis has kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
