Within his newly released memoir, titled Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits the turbulent period of Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Choice
As per the ex-PM's version, he chose the unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis to be the finance minister mainly because of the latter's global profile and his “extremely attractive” skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, in reality, more like a star and less of an economist,” stated Tsipras.
Conflicting Priorities
Tsipras suggests that his finance chief possessed a personal motives that included advancing his publications and testing out his own theories on Greece instead of truly advocating its financial survival.
He explained that those talks to avoid insolvency became “not only a way to secure a better deal for the country. They became a test, an historic chance to prove the validity of his theories.”
Critical Talks
Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came dangerously close to exiting the single currency area.
At stake was not only Greece's destiny but also the severe cutbacks demanded in return for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Attempts to secure financing from other sources, such as an urgent appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Helping Greece was equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader reportedly told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Public Vote and U-Turn
In July 2015, those excoriating conditions were put to a popular referendum, an action that threw Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.
Even though the vote was carried decisively by those against the cuts, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and negotiate a bailout package from foreign lenders which turned out to be tougher.
Breaking Point
Tsipras revealed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the public image of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who appeared on the covers of publications globally … he gave the impression he was enjoying his new role.”
When the minister outlined a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, Tsipras said he realised it was the end questioning him: “Is this for real?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unfit for a deal that required intricate and delicate handling.”
He further claimed that his confrontational style left him increasingly isolated with colleagues, put Greece at risk, and helped hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The account of history has been met with fury and shock among certain groups, while the former minister has kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.
