Within his recently unveiled autobiography, named Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Tsipras spares no criticism while he reflects on that chaotic period during Greece's financial crisis.
An Unconventional Appointment
As per the ex-PM's version, Tsipras selected that unorthodox academic Varoufakis to be the treasury head mainly because of his international reputation along with his “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to communicator.
“In reality, he was, actually, more of a celebrity rather than an economist,” wrote Tsipras.
Conflicting Priorities
The former leader suggests that Varoufakis possessed his own agenda which involved promoting Varoufakis's books and testing out his own theories using the nation rather than truly fighting for the country's economic stability.
Tsipras noted how the negotiations to avoid bankruptcy were “not only a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
During rollercoaster discussions, Greece found itself dangerously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.
At stake lay both Greece's destiny and those severe austerity measures required in exchange for financial aid by foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Alternatives
Attempts to find funds elsewhere, including a desperate plea to Russia to purchase Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Helping Greece would be equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Public Vote and Reversal
That summer, those punitive conditions were subjected to a public vote, an action that threw the EU into a deeper existential crisis.
Even though the vote was carried decisively by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister had little option but to reject its outcome and agree to a rescue deal with creditors which proved to be even harsher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed how he started questioning Varoufakis relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the man who drew media attention, who graced the front pages of publications globally … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”
After the minister outlined a backup strategy that included establishing a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was game over questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
In the book, Tsipras concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for an agreement demanding intricate and delicate management.”
He also claimed that his confrontational approach left him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The account of history has provoked fury and shock among certain groups, whereas the former minister has so far kept a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
