Within his recently unveiled personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- premier Tsipras spares no criticism as he revisits the turbulent period of Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Choice
In the ex-PM's recollections, Tsipras selected that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis to be his treasury head primarily due to the latter's international reputation and his “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to communicator.
“In reality, he was, in reality, more like a star and less of an economist,” wrote the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Priorities
The former leader claims how his finance chief possessed a personal agenda which involved promoting Varoufakis's books as well as experimenting with his own game theories using the nation rather than genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.
Tsipras noted that those talks to prevent insolvency were “not only a method of achieving improved terms for Greece. They became a test, a monumental chance to demonstrate the truth of his economic theories.”
Critical Negotiations
Amid volatile negotiations, Greece came dangerously close to leaving the single currency area.
On the line was not only the country's destiny and those harsh cutbacks required in exchange for bailout funds from foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Efforts to secure funds from other sources, including a desperate plea to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Assisting Greece was tantamount to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Referendum Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, those excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, an action which threw Europe into a further crisis of identity.
Even though the vote was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister had little option to ignore the result then negotiate a bailout package with creditors which proved to be more severe.
Breaking Point
Tsipras revealed that he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the face of negotiation, the man who drew media attention, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”
After Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy involving creating a parallel currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, the leader knew it was game over questioning him: “Is this for real?”
Enduring Criticism
In the book, the author asserts how his former ally had proved himself “unfit for a deal that required complex and sensitive handling.”
He further claimed that Varoufakis's aggressive approach made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners that were advocating Grexit.
This account of history has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while the former minister has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.
