Within his newly released autobiography, named Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras pulls no punches while he revisits the chaotic era of Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Appointment
In the ex-PM's recollections, he appointed the unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis as the treasury head primarily due to his worldwide fame and Varoufakis's highly compelling skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, truthfully, more like a personality rather than an economist,” recalled Tsipras.
Clashing Priorities
The former leader claims how Varoufakis possessed his own agenda that involved advancing his publications as well as testing out his theories on Greece instead of truly fighting for its financial survival.
Tsipras wrote that the talks to avoid bankruptcy became “not just a way of achieving improved terms for the country. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his ideas.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid tense discussions, the country found itself dangerously close to leaving the single currency area.
At stake lay both Greece's destiny and those punishing cutbacks demanded in return for financial aid from international creditors.
Failed Alternatives
Attempts to find funds elsewhere, such as a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Helping Greece would be equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed Tsipras in Moscow.
Referendum Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were subjected to a popular referendum, an action that plunged Europe into a further crisis of identity.
Although the vote was won resoundingly by voters against the cuts, Tsipras had little option but to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package from creditors which turned out to be tougher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the public image of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who graced the front pages of publications the world over … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”
When the minister outlined a contingency plan that included creating a secondary currency and issuing vouchers to retirees, Tsipras knew it was the end questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts that his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement demanding complex and delicate management.”
Tsipras further wrote that his confrontational approach left him increasingly isolated with colleagues, put Greece at risk, while helped hardliners who were advocating Grexit.
The account of events has provoked anger along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.
