In a recently unveiled personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Tsipras does not hold back as he reflects on that turbulent period of Greece's financial crisis.
An Unconventional Appointment
In the ex-PM's account, he selected that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis as the finance minister primarily due to the latter's global profile and Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to communicator.
“In reality, he was, truthfully, more like a personality rather than an economist,” wrote Tsipras.
Conflicting Agendas
The former leader suggests how his finance chief had a personal motives which involved promoting Varoufakis's books and testing out his game theories on Greece rather than truly fighting for the country's financial survival.
He explained how the talks to avoid bankruptcy became “not just a method of achieving a better deal for the country. They were a test, an historic chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
Amid volatile negotiations, the country found itself perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
At stake lay not only the country's future but also those harsh cutbacks demanded in return for bailout funds from international creditors.
Failed Options
Attempts to find financing from other sources, such as a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Helping the indebted country was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, Putin reportedly informed Tsipras during their meeting.
Public Vote Followed by Reversal
In July 2015, those punitive conditions were subjected to a popular referendum, a move which threw Europe into deeper existential crisis.
Even though the vote was carried resoundingly by those who opposed austerity, Tsipras was forced to reject its outcome then negotiate a bailout package with foreign lenders which turned out to be tougher.
Final Straw
Tsipras revealed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the figure who attracted media attention, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”
After Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan that included creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to retirees, the leader said he realised that it was game over and asked Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for an agreement that required intricate and sensitive management.”
Tsipras further claimed that his confrontational style made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The retelling of history has provoked fury and shock among certain groups, while Varoufakis has kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
