In a recently unveiled memoir, named Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras pulls no punches while he reflects on the turbulent era during Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Choice
As per Tsipras's version, he chose the unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis to be his finance minister primarily due to the latter's global profile along with his very persuasive skills as a public orator.
“He was, truthfully, more like a star and less of an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Agendas
Tsipras suggests how Varoufakis had a personal agenda which included advancing his books and testing out his game theories on Greece instead of genuinely advocating its financial survival.
He noted how the negotiations to avoid insolvency became “not only a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid volatile discussions, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line lay not only the country's destiny and the severe austerity measures demanded in exchange for bailout funds from international creditors.
Failed Alternatives
Efforts to find funds from other sources, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting the indebted country was tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, Putin reportedly told Tsipras during their meeting.
Public Vote Followed by Reversal
That summer, the excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, a move which threw the EU into a further crisis of identity.
Even though the referendum was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed the cuts, Tsipras was forced to ignore the result then negotiate a bailout package from creditors that proved to be tougher.
Final Straw
Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the figure who attracted publicity, who graced the covers of magazines globally … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”
When Varoufakis outlined a contingency plan involving creating a parallel currency and issuing vouchers to pensioners, the leader said he realised that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the book, the author asserts that his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for an agreement that required complex and delicate management.”
He further claimed how Varoufakis's aggressive style made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, and helped hardliners that were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.
This account of events has provoked fury along with shock in some quarters, whereas the former minister has maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
