Within his recently unveiled personal account, named Ithaki, the ex- premier Tsipras does not hold back while he revisits the chaotic period during Greece's financial crisis.
An Unconventional Appointment
As per Tsipras's version, Tsipras appointed that maverick academic Varoufakis to be his treasury head primarily due to the latter's global profile along with Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” skills when it came to speaker.
“He was, actually, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” wrote Tsipras.
Conflicting Priorities
Tsipras alleges how Varoufakis possessed a personal agenda which involved promoting Varoufakis's books and experimenting with his own game theories on the nation rather than truly fighting for the country's economic stability.
Tsipras explained how the discussions to avoid insolvency were “not just a way of achieving a better deal for the country. They became an experiment, a monumental chance to prove the validity of his theories.”
Critical Negotiations
Amid volatile negotiations, the country found itself perilously close to leaving the single currency area.
At stake was both the country's future and those severe cutbacks demanded in exchange for financial aid from international creditors.
Failed Options
Attempts to find funds elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Assisting Greece would be equivalent to tossing cash into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, the punitive conditions were subjected to a public vote, an action which threw Europe into a further existential crisis.
Even though the vote was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed austerity, the prime minister was forced but to reject its outcome and negotiate a rescue deal with creditors that proved to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“He was the face of negotiation, the figure who attracted publicity, who appeared on the covers of magazines globally … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”
When Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy involving establishing a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, Tsipras knew that it was game over and asked him: “Is this for real?”
Enduring Criticism
In the book, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for a deal demanding intricate and delicate management.”
Tsipras also wrote how Varoufakis's aggressive approach made him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, and helped hardliners who were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.
The retelling of events has provoked fury along with shock among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has maintained a deafening silence on the matter.
