Within his newly released autobiography, titled Ithaki, the former premier Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits the chaotic period of Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Appointment
According to Tsipras's recollections, he chose the unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis as the treasury head primarily due to his worldwide fame along with Varoufakis's very persuasive abilities when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, truthfully, more of a personality rather than an economist,” wrote Tsipras.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis possessed a personal motives which included advancing his publications and experimenting with his own theories using the nation instead of truly advocating its economic stability.
Tsipras noted how those talks to prevent insolvency were “not only a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became an experiment, a monumental chance to prove the validity of his ideas.”
Critical Talks
Amid tense discussions, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.
On the line was both the country's destiny and those severe austerity measures demanded in return for rescue loans from international creditors.
Unsuccessful Options
Efforts to find funds elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting the indebted country was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Public Vote and Reversal
In July 2015, the harsh conditions were put to a popular referendum, a move which threw the EU into deeper existential crisis.
Although the referendum was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister had little option to ignore the result then agree to a rescue deal from creditors which turned out to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.
“He was the public image of negotiation, the man who drew media attention, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he relished his new role.”
After Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras knew it was game over and asked him: “Is this for real?”
Lasting Criticism
Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unsuitable for a deal that required complex and delicate management.”
He further wrote how his aggressive style left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The account of events has provoked anger along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, while the former minister has kept a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
