In a freshly published autobiography, titled Ithaki, the ex- leader Alexis Tsipras does not hold back as he examines that chaotic period of Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Appointment
As per the ex-PM's account, Tsipras chose the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as the finance minister mainly because of his international reputation along with his very persuasive skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, in reality, more like a personality rather than an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.
Clashing Priorities
The former leader alleges how Varoufakis possessed a personal agenda that included advancing his publications and testing out his economic models on the nation rather than truly advocating its financial survival.
He wrote how those discussions to avoid bankruptcy became “not only a method of achieving improved terms for Greece. They were a test, an historic opportunity to prove the truth of his ideas.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
During volatile discussions, the country came perilously on the brink of leaving the single currency area.
On the line lay both the country's future and the severe cutbacks demanded in exchange for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Alternatives
Attempts to find funds elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, were rejected.
Assisting Greece would be tantamount to tossing cash in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have told Tsipras during their meeting.
Referendum and Reversal
That summer, those excoriating bailout terms were put to a public vote, a move which threw the EU into a deeper crisis of identity.
Although the vote was won resoundingly by voters against austerity, the prime minister had little option to ignore the result and negotiate a bailout package with foreign lenders that proved to be even harsher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the man who drew media attention, who graced the covers of publications the world over … he gave the impression he relished his new role.”
After Varoufakis outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a secondary currency and issuing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew it was game over questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts how Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unfit for an agreement demanding intricate and delicate management.”
Tsipras further claimed how Varoufakis's aggressive style made him more and more alone among peers, endangered the country, and assisted hardliners who were pushing for Grexit.
This account of events has been met with fury and stunned disbelief among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
