Within his freshly published memoir, called Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Alexis Tsipras spares no criticism as he examines that chaotic period during Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Choice
In Tsipras's version, he selected that maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as the treasury head largely due to the latter's worldwide fame along with Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” skills as a public orator.
“In reality, he was, actually, more like a star rather than an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Agendas
The former leader alleges that his finance chief possessed his own motives which involved promoting Varoufakis's publications and testing out his own theories on the nation rather than truly advocating the country's economic stability.
Tsipras explained how those discussions to prevent insolvency were “not just a method to secure a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of his ideas.”
Critical Negotiations
During volatile discussions, the country found itself perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
On the line lay not only Greece's destiny but also those harsh austerity policies demanded in return for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Alternatives
Efforts to find financing elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, were rejected.
Helping Greece was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, those excoriating conditions were subjected to a public vote, a move which plunged Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.
Even though the vote was won resoundingly by those against austerity, Tsipras had little option but to ignore the result then negotiate a bailout package with foreign lenders which turned out to be even harsher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed that he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“He was the face of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who graced the front pages of magazines the world over … it seemed he relished his new role.”
After the minister outlined a backup strategy that included establishing a parallel currency and issuing vouchers to pensioners, the leader said he realised it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the book, the author asserts that his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for a deal that required complex and sensitive handling.”
He further wrote how Varoufakis's aggressive approach made him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hardliners who were advocating Grexit.
The retelling of history has provoked anger and stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has so far kept a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
