Within his freshly published autobiography, titled Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras spares no criticism as he reflects on the turbulent era of Greece's debt drama.
A Controversial Choice
As per the ex-PM's account, Tsipras chose that maverick economist Yanis Varoufakis to be the treasury head mainly due to the latter's international reputation and his “extremely attractive” skills when it came to communicator.
“In reality, he was, actually, more like a personality rather than an economic expert,” recalled the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras claims that his finance chief possessed a personal agenda which involved advancing his books and testing out his own game theories on the nation rather than truly advocating its financial survival.
Tsipras noted that the negotiations to stave off insolvency were “not just a method of achieving a better deal for Greece. They were an experiment, an historic chance to prove the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid tense discussions, Greece came dangerously close to leaving the eurozone.
On the line was not only the country's future and those severe cutbacks required in return for rescue loans from foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Alternatives
Attempts to find financing elsewhere, such as an urgent appeal to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Assisting the indebted country was tantamount to throwing money in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have informed Tsipras during their meeting.
Referendum and Reversal
That summer, those harsh bailout terms were put to a public vote, a move that plunged the EU into a further crisis of identity.
Even though the referendum was carried decisively by voters who opposed austerity, the prime minister had little option to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package from creditors that turned out to be tougher.
Breaking Point
The ex-PM claimed that he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.
“He was the face of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who appeared on the covers of magazines the world over … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”
When the minister outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a parallel currency and distributing vouchers to pensioners, the leader knew that it was the end questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
In the memoir, the author concludes that Varoufakis had proved himself to be “unsuitable for a deal that required complex and delicate management.”
Tsipras also claimed that his aggressive approach made him increasingly isolated among peers, endangered the country, and helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.
This account of events has been met with anger and shock in some quarters, while the former minister has maintained a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
