In a recently unveiled personal account, titled Ithaki, the former premier Alexis Tsipras does not hold back as he revisits the chaotic era of Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Choice
As per Tsipras's version, he selected the maverick economist Varoufakis as the finance minister mainly due to the latter's worldwide fame along with his “extremely attractive” skills when it came to speaker.
“He was, truthfully, more like a celebrity and less of an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old.
Clashing Priorities
The former leader suggests how his finance chief had his own agenda which included promoting his books as well as testing out his own game theories on the nation instead of genuinely fighting for its economic stability.
He noted how those discussions to avoid bankruptcy became “not only a way of achieving improved terms for the country. They became a test, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's ideas.”
Critical Negotiations
Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came dangerously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line lay not only Greece's future and the severe austerity policies demanded in return for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Efforts to find funds from other sources, including a desperate plea to Russia to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Assisting Greece was equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed Tsipras during their meeting.
Referendum Followed by U-Turn
That summer, those punitive conditions were put to a public vote, an action which threw Europe into a further existential crisis.
Although the vote was won resoundingly by those who opposed the cuts, Tsipras was forced to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package with foreign lenders that turned out to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he started questioning his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the public image of negotiation, the figure who attracted media attention, who appeared on the covers of magazines globally … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy that included establishing a parallel currency and distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras knew that it was the end questioning him: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Criticism
In the memoir, Tsipras asserts that his former ally had proved himself “unfit for a deal that required complex and sensitive handling.”
He further claimed how Varoufakis's confrontational approach made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, while assisted hardliners that were pushing for Grexit.
The retelling of events has provoked fury and shock in some quarters, while the former minister has so far maintained a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
