Within his newly released personal account, titled Ithaki, the former premier Tsipras spares no criticism as he examines that turbulent era during Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Choice
In Tsipras's recollections, he chose the unorthodox economist Varoufakis to be the finance minister largely because of his worldwide fame along with his very persuasive abilities as a public orator.
“He was, actually, more of a star and less of an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras alleges that his finance chief had a personal agenda that included advancing Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his own economic models on the nation rather than truly advocating the country's economic stability.
Tsipras noted that those negotiations to prevent bankruptcy became “not only a way to secure a better deal for Greece. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the truth of Varoufakis's economic theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
At stake was both Greece's destiny and the severe austerity policies required in exchange for financial aid by international creditors.
Unsuccessful Options
Efforts to find funds from other sources, including an urgent appeal to Russia to purchase Greek bonds, were rejected.
Assisting Greece was tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Referendum Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were put to a popular referendum, a move which threw Europe into further crisis of identity.
Although the vote was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced to reject its outcome then negotiate a rescue deal with creditors which turned out to be tougher.
Final Straw
Tsipras claimed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the figure who attracted media attention, who graced the covers of magazines the world over … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy involving creating a secondary currency as well as distributing vouchers to pensioners, Tsipras knew it was the end questioning him: “Is this for real?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras concludes that his former ally had proved himself “unfit for a deal demanding complex and delicate management.”
Tsipras also wrote how his aggressive style left him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, and helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.
The retelling of events has provoked fury and shock in some quarters, while Varoufakis has maintained a conspicuous quiet on the matter.
