Within his newly released personal account, named Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches as he reflects on the turbulent period during Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Choice
In the ex-PM's account, Tsipras appointed that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis to be the finance minister mainly due to his worldwide fame along with his “extremely attractive” skills as a speaker.
“He was, actually, more like a star rather than an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
The former leader suggests that his finance chief possessed his own motives that included advancing Varoufakis's publications and experimenting with his own game theories on Greece rather than genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.
Tsipras wrote how the talks to prevent bankruptcy became “not just a way of achieving improved terms for the country. They became an experiment, an historic chance to prove the validity of his theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid volatile discussions, the country came dangerously close to exiting the single currency area.
At stake was both Greece's future but also those punishing austerity measures demanded in return for financial aid from foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Options
Efforts to find financing from other sources, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.
Helping Greece was equivalent to throwing money in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Referendum and Reversal
In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, a move that threw Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.
Even though the vote was won resoundingly by those who opposed austerity, Tsipras was forced to reject its outcome then agree to a rescue deal from foreign lenders that proved to be tougher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he began to doubt Varoufakis relatively soon.
“He was the face of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who graced the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
After the minister proposed a backup strategy involving creating a parallel currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
In the book, the author asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement that required intricate and sensitive management.”
Tsipras further wrote how Varoufakis's confrontational style made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, while assisted hawks that were advocating Grexit.
The retelling of history has provoked fury and shock in some quarters, whereas the former minister has so far kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
