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In a newly released memoir, titled Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Tsipras spares no criticism as he revisits that turbulent era during Greece's debt drama.

A Controversial Choice

In the ex-PM's version, Tsipras appointed the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as his treasury head largely due to his global profile and his very persuasive skills when it came to communicator.

“In reality, he was, actually, more like a star and less of an economic expert,” recalled Tsipras.

Conflicting Priorities

The former leader claims that his finance chief had a personal agenda which included advancing Varoufakis's publications and testing out his own economic models on Greece instead of genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.

Tsipras explained how those talks to avoid bankruptcy were “not only a method to secure a better deal for Greece. They were an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's ideas.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

Amid volatile discussions, Greece came perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.

At stake was not only Greece's future and those severe austerity policies demanded in exchange for financial aid from international creditors.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Efforts to find funds elsewhere, including an urgent appeal to Russia to purchase Greek bonds, were rejected.

Assisting the indebted country would be equivalent to throwing money in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart during their meeting.

Public Vote Followed by U-Turn

That summer, those punitive conditions were subjected to a public vote, an action that threw Europe into deeper existential crisis.

Even though the vote was carried resoundingly by those who opposed the cuts, Tsipras was forced but to reject its outcome then negotiate a rescue deal from foreign lenders which proved to be more severe.

Final Straw

Tsipras revealed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the man who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”

After the minister outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, Tsipras knew it was the end and asked him: “Can you be serious?”

Lasting Criticism

In the memoir, the author concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal that required intricate and sensitive handling.”

Tsipras further claimed how Varoufakis's aggressive style left him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hawks who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

This account of history has provoked fury along with shock among certain groups, while the former minister has kept a deafening silence on the matter.