Within his freshly published autobiography, titled Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras spares no criticism as he examines that turbulent period during Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Appointment
As per Tsipras's account, Tsipras selected that unorthodox economist Varoufakis to be the finance minister mainly due to the latter's international reputation and his “extremely attractive” skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, actually, more like a personality and less of an economic expert,” stated Tsipras.
Conflicting Agendas
Tsipras claims that his finance chief possessed a personal agenda which involved advancing his books and testing out his theories on Greece instead of genuinely fighting for the country's financial survival.
Tsipras explained how those discussions to prevent insolvency became “not just a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were a test, an historic chance to prove the validity of Varoufakis's economic theories.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
During volatile discussions, the country came perilously close to exiting the single currency area.
At stake lay not only the country's destiny but also the punishing austerity policies demanded in return for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Options
Attempts to find financing from other sources, such as a desperate appeal to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Helping Greece would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have informed Tsipras in Moscow.
Referendum and U-Turn
That summer, those punitive bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, a move that threw the EU into deeper crisis of identity.
Although the vote was won decisively by voters against austerity, the prime minister was forced but to reject its outcome and negotiate a bailout package with creditors which turned out to be tougher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“He was the face of the talks, the man who drew publicity, who graced the front pages of magazines globally … he gave the impression he relished his new role.”
When Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy involving establishing a secondary currency and issuing vouchers to retirees, the leader said he realised it was the end questioning him: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the book, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis had proved himself to be “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and sensitive management.”
Tsipras further wrote how his confrontational approach left him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, and assisted hardliners who were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.
This retelling of events has provoked fury and shock among certain groups, whereas the former minister has kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.
