In a freshly published autobiography, called Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he examines the turbulent period of Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Appointment
According to the ex-PM's version, he appointed the maverick academic Varoufakis as the treasury head mainly due to his international reputation and Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to communicator.
“He was, in reality, more like a star and less of an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Priorities
Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis possessed a personal motives which included advancing his publications as well as testing out his own game theories on the nation instead of genuinely advocating its economic stability.
Tsipras explained that those discussions to avoid bankruptcy were “not only a way to secure a better deal for Greece. They became an experiment, an historic chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's theories.”
High-Stakes Negotiations
Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece found itself dangerously close to exiting the eurozone.
At stake was both Greece's future but also those punishing austerity policies demanded in return for rescue loans by foreign lenders.
Failed Alternatives
Attempts to secure funds from other sources, such as an urgent plea to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, were rejected.
Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Public Vote Followed by Reversal
That summer, those punitive bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, a move which plunged the EU into deeper existential crisis.
Even though the vote was won resoundingly by voters who opposed austerity, Tsipras had little option to reject its outcome then agree to a rescue deal from creditors that turned out to be tougher.
Breaking Point
Tsipras claimed that he started questioning his finance minister relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the public image of negotiation, the figure who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
After Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan that included creating a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to pensioners, the leader knew that it was game over questioning him: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the book, Tsipras asserts how his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement that required complex and sensitive handling.”
Tsipras further claimed that his confrontational approach made him increasingly isolated among peers, endangered the country, and helped hawks who were pushing for Grexit.
The retelling of history has been met with anger and stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has so far kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
