Within his freshly published personal account, named Ithaki, the ex- leader Alexis Tsipras spares no criticism while he reflects on the chaotic period during Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Appointment
In Tsipras's account, he chose that maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis to be the finance minister mainly due to his international reputation along with his very persuasive skills when it came to speaker.
“He was, in reality, more like a personality and less of an economist,” recalled the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
The former leader claims that Varoufakis had his own motives which included promoting Varoufakis's books as well as experimenting with his game theories using Greece rather than genuinely fighting for the country's economic stability.
Tsipras noted that those negotiations to avoid bankruptcy were “not only a method of achieving a better deal for Greece. They became a test, an historic chance to prove the validity of Varoufakis's economic theories.”
Critical Talks
Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came dangerously on the brink of leaving the single currency area.
At stake lay both the country's future and those severe austerity measures required in return for bailout funds from international creditors.
Failed Options
Attempts to find financing elsewhere, such as an urgent appeal to Russia to purchase Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting Greece was tantamount to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly told Tsipras during their meeting.
Public Vote and Reversal
That summer, the punitive bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, an action which threw the EU into deeper existential crisis.
Although the vote was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to ignore the result then agree to a bailout package with foreign lenders which proved to be even harsher.
Breaking Point
Tsipras revealed how he started questioning his finance minister relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the public image of negotiation, the man who drew media attention, who appeared on the front pages of magazines the world over … it seemed he was enjoying his new role.”
After the minister outlined a contingency plan that included creating a parallel currency as well as issuing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was game over questioning him: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Criticism
In the memoir, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unfit for an agreement demanding complex and sensitive handling.”
He also claimed how his aggressive approach left him more and more alone with colleagues, put Greece at risk, while helped hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The retelling of history has been met with anger and shock among certain groups, whereas the former minister has so far maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
