In a recently unveiled personal account, called Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras does not hold back as he examines the turbulent era of Greece's financial crisis.
An Unconventional Appointment
As per Tsipras's version, Tsipras chose the unorthodox academic Varoufakis to be his treasury head mainly due to the latter's worldwide fame and his very persuasive skills when it came to public orator.
“He was, truthfully, more like a celebrity and less of an economic expert,” wrote Tsipras.
Clashing Priorities
Tsipras claims how Varoufakis possessed a personal motives which involved promoting his books as well as testing out his game theories on Greece rather than genuinely fighting for its financial survival.
He noted how those discussions to prevent insolvency became “not just a way of achieving a better deal for Greece. They were an experiment, an historic opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”
Critical Talks
Amid rollercoaster discussions, the country came perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line was not only Greece's destiny but also those harsh austerity measures required in exchange for rescue loans from foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Options
Efforts to secure financing from other sources, including a desperate plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Assisting the indebted country was equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader 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, a move that plunged the EU into further crisis of identity.
Although the vote was carried resoundingly by those who opposed austerity, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and negotiate a rescue deal from foreign lenders that turned out to be more severe.
Breaking Point
The ex-PM claimed that he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the face of negotiation, the man who attracted publicity, who appeared on the front pages of publications globally … it seemed he relished his new role.”
When the minister outlined a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to pensioners, the leader knew that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”
Lasting Rebuke
In the memoir, the author concludes that Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unsuitable for an agreement demanding intricate and sensitive handling.”
He further wrote that his aggressive approach made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hawks that were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.
This retelling of events has provoked anger along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
