In a recently unveiled personal account, called Ithaki, the former leader Alexis Tsipras spares no criticism while he reflects on that turbulent era of Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Appointment
In the ex-PM's version, he selected that unorthodox economist Varoufakis as the finance minister largely because of his international reputation and his very persuasive skills when it came to communicator.
“He was, actually, more of a star and less of an economist,” stated Tsipras.
Conflicting Agendas
Tsipras claims how Varoufakis possessed his own agenda that included advancing his books and testing out his game theories on Greece instead of genuinely fighting for the country's economic stability.
Tsipras wrote how those negotiations to prevent bankruptcy became “not only a method of achieving a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of his ideas.”
Critical Negotiations
Amid tense negotiations, Greece found itself perilously close to exiting the eurozone.
At stake was not only the country's future but also those severe austerity measures demanded in return for rescue loans from international creditors.
Unsuccessful Options
Attempts to find funds from other sources, such as a desperate appeal to Russia to buy Greek government bonds, were rejected.
Helping Greece was equivalent to throwing money in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have told Tsipras in Moscow.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
That summer, those punitive conditions were put to a popular referendum, an action which threw Europe into deeper existential crisis.
Even though the vote was carried resoundingly by voters against austerity, the prime minister had little option but to reject its outcome then negotiate a rescue deal with creditors that turned out to be tougher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the figure who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”
When the minister proposed a backup strategy involving creating a parallel currency and distributing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew that it was game over and asked Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
In the memoir, Tsipras asserts how Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and delicate handling.”
Tsipras further claimed how Varoufakis's confrontational style left him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, and helped hardliners that were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.
This retelling of events has been met with anger and stunned disbelief among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has kept a deafening silence on the matter.
