In a newly released personal account, named Ithaki, the former prime minister Alexis Tsipras does not hold back while he examines that chaotic era of Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Appointment
In Tsipras's recollections, Tsipras appointed that unorthodox academic Varoufakis to be his treasury head largely because of his worldwide fame and his highly compelling abilities as a communicator.
“He was, truthfully, more like a personality rather than an economist,” wrote the 51-year-old.
Clashing Priorities
The former leader suggests how Varoufakis possessed a personal motives that included advancing Varoufakis's publications as well as testing out his theories using the nation instead of truly fighting for its financial survival.
He explained that the negotiations to avoid insolvency became “not just a method of achieving a better deal for Greece. They were an experiment, a monumental opportunity to prove the validity of his theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid volatile discussions, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line lay not only Greece's destiny and those severe austerity policies required in exchange for bailout funds from foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Efforts to secure funds elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Public Vote Followed by Reversal
In July 2015, the punitive conditions were put to a public vote, a move that threw Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.
Although the vote was carried decisively by those against the cuts, the prime minister was forced to reject its outcome and agree to a rescue deal from creditors which turned out to be more severe.
Final Straw
Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis relatively soon.
“He was the face of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying his new role.”
After Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy that included creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to pensioners, the leader knew it was the end questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the book, Tsipras asserts that his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and delicate handling.”
Tsipras further wrote how his confrontational style made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, while assisted hawks that were advocating Grexit.
The retelling of history has provoked anger along with shock in some quarters, while the former minister has maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.
