Within his recently unveiled personal account, titled Ithaki, the former premier Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits that chaotic era of Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Choice
In the ex-PM's version, he chose that maverick academic Varoufakis as his treasury head mainly due to his worldwide fame along with his highly compelling abilities as a communicator.
“In reality, he was, actually, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” wrote the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras suggests that his finance chief possessed a personal motives that involved promoting his books as well as testing out his game theories on the nation rather than truly fighting for its financial survival.
He wrote how those negotiations to prevent insolvency became “not just a way of achieving a better deal for Greece. They were a test, an historic opportunity to demonstrate the truth of Varoufakis's theories.”
Critical Talks
Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came dangerously on the brink of exiting the single currency area.
On the line was not only Greece's future but also those severe austerity measures demanded in return for rescue loans from foreign lenders.
Failed Alternatives
Attempts to secure financing elsewhere, such as a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.
Helping Greece would be equivalent to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told Tsipras during their meeting.
Referendum Followed by U-Turn
That summer, the harsh bailout terms were put to a public vote, a move which threw the EU into deeper crisis of identity.
Although the referendum was carried resoundingly by those against austerity, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package with creditors which turned out to be tougher.
Breaking Point
The ex-PM claimed that he began to doubt Varoufakis relatively soon.
“He was the public image of the talks, the figure who attracted media attention, who appeared on the covers of magazines globally … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy that included establishing a parallel currency as well as distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras said he realised that it was the end and asked Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Lasting Criticism
In the book, Tsipras asserts how Varoufakis had proved himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement that required intricate and delicate management.”
He further claimed that Varoufakis's confrontational approach made him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, and helped hawks who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
This account of events has provoked anger along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas the former minister has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.
