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In a recently unveiled autobiography, named Ithaki, the ex- premier Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits the chaotic era during Greece's debt drama.

A Controversial Choice

According to the ex-PM's version, he appointed the maverick academic Varoufakis to be the treasury head mainly due to his global profile and his “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to communicator.

“In reality, he was, actually, more like a personality rather than an economist,” stated Tsipras.

Conflicting Priorities

Tsipras suggests that Varoufakis had his own motives that involved advancing his books as well as testing out his own economic models using the nation rather than genuinely advocating its financial survival.

He wrote that those negotiations to stave off insolvency were “not just a method of achieving a better deal for the country. They became an experiment, a monumental opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

During rollercoaster negotiations, the country found itself dangerously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.

At stake lay not only Greece's destiny but also those harsh cutbacks demanded in exchange for bailout funds from international creditors.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Efforts to secure financing elsewhere, including an urgent plea to Russia to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country was tantamount to throwing money in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Referendum and U-Turn

That summer, those excoriating bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, a move which plunged Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.

Even though the vote was carried resoundingly by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to reject its outcome then agree to a rescue deal from creditors that turned out to be more severe.

Final Straw

The ex-PM claimed how he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.

“He was the face of negotiation, the man who attracted publicity, who graced the front pages of publications globally … it seemed he was enjoying his new role.”

After Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy involving creating a secondary currency and issuing vouchers to retirees, the leader said he realised that it was game over questioning him: “Are you serious?”

Enduring Criticism

In the book, Tsipras asserts how his former ally had proved himself to be “unfit for an agreement demanding intricate and delicate handling.”

Tsipras further wrote that Varoufakis's confrontational approach made him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, and helped hardliners that were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.

This retelling of history has provoked fury along with shock in some quarters, while the former minister has so far kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.