In a newly released personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras does not hold back while he examines that chaotic era during Greece's debt drama.
An Unconventional Choice
As per the ex-PM's version, Tsipras selected that unorthodox academic Varoufakis to be his finance minister mainly because of the latter's global profile and his highly compelling skills as a public orator.
“In reality, he was, truthfully, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” stated Tsipras.
Conflicting Priorities
The former leader alleges how his finance chief possessed a personal motives that involved promoting his books and testing out his own theories using the nation instead of genuinely advocating the country's economic stability.
He noted how those talks to stave off bankruptcy became “not just a method to secure a better deal for Greece. They became an experiment, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his economic theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
During rollercoaster discussions, Greece found itself perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
On the line was not only Greece's destiny but also the harsh cutbacks required in return for bailout funds by international creditors.
Unsuccessful Options
Efforts to secure funds from other sources, including an urgent plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting Greece would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Public Vote and Reversal
In July 2015, the punitive conditions were subjected to a popular referendum, an action that threw Europe into further crisis of identity.
Although the vote was carried decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to reject its outcome then agree to a bailout package with foreign lenders that proved to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed that he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the public image of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When the minister outlined a contingency plan that included creating a parallel currency as well as issuing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew it was the end questioning him: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the memoir, the author concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal that required intricate and delicate handling.”
He further wrote how his aggressive approach made him increasingly isolated among peers, endangered the country, and assisted hardliners that were advocating Grexit.
The retelling of history has provoked fury along with shock in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has kept a deafening silence on the matter.
