In a freshly published personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he examines that turbulent era during Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Choice
In the ex-PM's version, Tsipras appointed the maverick economist Yanis Varoufakis to be the treasury head largely because of the latter's worldwide fame and his very persuasive skills when it came to communicator.
“In reality, he was, actually, more of a star rather than an economist,” stated Tsipras.
Clashing Priorities
Tsipras suggests how his finance chief possessed a personal agenda which involved advancing his publications as well as testing out his own economic models using Greece instead of genuinely fighting for its economic stability.
Tsipras explained how those discussions to prevent bankruptcy were “not only a way to secure a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his theories.”
Critical Talks
During volatile discussions, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line lay both Greece's future and the harsh austerity policies required in return for rescue loans by foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Efforts to secure financing elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Helping Greece would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, Putin reportedly told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Referendum Followed by Reversal
In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, an action that threw the EU into a deeper crisis of identity.
Even though the referendum was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister had little option to ignore the result and negotiate a rescue deal from foreign lenders that turned out to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM revealed that he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the face of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who graced the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
After the minister outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a parallel currency as well as distributing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was game over and asked Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Rebuke
Within the memoir, Tsipras concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and sensitive handling.”
He also claimed how his confrontational approach left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.
The account of events has been met with fury and stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has kept a deafening silence on the matter.
