In a freshly published autobiography, titled Ithaki, the former prime minister Alexis Tsipras does not hold back while he revisits that turbulent era during Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Appointment
According to the ex-PM's account, Tsipras chose that unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis as his finance minister largely due to the latter's worldwide fame and his “extremely attractive” skills as a public orator.
“In reality, he was, truthfully, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Agendas
The former leader claims how his finance chief had his own agenda that involved advancing Varoufakis's books and experimenting with his own game theories on Greece instead of truly advocating its financial survival.
He noted that those discussions to prevent bankruptcy became “not only a method to secure a better deal for the country. They were a test, a monumental chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's economic theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
Amid rollercoaster discussions, Greece came dangerously on the brink of exiting the single currency area.
At stake lay not only the country's destiny but also those harsh austerity measures demanded in return for financial aid from international creditors.
Failed Alternatives
Attempts to secure financing from other sources, such as a desperate plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Helping Greece would be tantamount to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
Public Vote and U-Turn
In July 2015, those punitive conditions were put to a popular referendum, a move that threw Europe into deeper existential crisis.
Even though the vote was won resoundingly by voters against the cuts, Tsipras was forced to ignore the result and agree to a rescue deal from foreign lenders that turned out to be even harsher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on.
“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the man who drew media attention, who appeared on the covers of magazines globally … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”
After Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy that included establishing a parallel currency as well as distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras knew that it was the end questioning him: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Criticism
In the memoir, Tsipras asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for an agreement demanding complex and sensitive management.”
Tsipras also wrote how Varoufakis's confrontational approach made him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.
The account of events has been met with anger along with shock among certain groups, while the former minister has maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.
