In a newly released personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- premier Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches while he reflects on that chaotic era during Greece's economic turmoil.
An Unconventional Choice
According to Tsipras's account, Tsipras appointed the maverick economist Yanis Varoufakis to be the finance minister mainly because of the latter's worldwide fame and his very persuasive abilities when it came to public orator.
“He was, actually, more like a personality rather than an economist,” recalled the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Agendas
The former leader claims that Varoufakis possessed a personal motives which involved promoting Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his game theories on the nation instead of genuinely fighting for its economic stability.
He wrote that the talks to prevent bankruptcy became “not just a way to secure a better deal for the country. They became a test, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his ideas.”
Critical Talks
During tense discussions, the country came perilously close to leaving the eurozone.
On the line was both Greece's destiny and those severe austerity policies demanded in exchange for bailout funds from foreign lenders.
Unsuccessful Options
Efforts to secure funds elsewhere, such as a desperate plea to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Helping the indebted country 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 Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, the excoriating bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, an action that threw Europe into further existential crisis.
Even though the referendum was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, Tsipras had little option but to reject its outcome and negotiate a rescue deal from creditors that turned out to be even harsher.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed that he started questioning his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the public image of negotiation, the man who drew publicity, who graced the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When the minister outlined a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras said he realised it was the end and asked him: “Is this for real?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the book, the author concludes that Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and sensitive handling.”
Tsipras further claimed that his aggressive approach made him more and more alone among peers, endangered the country, while helped hawks who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
The retelling of history has provoked fury along with shock among certain groups, while Varoufakis has maintained a deafening silence on the matter.
