Within his recently unveiled personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- leader Alexis Tsipras does not hold back as he examines the chaotic era of Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Choice
As per the ex-PM's version, Tsipras selected the maverick economist Yanis Varoufakis as his treasury head primarily due to his international reputation along with his very persuasive skills as a public orator.
“He was, in reality, more of a celebrity rather than an economist,” stated Tsipras.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras suggests that his finance chief possessed his own agenda which included advancing his books as well as experimenting with his theories using Greece rather than truly advocating the country's financial survival.
He wrote how the talks to prevent bankruptcy became “not only a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”
High-Stakes Talks
During volatile negotiations, the country found itself perilously close to exiting the eurozone.
On the line was both Greece's future but also those punishing austerity measures required in exchange for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Efforts to secure financing from other sources, including an urgent appeal to Russia to buy Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting Greece was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Referendum and Reversal
In July 2015, those excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, an action which threw Europe into a further existential crisis.
Although the vote was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed austerity, Tsipras was forced to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package from foreign lenders that proved to be tougher.
Breaking Point
The ex-PM claimed how he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.
“He was the public image of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”
After Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan that included establishing a parallel currency and distributing coupons to retirees, Tsipras said he realised that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”
Enduring Criticism
In the book, the author asserts that his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and sensitive handling.”
Tsipras also claimed that his confrontational approach left him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.
This retelling of events has been met with anger along with shock among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has so far kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.
