In a freshly published autobiography, named Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras spares no criticism while he reflects on the chaotic era during Greece's financial crisis.
An Unconventional Appointment
As per the ex-PM's account, Tsipras selected that unorthodox economist Varoufakis as his finance minister largely due to his global profile along with his very persuasive skills when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, truthfully, more of a personality rather than an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old.
Clashing Agendas
Tsipras suggests how his finance chief had a personal agenda which involved advancing Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his theories on Greece rather than genuinely fighting for the country's economic stability.
He wrote that the negotiations to prevent insolvency became “not just a method of achieving improved terms for Greece. They became a test, an historic chance to demonstrate the truth of his economic theories.”
Critical Negotiations
Amid tense negotiations, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
At stake was not only the country's destiny and those punishing austerity measures required in return for bailout funds by foreign lenders.
Failed Options
Attempts to find financing elsewhere, such as a desperate plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, were rejected.
Helping Greece was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.
Referendum and U-Turn
In July 2015, those excoriating bailout terms were put to a public vote, an action which threw the EU into a further crisis of identity.
Although the vote was won resoundingly by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and negotiate a rescue deal with foreign lenders which turned out to be tougher.
Breaking Point
The ex-PM claimed that he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.
“He was the public image of the talks, the figure who attracted publicity, who appeared on the covers of magazines globally … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”
When the minister outlined a backup strategy that included creating a parallel currency and distributing vouchers to pensioners, Tsipras knew that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”
Lasting Criticism
In the book, the author concludes how Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for a deal demanding intricate and delicate management.”
He further wrote how his confrontational style left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hawks who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
This retelling of history has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
