Within his recently unveiled autobiography, named Ithaki, the former leader Alexis Tsipras does not hold back as he examines the turbulent era of Greece's debt drama.
A Controversial Choice
As per the ex-PM's version, he selected that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis to be his finance minister mainly because of the latter's worldwide fame and Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” skills as a speaker.
“In reality, he was, actually, more like a personality and less of an economist,” wrote Tsipras.
Clashing Agendas
The former leader suggests how Varoufakis possessed his own agenda that involved promoting his books and testing out his theories using Greece rather than genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.
He noted that those negotiations to stave off insolvency became “not just a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became a test, a monumental opportunity to prove the validity of Varoufakis's ideas.”
Critical Negotiations
During volatile discussions, the country found itself dangerously on the brink of exiting the single currency area.
On the line lay both the country's destiny and those punishing austerity policies required in exchange for bailout funds from foreign lenders.
Failed Alternatives
Efforts to secure funds elsewhere, such as an urgent appeal to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.
Assisting Greece was equivalent to tossing cash into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have informed Tsipras during their meeting.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
That summer, those excoriating bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, a move which threw the EU into further existential crisis.
Even though the vote was carried decisively by voters against austerity, the prime minister had little option to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package from creditors that proved to be more severe.
Final Straw
The ex-PM claimed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“Varoufakis was the public image of negotiation, the figure who attracted publicity, who graced the front pages of magazines globally … it seemed he relished his new role.”
After Varoufakis outlined a contingency plan involving establishing a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to pensioners, the leader knew that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”
Lasting Rebuke
Within the book, Tsipras concludes how his former ally had proved himself “unsuitable for an agreement that required intricate and sensitive management.”
He further wrote that his confrontational style made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, and assisted hardliners who were advocating Grexit.
The retelling of history has been met with fury along with shock in some quarters, whereas the former minister has so far maintained a deafening silence on the matter.
