Within his freshly published personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Tsipras pulls no punches while he examines the chaotic period of Greece's economic turmoil.
As per the ex-PM's recollections, Tsipras appointed that maverick economist Yanis Varoufakis as his treasury head largely due to his worldwide fame and his very persuasive skills as a public orator.
“In reality, he was, in reality, more like a star and less of an economist,” recalled the 51-year-old.
Tsipras claims that Varoufakis possessed a personal motives which included advancing his books and testing out his own theories using the nation rather than genuinely advocating its financial survival.
Tsipras noted that those negotiations to prevent insolvency were “not just a way to secure improved terms for the country. They were a test, an historic chance to prove the truth of his economic theories.”
During tense negotiations, the country came perilously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.
On the line was both the country's future and those harsh cutbacks demanded in exchange for rescue loans from international creditors.
Attempts to find financing from other sources, including a desperate appeal to Russia to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.
Helping the indebted country was equivalent to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.
That summer, those harsh conditions were subjected to a public vote, an action which threw Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.
Even though the referendum was carried decisively by voters against the cuts, the prime minister had little option to ignore the result then agree to a bailout package from foreign lenders that proved to be tougher.
Tsipras revealed that he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.
“He was the face of negotiation, the figure who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications globally … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”
After the minister outlined a backup strategy involving creating a secondary currency and issuing vouchers to retirees, the leader said he realised that it was the end and asked Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Within the book, the author asserts that his former ally had proved himself “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and delicate handling.”
He also wrote how Varoufakis's confrontational style made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners who were advocating Grexit.
This retelling of events has been met with fury and shock in some quarters, while the former minister has maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
Eva de Vries is a passionate book lover and local writer from Eindhoven.
