Within his newly released memoir, called Ithaki, the ex- leader Alexis Tsipras spares no criticism while he revisits that turbulent era during Greece's economic turmoil.
A Controversial Choice
According to the ex-PM's recollections, he appointed the maverick academic Varoufakis as his finance minister primarily due to his global profile and Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to speaker.
“In reality, he was, in reality, more of a personality rather than an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.
Conflicting Priorities
Tsipras claims that Varoufakis possessed a personal motives that involved promoting Varoufakis's books and experimenting with his theories on Greece instead of genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.
He wrote that those talks to avoid bankruptcy were “not only a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of his theories.”
Critical Talks
During volatile discussions, the country came perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.
On the line lay both Greece's destiny and the severe austerity policies demanded in return for bailout funds from international creditors.
Failed Alternatives
Attempts to find financing elsewhere, such as a desperate plea to Russia to buy Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.
Assisting the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money in the trash-can, Putin reportedly informed Tsipras during their meeting.
Public Vote Followed by U-Turn
In July 2015, those harsh conditions were subjected to a public vote, a move that plunged Europe into a deeper existential crisis.
Although the vote was won resoundingly by those against the cuts, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and agree to a rescue deal from creditors that turned out to be tougher.
Final Straw
Tsipras revealed that he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.
“He was the public image of the talks, the figure who attracted media attention, who graced the front pages of magazines globally … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”
When the minister proposed a backup strategy involving creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to retirees, the leader knew it was game over and asked Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”
Enduring Criticism
Within the memoir, the author asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for a deal demanding complex and sensitive handling.”
He also claimed that his confrontational approach left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.
This account of events has been met with fury and stunned disbelief among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.
