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Within his newly released memoir, titled Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras does not hold back as he examines the chaotic era of Greece's economic turmoil.

A Controversial Appointment

In the ex-PM's recollections, Tsipras appointed that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis to be the finance minister largely because of his international reputation along with Varoufakis's highly compelling skills as a communicator.

“In reality, he was, in reality, more like a star rather than an economist,” recalled Tsipras.

Conflicting Priorities

The former leader alleges how Varoufakis possessed a personal motives which included advancing Varoufakis's books as well as experimenting with his economic models using Greece instead of genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.

He wrote how the talks to prevent insolvency became “not just a way of achieving a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, a monumental chance to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's economic theories.”

Critical Talks

During rollercoaster discussions, the country found itself dangerously close to leaving the single currency area.

At stake was both Greece's future but also those harsh austerity policies required in exchange for bailout funds by foreign lenders.

Failed Options

Attempts to secure financing elsewhere, such as an urgent plea to Russia to buy Greek bonds, were rejected.

Helping Greece would be equivalent to throwing money in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Referendum Followed by U-Turn

That summer, those punitive bailout terms were subjected to a public vote, a move that threw Europe into further crisis of identity.

Although the referendum was won decisively by those against the cuts, Tsipras was forced but to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package from creditors which proved to be more severe.

Final Straw

The ex-PM revealed how he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the figure who drew publicity, who graced the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”

After the minister outlined a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to pensioners, the leader said he realised it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”

Lasting Criticism

In the book, the author concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for a deal demanding intricate and delicate management.”

He also claimed how his aggressive approach left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hawks that were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.

This account of events has been met with anger along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has so far kept a conspicuous quiet on the matter.