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In a freshly published personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Alexis Tsipras does not hold back while he revisits the turbulent era of Greece's financial crisis.

A Controversial Choice

According to Tsipras's account, Tsipras appointed the unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis to be the treasury head mainly due to his global profile and his “extremely attractive” abilities as a speaker.

“In reality, he was, in reality, more of a star rather than an economic expert,” wrote the 51-year-old.

Clashing Priorities

The former leader alleges how his finance chief had his own motives that involved advancing his books and testing out his theories on Greece instead of genuinely advocating its economic stability.

Tsipras wrote how those discussions to prevent bankruptcy became “not only a way of achieving a better deal for Greece. They were a test, an historic chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's ideas.”

High-Stakes Talks

During rollercoaster negotiations, the country came dangerously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.

On the line was not only Greece's destiny and those punishing austerity policies required in exchange for financial aid from foreign lenders.

Failed Options

Efforts to find funds elsewhere, including a desperate plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, Putin reportedly informed Tsipras during their meeting.

Referendum and U-Turn

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

Even though the vote was carried decisively by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister had little option but to reject its outcome and negotiate a bailout package with foreign lenders that turned out to be even harsher.

Final Straw

Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.

“He was the public image of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who graced the front pages of publications the world over … he gave the impression he relished his new role.”

When Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan involving establishing a secondary currency and distributing coupons to retirees, the leader said he realised that it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”

Enduring Criticism

Within the book, the author asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement that required intricate and delicate handling.”

He further claimed how Varoufakis's aggressive style left him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, and helped hawks that were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.

The retelling of history has provoked fury along with shock among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.