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In a freshly published personal account, named Ithaki, the former prime minister Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches as he reflects on that chaotic era during Greece's debt drama.

An Unconventional Appointment

As per Tsipras's recollections, Tsipras chose that maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as the treasury head primarily due to his worldwide fame and Varoufakis's very persuasive abilities when it came to communicator.

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

Clashing Agendas

The former leader claims how Varoufakis possessed his own motives which included promoting his books as well as experimenting with his theories using the nation instead of truly fighting for its financial survival.

Tsipras noted how the negotiations to stave off bankruptcy became “not only a way to secure a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, an historic chance to prove the validity of his economic theories.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

Amid tense negotiations, the country came dangerously close to exiting the single currency area.

At stake was both the country's destiny and the punishing cutbacks required in return for bailout funds from foreign lenders.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Efforts to find financing elsewhere, such as a desperate appeal to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.

Helping the indebted country would be equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have informed Tsipras during their meeting.

Referendum and Reversal

In July 2015, those harsh bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, a move which threw Europe into a further existential crisis.

Even though the referendum was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, Tsipras was forced to reject its outcome and negotiate a bailout package from creditors that turned out to be even harsher.

Final Straw

Tsipras revealed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the man who attracted media attention, who graced the front pages of magazines globally … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”

After Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy that included establishing a parallel currency as well as distributing vouchers to retirees, Tsipras knew that it was game over questioning him: “Is this for real?”

Lasting Rebuke

Within the book, Tsipras asserts that his former ally demonstrated himself “unsuitable for an agreement that required complex and delicate handling.”

He further wrote that his aggressive style made him more and more alone among peers, endangered the country, and assisted hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

This retelling of history has been met with anger and stunned disbelief in some quarters, while the former minister has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.