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Within his newly released memoir, named Ithaki, the former premier Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches while he revisits the turbulent era during Greece's debt drama.

A Controversial Choice

According to Tsipras's account, Tsipras chose the unorthodox academic Varoufakis as his finance minister primarily because of his international reputation along with Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” abilities as a public orator.

“In reality, he was, truthfully, more of a celebrity and less of an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.

Conflicting Priorities

Tsipras claims how his finance chief possessed a personal agenda that involved promoting Varoufakis's books as well as experimenting with his theories on the nation instead of truly advocating the country's economic stability.

Tsipras wrote how those negotiations to prevent insolvency were “not only a way of achieving a better deal for Greece. They became an experiment, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the truth of Varoufakis's economic theories.”

Critical Negotiations

During rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came dangerously close to leaving the eurozone.

On the line lay not only Greece's destiny and those punishing austerity measures demanded in return for rescue loans from international creditors.

Failed Alternatives

Efforts to find funds elsewhere, such as a desperate plea to Russia to buy Greek government bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart during their meeting.

Public Vote Followed by U-Turn

In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were subjected to a popular referendum, an action that plunged Europe into further existential crisis.

Although the vote was carried decisively by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to ignore the result and negotiate a bailout package with creditors which turned out to be even harsher.

Final Straw

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

“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who drew media attention, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”

When Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan involving establishing a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was game over and asked him: “Are you serious?”

Enduring Rebuke

In the book, Tsipras asserts that his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement that required complex and delicate handling.”

He also wrote that Varoufakis's aggressive style left him more and more alone among peers, endangered the country, and assisted hardliners that were pushing for Grexit.

This account of events has been met with anger along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas the former minister has maintained a deafening silence on the matter.