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In a freshly published memoir, titled Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras does not hold back as he reflects on the chaotic period of Greece's economic turmoil.

A Controversial Choice

In Tsipras's recollections, he appointed that unorthodox academic Varoufakis as the treasury head mainly because of his worldwide fame along with Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” skills when it came to public orator.

“In reality, he was, in reality, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” recalled the 51-year-old.

Conflicting Agendas

The former leader suggests that Varoufakis had a personal motives which included advancing Varoufakis's books and experimenting with his own game theories on the nation instead of genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.

Tsipras wrote that those discussions to avoid insolvency became “not only a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became a test, an historic opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his theories.”

Critical Negotiations

Amid volatile discussions, the country came dangerously close to exiting the eurozone.

At stake lay both Greece's future and the punishing austerity measures required in exchange for rescue loans from foreign lenders.

Failed Alternatives

Efforts to secure financing from other sources, such as an urgent plea to Russia to buy Greek government bonds, fell on stony ground.

Assisting Greece would be tantamount to tossing cash into the garbage, Putin reportedly informed Tsipras during their meeting.

Referendum and Reversal

That summer, those punitive conditions were put to a popular referendum, a move which threw the EU into deeper crisis of identity.

Even though the referendum was carried resoundingly by voters against austerity, Tsipras had little option but to ignore the result then agree to a bailout package with creditors that turned out to be even harsher.

Final Straw

The ex-PM claimed that he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.

“He was the public image of negotiation, the man who drew media attention, who graced the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”

After the minister proposed a backup strategy involving establishing a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, the leader said he realised it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”

Enduring Criticism

Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unfit for a deal that required complex and delicate handling.”

Tsipras further claimed how his aggressive approach made him more and more alone with colleagues, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners who were advocating Grexit.

This account of history has been met with anger along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while the former minister has maintained a conspicuous quiet on the matter.