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Within his recently unveiled autobiography, named Ithaki, the former prime minister Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches as he reflects on the turbulent era of Greece's financial crisis.

A Controversial Choice

As per the ex-PM's recollections, Tsipras chose the unorthodox economist Varoufakis as the finance minister largely because of the latter's global profile and Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” skills when it came to public orator.

“He was, truthfully, more of a celebrity rather than an economist,” wrote the 51-year-old.

Conflicting Priorities

Tsipras suggests how Varoufakis possessed his own agenda that included promoting Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his own theories on Greece rather than genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.

Tsipras noted that those talks to stave off bankruptcy became “not just a way of achieving a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, an historic opportunity to demonstrate the truth of his ideas.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

During tense discussions, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.

On the line was not only Greece's destiny and those severe austerity policies demanded in return for rescue loans from foreign lenders.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Attempts to find funds from other sources, such as an urgent plea to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country would be equivalent to throwing money in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Referendum and U-Turn

That summer, those harsh conditions were subjected to a popular referendum, a move which threw Europe into deeper existential crisis.

Although the vote was carried decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, Tsipras was forced to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package from creditors that turned out to be even harsher.

Final Straw

Tsipras revealed how he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who drew publicity, who graced the covers of publications the world over … he gave the impression he relished the spotlight.”

When the minister proposed a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew that it was game over and asked Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”

Enduring Criticism

Within the book, the author concludes how Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unfit for an agreement demanding complex and delicate management.”

He further claimed that his aggressive approach left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, and assisted hardliners who were pushing for Grexit.

This retelling of events has been met with anger along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, whereas the former minister has so far maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.