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In a freshly published personal account, titled Ithaki, the former premier Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches while he revisits that turbulent era during Greece's debt drama.

An Unconventional Choice

As per Tsipras's account, Tsipras appointed that unorthodox academic Varoufakis as the treasury head mainly due to his global profile along with Varoufakis's highly compelling skills when it came to communicator.

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

Clashing Agendas

The former leader suggests how Varoufakis had a personal motives that involved promoting Varoufakis's books and experimenting with his own economic models using the nation instead of truly advocating the country's economic stability.

Tsipras explained that those talks to prevent bankruptcy were “not only a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to prove the truth of his economic theories.”

High-Stakes Talks

During volatile negotiations, Greece came perilously close to leaving the single currency area.

On the line lay not only Greece's destiny but also the punishing austerity policies required in exchange for bailout funds by foreign lenders.

Failed Alternatives

Efforts to find financing elsewhere, including an urgent plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country was equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly informed Tsipras in Moscow.

Public Vote and Reversal

That summer, those punitive bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, a move that plunged Europe into further crisis of identity.

Even though the vote was carried resoundingly by those against austerity, the prime minister had little option to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package with creditors which proved to be tougher.

Breaking Point

The ex-PM revealed how he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the figure who drew media attention, who appeared on the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”

When Varoufakis outlined a contingency plan that included creating a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, the leader said he realised it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”

Lasting Rebuke

In the book, the author asserts that his former ally had proved himself to be “unsuitable for a deal demanding intricate and sensitive handling.”

He further wrote how his confrontational style made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, put Greece at risk, and helped hawks that were pushing for Grexit.

The account of history has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.