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In a recently unveiled personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- premier Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches as he reflects on that chaotic period of Greece's economic turmoil.

An Unconventional Choice

According to Tsipras's account, he appointed that unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis to be the treasury head largely because of the latter's international reputation along with Varoufakis's highly compelling abilities when it came to speaker.

“In reality, he was, truthfully, more like a celebrity and less of an economist,” wrote Tsipras.

Conflicting Agendas

The former leader alleges that his finance chief had a personal agenda which included advancing Varoufakis's publications and experimenting with his own theories on the nation rather than truly advocating its financial survival.

Tsipras noted how the talks to stave off bankruptcy were “not just a way to secure a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, a monumental opportunity to prove the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”

Critical Talks

Amid rollercoaster discussions, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of exiting the single currency area.

At stake lay both Greece's destiny but also those punishing austerity measures required in exchange for rescue loans by foreign lenders.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Efforts to secure financing from other sources, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country was equivalent to tossing cash into the garbage, Putin reportedly told Tsipras during their meeting.

Public Vote Followed by Reversal

In July 2015, the excoriating conditions were put to a public vote, an action that threw the EU into deeper crisis of identity.

Although the referendum was carried resoundingly by voters against the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to reject its outcome and agree to a rescue deal with foreign lenders that proved to be even harsher.

Final Straw

Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.

“He was the public image of negotiation, the man who attracted media attention, who graced the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”

After the minister proposed a backup strategy involving creating a parallel currency as well as issuing vouchers to retirees, Tsipras knew it was game over questioning him: “Are you serious?”

Enduring Rebuke

Within the book, the author concludes that his former ally had proved himself “unsuitable for a deal that required complex and delicate management.”

Tsipras further claimed how his confrontational approach left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners that were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

This account of events has provoked fury along with shock in some quarters, while Varoufakis has maintained a deafening silence on the matter.