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In a freshly published personal account, called Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras spares no criticism as he examines that turbulent period during Greece's debt drama.

An Unconventional Choice

As per Tsipras's account, he chose the maverick economist Varoufakis to be his finance minister mainly due to the latter's international reputation along with his highly compelling skills as a public orator.

“In reality, he was, actually, more of a celebrity and less of an economic expert,” wrote Tsipras.

Clashing Priorities

Tsipras alleges how Varoufakis possessed a personal agenda which involved promoting Varoufakis's books and testing out his economic models using Greece instead of genuinely fighting for the country's economic stability.

Tsipras explained that the talks to prevent insolvency were “not only a way of achieving improved terms for Greece. They became an experiment, an historic opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's economic theories.”

High-Stakes Talks

Amid tense discussions, the country came perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.

On the line was both the country's future and the harsh austerity policies demanded in exchange for financial aid from international creditors.

Failed Alternatives

Attempts to find funds from other sources, such as a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country was equivalent to throwing money in the trash-can, the Russian leader is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Referendum and Reversal

That summer, the harsh bailout terms were subjected to a public vote, a move that threw the EU into deeper crisis of identity.

Although the vote was carried decisively by those against the cuts, Tsipras was forced to ignore the result and negotiate a bailout package with foreign lenders which turned out to be more severe.

Breaking Point

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

“He was the face of the talks, the figure who attracted publicity, who graced the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying his new role.”

After Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy involving establishing a parallel currency as well as distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras said he realised it was the end questioning him: “Is this for real?”

Enduring Rebuke

In the memoir, Tsipras asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for an agreement that required complex and sensitive management.”

Tsipras also wrote how Varoufakis's aggressive style left him increasingly isolated with colleagues, put Greece at risk, and helped hardliners who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

This retelling of events has been met with fury along with shock in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has maintained a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.