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Within his recently unveiled personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras spares no criticism as he revisits that turbulent era of Greece's debt drama.

An Unconventional Appointment

In the ex-PM's account, he appointed that maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as his treasury head primarily because of the latter's international reputation and his highly compelling abilities as a communicator.

“In reality, he was, truthfully, more of a star rather than an economic expert,” stated Tsipras.

Conflicting Agendas

Tsipras suggests that his finance chief possessed his own motives which involved advancing his publications and testing out his economic models on the nation rather than genuinely fighting for the country's economic stability.

He wrote that those negotiations to avoid bankruptcy were “not just a way of achieving a better deal for Greece. They became an experiment, an historic opportunity to prove the truth of Varoufakis's theories.”

High-Stakes Talks

During tense discussions, Greece came perilously on the brink of leaving the single currency area.

At stake lay both the country's future but also those severe austerity policies required in exchange for rescue loans by foreign lenders.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Efforts to find financing from other sources, such as an urgent plea to Russia to buy Greek bonds, were rejected.

Helping the indebted country would be equivalent to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly informed his Greek counterpart during their meeting.

Referendum Followed by U-Turn

In July 2015, the harsh conditions were subjected to a public vote, a move which plunged Europe into a further existential crisis.

Although the referendum was won resoundingly by voters against the cuts, the prime minister had little option but to ignore the result and agree to a rescue deal from foreign lenders which turned out to be tougher.

Final Straw

Tsipras revealed how he started questioning Varoufakis relatively soon.

“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who attracted media attention, who graced the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”

When Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy involving establishing a parallel currency and issuing vouchers to pensioners, Tsipras said he realised it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”

Lasting Criticism

Within the book, Tsipras concludes how his former ally had proved himself “unfit for a deal that required intricate and sensitive handling.”

He further wrote that Varoufakis's confrontational approach left him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, and helped hardliners who were advocating a Greek exit from the euro.

The retelling of events has provoked fury and shock among certain groups, whereas Varoufakis has maintained a conspicuous quiet on the matter.