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In a freshly published personal account, called Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches while he revisits that turbulent era during Greece's financial crisis.

A Controversial Appointment

In Tsipras's account, Tsipras selected the maverick academic Varoufakis as his finance minister primarily due to his international reputation along with Varoufakis's very persuasive skills as a communicator.

“In reality, he was, truthfully, more like a star and less of an economic expert,” stated Tsipras.

Clashing Priorities

The former leader suggests that Varoufakis possessed his own agenda which involved promoting Varoufakis's books and testing out his game theories on Greece instead of truly advocating the country's financial survival.

Tsipras noted how the talks to prevent bankruptcy were “not only a way to secure improved terms for the country. They were a test, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's economic theories.”

High-Stakes Talks

During volatile negotiations, the country found itself dangerously on the brink of leaving the single currency area.

At stake lay not only the country's future but also the severe austerity measures demanded in exchange for financial aid by foreign lenders.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Attempts to secure financing from other sources, such as an urgent plea to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to tossing cash into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly told his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Public Vote Followed by Reversal

In July 2015, those harsh conditions were put to a public vote, a move which plunged the EU into a further crisis of identity.

Although the vote was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to ignore the result and negotiate a bailout package with creditors that proved to be more severe.

Breaking Point

Tsipras revealed that he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.

“He was the public image of the talks, the figure who drew publicity, who graced the covers of magazines globally … he gave the impression he was enjoying his new role.”

When the minister outlined a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency and distributing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras said he realised that it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”

Enduring Rebuke

Within the book, Tsipras asserts that Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and delicate management.”

He also wrote that Varoufakis's confrontational approach made him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hardliners that were advocating Grexit.

The account of history has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, while the former minister has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.