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In a recently unveiled autobiography, named Ithaki, the former premier Tsipras does not hold back as he examines that chaotic era during Greece's debt drama.

A Controversial Appointment

As per the ex-PM's recollections, he selected the unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis as the treasury head mainly due to his worldwide fame and Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” skills as a speaker.

“He was, truthfully, more of a personality and less of an economic expert,” recalled the 51-year-old.

Conflicting Agendas

The former leader claims how his finance chief possessed a personal motives which included advancing his books as well as testing out his economic models using Greece rather than truly fighting for the country's economic stability.

He wrote that the negotiations to stave off bankruptcy became “not just a method of achieving a better deal for the country. They became an experiment, an historic opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”

Critical Negotiations

Amid rollercoaster negotiations, the country came perilously close to exiting the eurozone.

On the line lay not only the country's destiny but also the harsh cutbacks required in exchange for financial aid from international creditors.

Failed Alternatives

Attempts to find funds elsewhere, including an urgent appeal to the Kremlin to buy Greek government bonds, were rejected.

Assisting the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, Putin reportedly told Tsipras during their meeting.

Referendum Followed by Reversal

That summer, those harsh bailout terms were put to a public vote, a move which threw Europe into a deeper crisis of identity.

Even though the referendum was won resoundingly by those who opposed the cuts, Tsipras had little option but to ignore the result and agree to a rescue deal from creditors which turned out to be more severe.

Final Straw

Tsipras claimed how he started questioning his finance minister quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the man who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications globally … he gave the impression he relished his new role.”

After the minister outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a parallel currency and issuing vouchers to retirees, Tsipras said he realised it was game over questioning Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”

Enduring Rebuke

Within the book, the author concludes that Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and delicate management.”

Tsipras further claimed that Varoufakis's confrontational style made him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while assisted hardliners that were advocating Grexit.

The retelling of events has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.