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Within his newly released personal account, named Ithaki, the ex- premier Tsipras does not hold back as he revisits the turbulent era of Greece's debt drama.

An Unconventional Appointment

In the ex-PM's version, he chose the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis to be his treasury head primarily because of his global profile and his highly compelling skills when it came to public orator.

“In reality, he was, actually, more of a personality rather than an economic expert,” wrote Tsipras.

Conflicting Priorities

Tsipras suggests how his finance chief had a personal motives that included advancing Varoufakis's publications as well as experimenting with his economic models using Greece rather than truly fighting for the country's financial survival.

Tsipras noted that the talks to stave off bankruptcy became “not just a method of achieving improved terms for Greece. They were an experiment, a monumental chance to demonstrate the truth of his theories.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

During rollercoaster negotiations, the country came perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.

On the line was not only the country's future and those severe austerity policies required in return for rescue loans by foreign lenders.

Failed Options

Attempts to find financing from other sources, such as a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, were rejected.

Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to tossing cash in the trash-can, Putin reportedly informed Tsipras during their meeting.

Public Vote and Reversal

That summer, those punitive conditions were put to a public vote, an action which threw Europe into further existential crisis.

Even though the vote was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, Tsipras had little option but to reject its outcome then negotiate a rescue deal from creditors that turned out to be more severe.

Breaking Point

The ex-PM revealed that he began to doubt Varoufakis relatively soon.

“He was the public image of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who graced the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying his new role.”

After the minister proposed a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew that it was the end and asked Varoufakis: “Can you be serious?”

Enduring Criticism

Within the book, Tsipras asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for an agreement demanding complex and sensitive management.”

He also claimed how Varoufakis's confrontational approach made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hawks that were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

The retelling of events has been met with anger and stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far kept a deafening silence on the matter.