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Within his newly released personal account, named Ithaki, the former prime minister Alexis Tsipras pulls no punches as he examines the chaotic era during Greece's financial crisis.

An Unconventional Choice

In Tsipras's account, Tsipras appointed the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as the finance minister primarily because of his worldwide fame along with his “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to public orator.

“In reality, he was, actually, more like a personality and less of an economic expert,” wrote the 51-year-old.

Clashing Agendas

Tsipras alleges how his finance chief possessed a personal agenda that involved advancing his publications as well as testing out his economic models using the nation rather than truly advocating the country's economic stability.

Tsipras noted that those discussions to stave off bankruptcy became “not only a method to secure improved terms for Greece. They became an experiment, a monumental chance to demonstrate the truth of his economic theories.”

Critical Negotiations

During rollercoaster negotiations, Greece found itself dangerously on the brink of leaving the eurozone.

At stake lay both the country's future but also the harsh cutbacks demanded in exchange for financial aid from international creditors.

Failed Options

Attempts to secure financing elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered.

Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have told Tsipras in Moscow.

Public Vote Followed by U-Turn

That summer, those harsh bailout terms were subjected to a popular referendum, a move that threw Europe into a deeper existential crisis.

Although the vote was won decisively by voters who opposed the cuts, the prime minister had little option but to reject its outcome then agree to a bailout package from creditors that proved to be even harsher.

Final Straw

The ex-PM claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis quite early on.

“He was the face of negotiation, the figure who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he relished his new role.”

When Varoufakis outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a secondary currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, the leader knew that it was the end questioning him: “Is this for real?”

Lasting Rebuke

Within the book, the author concludes how Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement demanding intricate and sensitive handling.”

He further wrote that his aggressive style made him more and more alone with colleagues, put Greece at risk, and assisted hawks that were advocating Grexit.

This retelling of history has provoked anger and stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.