🔗 Share this article Former Prime Minister Tsipras Claims Yanis Varoufakis Proved ‘Inappropriate’ for the role of Greek Finance Minister During Debt Crisis In a freshly published memoir, called Ithaki, the former premier Tsipras pulls no punches as he examines the chaotic period of Greece's debt drama. A Controversial Choice In Tsipras's recollections, Tsipras selected the maverick academic Yanis Varoufakis as the finance minister largely because of the latter's international reputation along with Varoufakis's “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to public orator. “In reality, he was, in reality, more like a personality and less of an economic expert,” stated the 51-year-old. Conflicting Agendas The former leader suggests how Varoufakis possessed his own agenda which involved promoting Varoufakis's publications and testing out his own game theories on the nation instead of truly fighting for the country's economic stability. Tsipras noted how those discussions to stave off insolvency became “not only a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were an experiment, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his theories.” Critical Negotiations Amid volatile negotiations, the country found itself perilously close to exiting the eurozone. At stake lay both the country's future but also the severe cutbacks demanded in exchange for rescue loans from international creditors. Unsuccessful Options Efforts to secure funds from other sources, including a desperate plea to Russia to purchase Greek government bonds, went unanswered. Assisting Greece was tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart during their meeting. Public Vote Followed by Reversal In July 2015, those excoriating bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, a move which plunged Europe into further crisis of identity. Even though the vote was won resoundingly by those against the cuts, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and agree to a rescue deal with foreign lenders which proved to be even harsher. Breaking Point Tsipras revealed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on. “He was the public image of negotiation, the figure who drew media attention, who graced the covers of publications the world over … it seemed he relished his new role.” When Varoufakis proposed a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency and issuing coupons to pensioners, Tsipras knew it was the end questioning him: “Can you be serious?” Enduring Criticism Within the book, the author asserts how Varoufakis demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal demanding intricate and sensitive handling.” Tsipras also claimed how his confrontational approach made him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while assisted hawks who were advocating a Greek exit from the euro. The retelling of history has provoked fury and stunned disbelief in some quarters, while the former minister has kept a conspicuous quiet on the matter.