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In a freshly published personal account, called Ithaki, the former premier Tsipras spares no criticism as he reflects on the chaotic period of Greece's economic turmoil.

A Controversial Choice

According to Tsipras's account, Tsipras chose that maverick economist Varoufakis to be his treasury head largely due to the latter's global profile along with his very persuasive skills as a communicator.

“He was, in reality, more like a star and less of an economic expert,” wrote the 51-year-old.

Clashing Priorities

The former leader alleges that his finance chief had a personal motives which included advancing his books as well as experimenting with his theories on Greece instead of truly advocating the country's economic stability.

Tsipras noted that the discussions to prevent bankruptcy became “not just a method to secure a better deal for Greece. They were an experiment, a monumental opportunity to prove the validity of his theories.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

During rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came perilously on the brink of exiting the single currency area.

On the line lay not only the country's destiny and the severe cutbacks demanded in exchange for bailout funds by foreign lenders.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Efforts to find funds elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek government bonds, were rejected.

Helping Greece would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, Putin reportedly told Tsipras during their meeting.

Referendum Followed by Reversal

That summer, the punitive conditions were put to a public vote, an action that threw the EU into deeper crisis of identity.

Although the vote was carried decisively by voters against austerity, Tsipras had little option to ignore the result and agree to a rescue deal from creditors that turned out to be tougher.

Final Straw

Tsipras claimed that he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of magazines the world over … it seemed he relished his new role.”

After Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy involving creating a parallel currency and issuing coupons to pensioners, the leader knew it was the end and asked him: “Are you serious?”

Enduring Rebuke

In the memoir, Tsipras asserts how his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal demanding complex and delicate handling.”

He further wrote how his confrontational style left him more and more alone among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hawks who were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

The account of history has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.