🔗 Share this article Former Prime Minister Tsipras Claims Yanis Varoufakis Proved ‘Inappropriate’ for the role of Greek Treasury Chief Amid Financial Meltdown Within his newly released memoir, titled Ithaki, the ex- leader Tsipras pulls no punches while he examines the chaotic era during Greece's economic turmoil. A Controversial Appointment According to Tsipras's recollections, he selected that maverick academic Varoufakis as the finance minister mainly because of the latter's worldwide fame and his highly compelling abilities as a speaker. “He was, actually, more like a personality rather than an economist,” recalled Tsipras. Conflicting Priorities Tsipras alleges how his finance chief possessed his own agenda which involved promoting his books and testing out his theories on the nation instead of truly advocating its financial survival. He explained how those talks to avoid bankruptcy were “not only a way of achieving a better deal for the country. They were an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the truth of his economic theories.” High-Stakes Talks Amid volatile negotiations, the country came perilously on the brink of leaving the single currency area. At stake was not only the country's future and the punishing cutbacks required in exchange for rescue loans from foreign lenders. Unsuccessful Options Efforts to secure funds elsewhere, including a desperate plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, fell on stony ground. Assisting Greece was equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, Putin reportedly told his Greek counterpart during their meeting. Referendum Followed by U-Turn That summer, the harsh bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, an action that plunged Europe into a deeper existential crisis. Although the vote was carried resoundingly by voters against the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package with creditors which turned out to be more severe. Breaking Point The ex-PM revealed that he started questioning his finance minister quite early on. “Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the man who attracted publicity, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he was enjoying his new role.” When the minister proposed a backup strategy that included creating a parallel currency and issuing vouchers to pensioners, Tsipras knew that it was the end questioning him: “Are you serious?” Enduring Criticism Within the memoir, the author asserts how Varoufakis had proved himself “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and delicate management.” Tsipras also wrote that his confrontational style left him more and more alone among peers, endangered the country, while helped hardliners who were advocating a Greek exit from the euro. This retelling of events has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.