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Within his freshly published autobiography, titled Ithaki, the ex- premier Alexis Tsipras does not hold back while he reflects on that turbulent era during Greece's debt drama.

An Unconventional Choice

As per the ex-PM's account, he chose that unorthodox economist Varoufakis as the treasury head largely because of his international reputation along with his very persuasive skills when it came to speaker.

“In reality, he was, in reality, more of a star and less of an economic expert,” recalled Tsipras.

Conflicting Priorities

Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis possessed his own motives which involved advancing his publications as well as experimenting with his theories using Greece instead of genuinely advocating the country's financial survival.

He noted how the negotiations to stave off bankruptcy were “not only a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became a test, an historic chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's economic theories.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

Amid tense negotiations, Greece found itself perilously on the brink of leaving the single currency area.

At stake was not only the country's future and the harsh cutbacks required in exchange for rescue loans by foreign lenders.

Failed Alternatives

Attempts to find financing elsewhere, including a desperate appeal to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.

Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader reportedly informed his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Referendum Followed by U-Turn

In July 2015, the excoriating bailout terms were put to a public vote, an action that plunged Europe into deeper existential crisis.

Even though the referendum was won decisively by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and negotiate a rescue deal from foreign lenders which turned out to be tougher.

Final Straw

Tsipras revealed that he started questioning his finance minister relatively soon.

“Varoufakis was the public image of the talks, the figure who drew publicity, who appeared on the covers of publications the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”

When Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy involving creating a secondary currency and issuing coupons to retirees, Tsipras knew it was the end and asked him: “Is this for real?”

Enduring Criticism

Within the book, the author concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself “unfit for a deal that required complex and delicate handling.”

Tsipras further claimed that his aggressive style left him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, while assisted hardliners that were pushing for Grexit.

The account of history has provoked fury along with shock in some quarters, while Varoufakis has so far maintained a deafening silence regarding these claims.