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In a recently unveiled autobiography, called Ithaki, the former leader Tsipras does not hold back as he revisits the turbulent period during Greece's financial crisis.

An Unconventional Appointment

According to Tsipras's version, he appointed that unorthodox economist Yanis Varoufakis to be the treasury head mainly due to the latter's international reputation and his very persuasive abilities when it came to communicator.

“He was, truthfully, more of a star and less of an economic expert,” recalled Tsipras.

Conflicting Priorities

Tsipras alleges that his finance chief possessed a personal motives which involved advancing Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his economic models using Greece instead of genuinely advocating its financial survival.

He explained that those discussions to stave off bankruptcy were “not only a method of achieving improved terms for the country. They were an experiment, a monumental chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's theories.”

Critical Negotiations

During rollercoaster discussions, the country found itself perilously on the brink of exiting the eurozone.

At stake lay both the country's future and those harsh austerity policies demanded in return for financial aid from international creditors.

Unsuccessful Alternatives

Attempts to find funds from other sources, such as a desperate plea to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, went unanswered.

Helping Greece would be equivalent to tossing cash into the garbage, Putin is reputed to have informed his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Public Vote and Reversal

That summer, those excoriating conditions were subjected to a public vote, a move which plunged the EU into a further crisis of identity.

Although the referendum was carried resoundingly by those against austerity, the prime minister was forced to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package with foreign lenders that proved to be more severe.

Breaking Point

The ex-PM revealed that he began to doubt his finance minister quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the man who drew publicity, who graced the covers of publications globally … it seemed he was enjoying the spotlight.”

After the minister outlined a contingency plan that included establishing a parallel currency as well as issuing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was the end and asked Varoufakis: “Is this for real?”

Lasting Criticism

In the book, the author concludes that his former ally had proved himself “unsuitable for a deal demanding complex and sensitive management.”

He also claimed that Varoufakis's confrontational style made him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, and assisted hawks that were advocating Grexit.

This retelling of events has been met with anger along with stunned disbelief among certain groups, while Varoufakis has maintained a deafening silence on the matter.