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In a recently unveiled personal account, titled Ithaki, the ex- premier Tsipras pulls no punches while he revisits that chaotic era of Greece's debt drama.

A Controversial Appointment

In Tsipras's recollections, he selected that unorthodox academic Yanis Varoufakis to be the treasury head mainly because of his international reputation along with his highly compelling skills when it came to communicator.

“He was, actually, more like a celebrity and less of an economic expert,” recalled the 51-year-old.

Conflicting Agendas

The former leader suggests that his finance chief had a personal agenda which included promoting his publications as well as experimenting with his own economic models on Greece rather than truly advocating the country's financial survival.

He noted that the discussions to avoid bankruptcy became “not only a way of achieving improved terms for Greece. They became a test, an historic opportunity to prove the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”

High-Stakes Negotiations

During rollercoaster discussions, Greece found itself dangerously close to leaving the eurozone.

On the line was both the country's future but also those punishing cutbacks demanded in return for bailout funds by international creditors.

Unsuccessful Options

Attempts to secure financing elsewhere, such as an urgent appeal to the Kremlin to buy Greek bonds, were rejected.

Helping the indebted country was equivalent to tossing cash in the trash-can, the Russian leader reportedly informed his Greek counterpart in Moscow.

Public Vote Followed by U-Turn

In July 2015, those punitive conditions were subjected to a public vote, an action which plunged the EU into a deeper crisis of identity.

Even though the referendum was carried decisively by those who opposed the cuts, the prime minister was forced but to reject its outcome and agree to a bailout package with creditors which turned out to be even harsher.

Breaking Point

Tsipras claimed how he began to doubt Varoufakis relatively soon.

“He was the public image of negotiation, the figure who drew media attention, who appeared on the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying his new role.”

After Varoufakis proposed a backup strategy that included creating a parallel currency as well as issuing coupons to retirees, the leader said he realised that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”

Enduring Rebuke

Within the memoir, Tsipras asserts how his former ally had proved himself “unfit for an agreement demanding complex and delicate management.”

He further claimed how his aggressive approach made him increasingly isolated among peers, put Greece at risk, while helped hawks that were pushing for a Greek exit from the euro.

The account of history has provoked fury and shock among certain groups, while the former minister has so far kept a conspicuous quiet regarding these claims.