🔗 Share this article Ex-PM Alexis Tsipras Claims Varoufakis Was ‘Inappropriate’ for the role of Greek Finance Minister During Financial Meltdown Within his freshly published memoir, called Ithaki, the ex- premier Alexis Tsipras does not hold back as he examines that chaotic era during Greece's economic turmoil. An Unconventional Choice As per the ex-PM's account, Tsipras appointed that maverick economist Yanis Varoufakis as the finance minister mainly because of his international reputation along with his “extremely attractive” abilities when it came to speaker. “In reality, he was, actually, more of a celebrity rather than an economist,” wrote the 51-year-old. Clashing Priorities Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis possessed a personal agenda that involved advancing his books and experimenting with his own game theories using the nation instead of genuinely advocating its financial survival. Tsipras explained how the talks to avoid insolvency were “not just a way to secure a better deal for Greece. They became a test, an historic chance to prove the truth of Varoufakis's economic theories.” High-Stakes Negotiations Amid rollercoaster negotiations, Greece came dangerously on the brink of leaving the eurozone. At stake lay both Greece's future and the harsh austerity measures demanded in return for rescue loans by foreign lenders. Failed Options Efforts to find financing elsewhere, such as a desperate plea to the Kremlin to purchase Greek bonds, were rejected. Helping the indebted country would be tantamount to tossing cash in the trash-can, Putin reportedly told Tsipras in Moscow. Referendum and U-Turn In July 2015, those excoriating conditions were subjected to a public vote, a move which threw the EU into a deeper crisis of identity. Although the vote was carried resoundingly by voters who opposed austerity, the prime minister was forced to reject its outcome then agree to a rescue deal with foreign lenders which proved to be more severe. Final Straw The ex-PM revealed how he began to doubt Varoufakis relatively soon. “He was the public image of the talks, the man who drew publicity, who appeared on the front pages of magazines the world over … it seemed he relished his new role.” When the minister outlined a contingency plan involving creating a secondary currency and issuing vouchers to pensioners, the leader said he realised that it was the end questioning him: “Can you be serious?” Enduring Criticism Within the memoir, the author asserts how Varoufakis demonstrated himself to be “unsuitable for an agreement that required intricate and delicate management.” Tsipras also claimed how Varoufakis's confrontational style made him increasingly isolated with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hardliners that were advocating Grexit. The retelling of events has been met with anger along with shock among certain groups, whereas the former minister has kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.