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Within his recently unveiled memoir, titled Ithaki, the ex- prime minister Tsipras pulls no punches while he reflects on the turbulent era of Greece's economic turmoil.

A Controversial Appointment

According to Tsipras's version, Tsipras selected the maverick academic Varoufakis as the finance minister largely because of his global profile along with his highly compelling skills as a speaker.

“He was, truthfully, more like a celebrity and less of an economist,” stated the 51-year-old.

Conflicting Priorities

The former leader claims that Varoufakis possessed a personal motives that included advancing Varoufakis's books as well as testing out his theories using the nation rather than genuinely advocating its financial survival.

Tsipras wrote that the talks to avoid bankruptcy became “not just a way to secure improved terms for Greece. They became an experiment, an historic chance to demonstrate the validity of his theories.”

Critical Negotiations

Amid tense discussions, the country came perilously on the brink of exiting the single currency area.

At stake lay not only the country's destiny and the harsh austerity measures required in exchange for financial aid by international creditors.

Failed Alternatives

Efforts to find financing elsewhere, including an urgent appeal to Russia to purchase Greek bonds, fell on stony ground.

Assisting the indebted country would be tantamount to throwing money in the trash-can, Putin is reputed to have told his Greek counterpart during their meeting.

Referendum and Reversal

That summer, those excoriating bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, an action that plunged the EU into further crisis of identity.

Even though the referendum was carried resoundingly by voters against the cuts, the prime minister had little option to reject its outcome and agree to a rescue deal from creditors that proved to be more severe.

Final Straw

The ex-PM revealed that he began to doubt his finance minister relatively soon.

“Varoufakis was the public image of negotiation, the man who attracted publicity, who appeared on the front pages of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying the spotlight.”

After the minister proposed a backup strategy that included establishing a secondary currency and distributing vouchers to retirees, the leader knew that it was game over and asked Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”

Lasting Rebuke

In the book, the author asserts how his former ally had proved himself “unsuitable for a deal that required intricate and delicate management.”

Tsipras further wrote how his confrontational approach made him more and more alone with colleagues, endangered the country, while helped hawks that were advocating Grexit.

This retelling of events has provoked anger along with shock in some quarters, while the former minister has kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.