With a public announcement that attempted to pre-empt impressions of SKAI’s documentary, “In the Millionth”, Alexis Tsipras chose to raise the stakes.
He spoke of “character assassination”, denied his involvement and denounced distortion of events. Only, as it turned out almost immediately, he was once again bluffed. And not with the methodicalness of a political gambler, but with the ease of a common gambler who bets without looking at the cards.
The response of ELeni Varvitsiotis and Victoria Dendrinou was devastating precisely because it didn’t require tension. In simple, clear language, they made it clear that in their book “The Last Bluff” there is no reference to what the former prime minister is accusing them of. No connection, no suggestive reference, no “transaction” as he describes it. In other words, his entire accusation was based on a narrative that doesn’t stand on actual text.
And herein lies the crucial point. This is not just a political disagreement. It’s about a choice. To attack something you have not read or choose to distort. The two journalists did not respond with name-calling; instead, they chose to let the data itself speak. Their book, they noted, is based on the testimonies of protagonists of the time. They are named, documented, verifiable.
The picture that emerges of Alexis Tsipras is far from that of the “shakist” who moves pions with precision. On the contrary, he resembles a tambler who insists on talking. He throws facts on the table, hoping that impression will mask reality. He did it in 2015, at a cost to the country. He repeats it today, at cost to his credibility.
And somewhere here the irony becomes almost inevitable. The man who has recently appeared with authorial concerns turns out not to have even bothered to read a book before publicly denouncing it. It’s not just a political slip-up. It’s an attitude that reveals a lot about the way he perceives public discourse.
Finally, The Last Bluff is not just a book title. It is the most accurate description of a political behavior that insists on playing with chance. Except, no matter how much you roll the dice, reality doesn’t change. The ace or two doesn’t become exchanges.
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