The relevant energy minister on Wednesday defended a decision by Greece's state-run power utility to purchase an electricity trading company in the neighboring former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) owned by a current deputy-premier there.

"The legislation on bad loans is the result of negotiations," Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis said in statements to ANT1 TV on Tuesday.
"We discussed all possible tools and the possibility for loan holders to purchase their loan at the same price as the funds, but the creditors rejected the proposal," he added.