A Greek operation to buy back some of the country's huge debt at reduced prices to access additional EU-IMF financial aid has met the 30-billion-euro target set by the authorities, news reports said on Saturday.
Financial daily Naftemboriki said foreign debt-holders had offered to sell sovereign bonds worth around 15 billion euros ($19.5 billion) while Greek banks had contributed another 15 billion euros by the required deadline on Friday.
The Kathimerini daily added that Greece's four main banks - National Bank, Eurobank, Alpha and Piraeus - had contributed state bonds worth around 11.5 billion euros.
Citing government sources, private TV station Mega said Greek authorities were satisfied at the result that would enable some 20 billion euros in debt to be wiped clean.
The state management agency was expected to announce initial results from the operation on Saturday.
This announcement is now expected by Tuesday, Mega said.
Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras said earlier last week that eurozone ministers would take stock of the buyback initiative on Thursday.
"We will meet again at the Eurogroup to evaluate the situation," Stournaras told Skai television.
Greece began the buyback on December 3 in a bid to cut the national debt by around 20 billion euros, inviting eligible holders to turn in sovereign bonds for 32.2 to 40.1 percent of their face value.
Those who participated were to receive six-month bills issued by the European Union's EFSF rescue fund.
With the value of Greek bonds having plunged in recent years, this money was considered sufficient to buy back debt worth 30 billion euros.
About 20 different series of Greek sovereign bonds held by private creditors with a face value of 62.3 billion euros were eligible for the buyback.
The operation is tied to the release of 43.7 billion euros in rescue loans from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
By using newly borrowed money to buy back its sovereign bonds at a heavy discount, Greece reduces the total burden of debt in what amounts to a refinancing scheme.
In March, Greece's private creditors had already agreed to write off about 107 billion euros' worth of sovereign bonds.