ATHENS — Environment and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas on Wednesday announced a series of initiatives to tackle energy poverty, speaking at the 4th Conference of Electromobility of the Hellenic Association for Energy Economics, which is being held online.

He said that 70 billion euros will flow into the country in the next years, adding that one of the government's top priorities is to help the Greeks who are unable to meet energy costs.

Skrekas said that the equation that must be solved is difficult, as it must combine a reduction of the environmental impact with competitive energy rates. He also underlined that tremendous changes in terms of energy consumption have already taken place, as lignite covered 45 percent of power production just 10 years ago and this has now dropped below 20 percent.

"The energy sector, apart from the major investments and the new jobs created, is the means for developing the other sectors of the economy," he concluded.