> Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic has convinced multiple cities, public and private companies, the country's major telecommunications providers, as well as nine banks to clear some of their citizens of their debt.
This means that the losses happen with consent of the corporations involved.
Not saying that the convincing is necessarily done via threats, or is a bad thing at all, but "convincing" has many meanings.
Either that, or the somewhat more plausible explanation, that the word "convinced" just doesn't quite describe the process that is taking place.
I wouldn't put much stake in that. What choice do you have when the government is trying to "convince" you to do something? You play ball.