Milena Apostolaki is highlighting the risk of a two-tier society as the banking network shrinks sharply, particularly in regional areas, in a parliamentary question to National Economy and Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
She notes that, according to European Central Bank data, the number of bank branches in Greece fell from 4,097 in 2008 to just 1,352 in 2025, a decline of 67%, compared with 45.9% in the euro area. She also points out that the four systemic banks recorded net profits of €4.65 billion in 2025 and distributed €2.83 billion to shareholders.
She also cites recent geospatial analysis showing that more than 2.5 million people live more than 5 kilometres from the nearest bank branch, while 67 municipalities, with a combined population of nearly half a million, have no bank branch at all.
As for ATMs, more than 1.3 million people live over 5 kilometres from the nearest one. Of these, 96.1% live outside Attica and Thessaloniki, where more than one in five residents are over 5 kilometres from an ATM.
“An ATM is no substitute for a bank branch. But access to even an ATM is the minimum requirement for access to cash. It is therefore unacceptable for the digitalisation of the banking system, which also substantially reduces banks’ operating costs, to become a pretext for abandoning entire areas,” the PASOK MP said.
In her parliamentary question, she calls on the government to introduce binding minimum geographic coverage criteria based on actual road distance and travel time, as well as to assess the social and geographic impact before closing a branch or removing an ATM.
She also calls for specific measures to support areas facing banking exclusion, so that the high profitability of the systemic banks is matched by specific obligations to maintain a physical presence, provide services and ensure universal access to basic banking services and cash.