Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis, in his intervention in Parliament, described the charges as “unjustified.” As revealed today by the Darkroom column of protothema.gr, he announced the submission of an amendment according to which ATM charges within the DIAS system will be eliminated, while the charges currently applied to banks will now also apply to third-party ATM service providers.

The measure will come via an amendment, and today I am announcing the scope of this measure:

1. It is established that customers of a bank face zero charges when using that bank’s ATMs, and this needs to be legislated.
2. Charges between banks via the DIAS system, which are currently up to €1.50, will be eliminated.
3. A national cap of €1.50 will be introduced for any other charge. “Other charges” include, for example, those by third-party providers or charges by a Greek bank to a foreign bank.
4. In any connection between a bank and a third-party provider, the third party must treat the bank’s customers as if they were their own—meaning zero charges.
5. In municipal communities where only one ATM is available and where zero charges already apply, this zero-charge policy will also be extended to third-party providers.
6. Balance inquiries will be free of charge, even via third-party providers.
7. For transfers, the €0.50 charge that applies to banks will also apply to third-party providers.

It is clear that this intervention is deeply political, with a strong social character. It demonstrates that the government is acting in the interest of society.