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Athens ATM queues lengthen in face of week-long bank closures Athens cashpoint queues lengthen in face of week-long bank closures
(35 minutes later)
All over Athens they were queuing, but the lines outside the National Bank branches were by some distance the longest – because the National Bank supplies the banknotes, and lots of other Greek banks, by midnight on Sunday, had no more of those.All over Athens they were queuing, but the lines outside the National Bank branches were by some distance the longest – because the National Bank supplies the banknotes, and lots of other Greek banks, by midnight on Sunday, had no more of those.
“People are feeling very concerned … very insecure,” said Maria Poulimeniou, outside the National Bank on Eleftherios Venizelos street in Kallithea, a southern Athens suburb.“People are feeling very concerned … very insecure,” said Maria Poulimeniou, outside the National Bank on Eleftherios Venizelos street in Kallithea, a southern Athens suburb.
“The situation changes from one minute to the next. First they say the banks will be closed on Monday, now for the whole week.”“The situation changes from one minute to the next. First they say the banks will be closed on Monday, now for the whole week.”
Pouleminou, who works in the finance department of a shipping company, said she had tried the local branch of her bank, Alpha, but “they had nothing left. Empty. So I’m here. I’m taking out the limit – 600 euros, it is here. But they say after midnight it will be 60 euros. That’s why there’s a queue”.Pouleminou, who works in the finance department of a shipping company, said she had tried the local branch of her bank, Alpha, but “they had nothing left. Empty. So I’m here. I’m taking out the limit – 600 euros, it is here. But they say after midnight it will be 60 euros. That’s why there’s a queue”.
While Greece’s government announced on Sunday night that the country’s banks would not open on Monday, that capital controls would be introduced and limits set on withdrawals, there was no official confirmation yet of what those limits would be. But there were at least 70 people queuing outside this one branch, and most National Bank branches on the way back into town had similar lines.While Greece’s government announced on Sunday night that the country’s banks would not open on Monday, that capital controls would be introduced and limits set on withdrawals, there was no official confirmation yet of what those limits would be. But there were at least 70 people queuing outside this one branch, and most National Bank branches on the way back into town had similar lines.
As their debt-laden, all-but-insolvent country – and the eurozone – entered uncharted territory last night, it seemed plenty of Greeks were taking no chances. “I’m not taking out all I have,” said Stathis, 58, who described himself as a private sector employee. “But the government has just said the banks will stay shut for a week, so I’m here to take out what I need for that – maybe a couple of hundred euros.”As their debt-laden, all-but-insolvent country – and the eurozone – entered uncharted territory last night, it seemed plenty of Greeks were taking no chances. “I’m not taking out all I have,” said Stathis, 58, who described himself as a private sector employee. “But the government has just said the banks will stay shut for a week, so I’m here to take out what I need for that – maybe a couple of hundred euros.”
He was quite clear about who he though was responsible. “We should never even have tried to negotiate,” he said. “Whatever the government did, I think we would probably have ended up exactly where we are right now. This whole thing has been planned, from the start, by the Germans.”He was quite clear about who he though was responsible. “We should never even have tried to negotiate,” he said. “Whatever the government did, I think we would probably have ended up exactly where we are right now. This whole thing has been planned, from the start, by the Germans.”
Yannis, a postgraduate finance student, was more phlegmatic. “I just want to withdraw what I can now,” he said. “It’s far from clear to me when we will be able to take money out again. I’m aiming for 300 euros – enough for at least a week, I hope.”Yannis, a postgraduate finance student, was more phlegmatic. “I just want to withdraw what I can now,” he said. “It’s far from clear to me when we will be able to take money out again. I’m aiming for 300 euros – enough for at least a week, I hope.”
But he said he had no idea what would happen after that. “[Prime minister Alexis] Tsipras says he’ll be able to go back to Brussels in a better position after this referendum, and reopen negotiations with the institutions from a position of strength,” he said. “But nobody knows if that will be the case. Nobody knows anything, in fact.”But he said he had no idea what would happen after that. “[Prime minister Alexis] Tsipras says he’ll be able to go back to Brussels in a better position after this referendum, and reopen negotiations with the institutions from a position of strength,” he said. “But nobody knows if that will be the case. Nobody knows anything, in fact.”
Anna, 63, a pensioner, wanted to make clear she was not standing in a bank queue just before midnight because she had panicked. “Look,” she said. “I had no cash, and I obviously need some. My pension has just been paid, and I’m here with my neighbout to take some of it out. Not all of it – just some. That’s all. I’m not scared, not in the least. We’ve seen worse, here. We will come through this.”Anna, 63, a pensioner, wanted to make clear she was not standing in a bank queue just before midnight because she had panicked. “Look,” she said. “I had no cash, and I obviously need some. My pension has just been paid, and I’m here with my neighbout to take some of it out. Not all of it – just some. That’s all. I’m not scared, not in the least. We’ve seen worse, here. We will come through this.”