Greek Government Revises Plan to Restructure National Postal Service

The Greek government has revised its restructuring plan for Hellenic Post (ELTA), the country’s national postal service, following strong public and political reactions to the announced closure of 204 post offices.

Presenting the updated approach to a parliamentary oversight committee, Economy and Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis stressed that the plan should be understood as a “transformation” rather than a blanket shutdown. The revised strategy aims to modernize ELTA while preserving its nationwide role and ensuring continued access to essential services.

Under the new framework, 158 post offices are set to be transformed using a flexible model tailored to local needs. In 28 cases, existing ELTA Courier branches located nearby may take over services, ensuring that daily postal activity for residents remains unchanged.

For another 113 locations, changes will proceed only after a local ELTA agent has been secured and residents have been fully informed in advance. According to the government, interest from local communities has already been recorded, suggesting support for alternative service models. An additional 17 post offices will remain untouched due to their importance for basic banking and financial transactions in their areas.

The plan also expands the “shop-in-shop” model, under which ELTA services operate inside supermarkets, bookstores, newsstands and other retail outlets. This approach is already in use at around 500 locations across Greece and is reported to have delivered positive results.

Minister Pierrakakis said the revised strategy reflects a balance between modernization and social responsibility, emphasizing that the postal service should not be restructured in a rigid or uniform way. The goal, he said, is to ensure a financially viable, reliable and modern postal network that continues to serve citizens and businesses across the country.

Responding to criticism from opposition parties, the minister noted that ELTA has undergone repeated restructuring efforts over the years due to long-standing financial difficulties. He said the organization had been operating with a monthly deficit of €7.5 million when the current administration took over, and pointed out that post office closures had also occurred under previous governments.

Finally, Pierrakakis confirmed that a formal audit of ELTA’s operations and contracts since 2018 has been requested from Greece’s National Transparency Authority, as part of broader efforts to strengthen oversight and ensure the long-term sustainability of the postal service.

Source: tovima.com