
Greek lender Piraeus Bank this week announced another voluntary retirement program throughout the banking group, with the goal being a workforce of around 8,000, down from slightly more than 10,000 today.
Previous such early retirement programs already manifested themselves in the 2020’s results, with payroll costs easing by 10 percent, while in the first quarter of 2021 the annual rate of reduction in payroll costs hovered at 9 percent.
A restructuring plan unveiled by the ATHEX-listed banking group foresees payroll expenditures to drop to 350 million euros by 2024, from 424 million euros in 2020.
The number of Piraeus Bank branches will also drop to 430 from 504 today by 2024. Operating costs for the group in 2020 were 981 million euros.
According to Piraeus Bank CEO Christos Megalou, similar to previous such programs, the upcoming one will be “implemented amid conditions of workplace peace”.
At first glance, employees over the age of 50 will be eligible for larger sums of compensation, with other factors being years of employment and each staff member’s job description. A bonus might also possibly be allocated to those declaring their intent to voluntarily leave before a deadline for acceptance expires.
A maximum payout of 200,000 euros is foreseen.


Latest News

New Exposé by Domumento Reveals Nefarious Triangular Link of ‘Black Money’ with New Democracy, Blue Skies, & Truth Team
The latest exposé by the Documentonews.gr news site lays bare what appears to be a surreptitious path of indirect financing of ND through the business sector—transactions that, as widely understood, rarely occur without expectations of reciprocal benefit

PM Meloni Meets Vice President Vance in Rome Signalling Optimism on Ukraine Talks
Meloni emphasized the strength and strategic value of the Italy-U.S. partnership.

Airbnb: Greece’s Short-Term Rentals Dip in March Amid Easter Shift
Data from analytics firm AirDNA shows that average occupancy for short-term rentals dropped to 45% in March, down from 49% the same month last year.

Easter Week in Greece: Holy Friday in Orthodoxy Today
At the Vespers service on Friday evening the image of Christ is removed from the Cross and wrapped in a white cloth

Meloni and Trump Meet in Washington, Vow to Strengthen Western Ties
“I am 100% sure there will be no problems reaching a deal on tariffs with the EU—none whatsoever,” Trump stressed.

ECB Cuts Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points in Expected Move
The ECB’s Governing Council opted to lower the deposit facility rate—the benchmark for signaling monetary policy direction—citing an updated assessment of inflation prospects, the dynamics of underlying inflation, and the strength of monetary policy transmission.

Current Account Deficit Fell by €573.2ml Feb. 2025: BoG
The improvement of Greece’s current account was mainly attributed to a more robust balance of goods and, to a lesser extent, an improved primary income account

Hellenic Food Authority Issues Food Safety Tips for Easter
Food safety tips on how to make sure your lamb has been properly inspected and your eggs stay fresh.

Greek Kiwifruit Exports Smash 200,000-Ton Mark, Setting New Record
According to data by the Association of Greek Fruit, Vegetable and Juice Exporters, Incofruit Hellas, between September 1, 2024, and April 17, 2025, kiwifruit exports increased by 14.2%.

Easter Tourism Boom: Greece Sees 18.3% Surge in Hotel Bookings
Among foreign markets, Israel has emerged as the biggest growth driver, with hotel bookings more than doubling—up 178.5% year-on-year.