Government eyes mini post offices within Citizens’ Service Centers
The restructuring plan for Hellenic Post (ELTA) may well undergo significant changes during the process of the public consultation the mail company’s new administration has started with local communities in the areas where post offices are meant to close. It is possible that some of the 158 post offices scheduled for closure will remain open even after the three-month extension granted following the strong reaction a few days ago.
Since the announcement of the closures, there are municipalities that have offered to cover the operating costs, such as the monthly rent and electricity bills, in order to avoid the final closure.
The proposal to utilize space in Citizens’ Service Centers (KEP), within which post offices could be housed according to the “shop-in-shop” model, has also been put on the table. However, the possibility of postal services being transferred entirely to KEPs is considered almost unlikely, as KEPs do not have the necessary infrastructure to provide financial services, a function of vital importance for serving citizens, especially outside Athens.
The possibility of private individuals operating points, through a tender, is still being discussed, although market circles express reservations whether there will be real interest. Already today, part of ELTA’s services are provided through “agencies,” a system of cooperation in which authorized partners or businesses act as “agents,” offering basic postal services on behalf of the organization. However, there are also cases of agencies closing due to low activity.
All of the above are proposals that are being examined, with the aim of achieving savings without completely stopping the operation of certain post offices. For the time being, ensuring the presence of a post office on every island seems to be non-negotiable, while it is considered equally important for branches to operate in all 330 metropolitan municipalities of the country. At the moment, the ELTA network has approximately 410 branches, after the closure of 46 points, mainly in Attica and Thessaloniki. Several distribution centers have also closed, many of which have now passed into private hands.
As for personnel, the goal is to significantly reduce the number of employees with fixed-term contracts.
Kathimerini
