Responding to the request by the Ethniki (National) Bank's administration to extend the one-year deadline for the sale of Ethniki Insurance, the EU's Directorate-General for Competition is reportedly posed to refuse. The DG Comp is putting pressure on the bank to accelerate the procedures for the sale of the insurance firm.

The possibility for an immediate return of three banks to the private sector is being examined by the government. A bill to be tendered on 20 January will make possible the privatization of Ethniki, Piraeus, and Alpha Bank.