Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is under pressure from his own parliamentary over the cuts at ELTA. Credit: Dimitris Papamitsos / AMNA
The abrupt decision by the Hellenic Post (ELTA) management to close over 200 post offices nationwide has triggered a fierce internal crisis within the ruling New Democracy (ND) party.
The backlash from citizens, particularly senior citizens who relied on the local branches for services like pension collection, quickly escalated into a political firestorm, forcing the Prime Minister’s office to intervene.
Parliamentary revolt over ELTA
The crisis peaked during a marathon teleconference where dozens of ND MPs “exploded” against ELTA CEO Grigoris Sklikas, demanding explanations and, in many cases, his immediate resignation.
Over 40 MPs spoke during the meeting, which was described as a “rodeo” and compared to the difficult internal discussions surrounding the same-sex marriage bill—with the key difference being that, this time, the opposition was unified.
The primary source of outrage was the complete lack of prior consultation with the political leadership. The phrase “Take it back,” voiced by MP Dimitris Markopoulos, became the rallying cry, demanding the immediate reversal of the closure plan.
The conflict quickly turned into an ideological clash between what the MPs viewed as an out-of-touch, purely technical management approach and the necessary political oversight and accountability. MPs feared being left to shoulder the entire political cost of the unpopular decision.
Government intervention
The intense pressure from the party’s parliamentary group effectively changed the political landscape.
Despite earlier support from government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, the CEO, Grigoris Sklikas, is now considered to be on probation following the revolt.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was forced to convene an urgent, broad meeting with ministers and Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis to address the issue, effectively placing the restructuring plan at the very top of the government’s agenda.
The unity and intensity of the ND MPs’ reaction signal a major political difficulty for the government, demanding a swift change in the ELTA restructuring course to quell the internal rebellion and manage the public backlash.
Political split and fierce opposition
The decision has triggered a rare consensus of concern, drawing fire from both the opposition and several ruling-party lawmakers, centered on the issue of social cohesion.
Opposing voices argue the closure is purely technical and ignores the social fallout:
Main opposition PASOK emphasized that ELTA is a “crucial link of social cohesion”. It questioned the firm’s compliance with its obligations as a universal postal service provider, noting that the closures strip residents of basic services like payments, mail, parcel delivery, and small-scale financial transactions.
The SYRIZA party demanded an emergency parliamentary session, arguing that closing 204 branches will leave island residents, people in remote mountainous areas, retirees, and even some Athenian neighborhoods without essential postal services.
