Despite restrictions imposed by capital controls, 968 bank branches opened for 1.5 million pensioners who do not use cash cards for ATMs after heartwrenching scenes of the elderly weeping outside banks on Monday made international headlines. Despite hope that they would be allowed to withdraw 120 euros per visit at branches of Greece’s four largest banks, new problems unfolded when an announcement was made at midnight on Tuesday that the pensioners would be served in alphabetical order.

Silver-haired crowds – unaware of the last-minute announcement – gathered in the early hours of the morning regardless of their name’s position on the alphabet in the hope that Wednesday would be the day that they would get their hands on the money they require for basic needs.

Pireos Bank was the only one that did not keep alphabetical order, choosing instead to serve pensioners on a “first come, first served” basis.

The National Bank of Greece announced that pensioners would be served as follows,:

A-I (9 letters) Wednesday, July 1
K-M (3 letters) Thursday, July 2
N-Ω (12 letters) Friday, July 3

Daily newspaper Ethnos reports that branches have bottles of water at hand to offer pensioners who will be forced to wait in long lines before finally seeing a small portion of their money.

George Arvanitis, president of NBG employees: