Starting next year, credit institutions will be required to have a more active presence in the regions of Latvia. According to Latvijas Banka, about 20 new customer service points are planned to be opened — both permanent and alternative. It is reported that "this is necessary so that residents of the regions have equal access to financial services, and banks are not limited to only the largest cities."
The mandatory expansion will affect such self-government centers as Bauska, Talsi, Madona, Limbazi, Kuldiga, Saldus, Kraslava, Balvi, Preili, Aluksne, Livani, and Valka. In these places, credit institutions will have to provide either stationary branches or other forms of service.
In small municipalities, alternative solutions are allowed: mobile service points, cooperation with outsourcing companies, delivery of documents and tools to the client by courier or through parcel machines.
These changes are related to the fact that many residents of the regions face difficulties in accessing financial services. Latvijas Banka notes that the new rules will improve financial accessibility, especially for the elderly and those who do not use digital services.
At the same time, credit institutions will be able to request exemptions from obligations if they can prove that their clients in a specific region actively use internet banking and digital identification solutions.
The first report on how the new requirements are being implemented will be presented by Latvijas Banka to the Saeima in 2028.
It is worth recalling that banks once began evacuating their branches and even ATMs from the regions, citing their unprofitability due to a decrease in the number of clients. It is unlikely that they will become more profitable in the future. This means that the residents of large cities will pay for their maintenance...
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