**Laiki Depositors Promised Further Compensation in 2026**
Former depositors of Laiki Bank, who faced significant losses during the financial crisis of 2013, have been assured of additional compensation set to be disbursed in 2026. This announcement was made by the Laiki Bank Depositors Association, known as Sykala, on Monday following a phone call from President Nikos Christodoulides.
During the call, which took place on Sunday, President Christodoulides informed Sykala about the planned compensation without specifying the amounts or percentages involved. These details are expected to be determined and announced after further deliberations. The president also indicated a commitment to intensifying efforts to align the upcoming compensation with the payments made in 2025.
In 2025, the first round of compensation saw approximately €100 million allocated to beneficiaries, with each individual receiving 10 percent of their verified net losses from the 2013 financial crisis, capped at €100,000 per person. This compensation scheme was part of a broader effort to address the financial fallout experienced by depositors and bondholders during the crisis.
The recent promise of further compensation comes in the wake of an announcement from the National Solidarity Fund committee, which stated that there would be no disbursement in 2026. This news prompted a strong reaction from Sykala, leading to a meeting with President Christodoulides last week to express their concerns regarding the lack of financial support for the affected depositors.
Currently, there are approximately 13,000 beneficiaries included in the compensation scheme, which encompasses former depositors and bondholders from both Laiki Bank and Bank of Cyprus. According to data presented to the Cypriot parliament last year, the verified losses incurred by these depositors and bondholders during the 2013 crisis total around €2 billion.
The financial turmoil in Cyprus originated from a bailout program negotiated between the country and its international lenders in March 2013. As part of this agreement, large depositors were required to contribute to the recapitalization of the Bank of Cyprus, which was heavily impacted by the economic troubles in Greece. Specifically, depositors with uninsured amounts exceeding €100,000 faced a conversion of 47.5 percent of their deposits into shares. In contrast, Laiki Bank depositors saw their uninsured deposits completely wiped out when the bank was wound down, with portions of its operations subsequently transferred to the Bank of Cyprus.
The ongoing discussions regarding compensation reflect the continuing efforts to address the financial repercussions of the crisis and provide some relief to those who lost their savings. As the situation develops, both the Laiki Bank Depositors Association and affected individuals will be closely monitoring the government's actions and the specifics of the upcoming compensation plan.