The Central Bank of Cyprus confirmed on 6 April that all commercial banks will shut from 10–14 April to observe Orthodox Easter. While ATMs and electronic channels will remain operational, in-branch services—including large cash withdrawals, certified cheques and certain foreign-exchange transactions—will be unavailable. Business-mobility managers should alert assignees arriving for Monday-to-Wednesday meetings that they may not be able to open local accounts or process notarised payment instructions until 15 April. Vendors used to same-day wire confirmations could also face delays, affecting property rentals and relocation-service invoices. Employers with April payroll runs should schedule transfers early or leverage SEPA instant-payment rails where possible. Card-issuing banks advise travellers to carry dual-network plastic or ensure mobile-wallet activation to avoid POS rejections at smaller merchants that may switch terminals offline during the holiday. The three-day shutdown coincides with expected Easter-week tourist inflows, so hoteliers are coordinating with banks to replenish ATM cassettes and raise single-withdrawal limits. The Cyprus Hotel Association says front-desk staff will proactively brief guests to mitigate negative perceptions of service disruption—an important reputational issue as the industry battles war-related booking hesitation.
Source: Cyprus Mail
