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Abstract
The credit cooperative system was established in Greece in 1993, following
the creation of the appropriate legislative framework. The Greek system
distinguishes two types of institutions: the cooperative bank that functions
as a bank and the credit cooperative that cannot provide banking services.
The Greek cooperative system is characterized by the autonomous and nonhomogenous
development of the cooperative banks and credit cooperatives.
Moreover, in 2001 the cooperative banks created a central nation-wide bank
that has since helped the further development of the credit cooperative system.
However and despite the large number of geographic departments
involved in the credit cooperative system, the expansion of cooperative banks
in the Greek bank market is limited, principally due to legislative restrictions
and the lack of dynamism these restrictions create to the credit cooperative system,
while operating in a very competitive market environment.