If the threats were ever to come true, the residents would be most concerned about their lives, their safety and of course their money, which is mostly in their bank accounts.
Examines the practices of neighboring countries
During normal times, they can be cashed out at ATMs or simply paid by card at any time. As a result, few people think about the worst. However, private plans provide for limits on the amount of money that can be spent on the card in case of war.
Most likely, the amount withdrawn from ATMs would also be limited.
However, even if this were not done, not everyone would be able to quickly withdraw money from their accounts using ATMs, and not as much as they would like.
The Bank of Lithuania does not reveal whether there is currently any public or private procedure that would predict how much money could be withdrawn if a war broke out in Lithuania. However, according to the resolution of its board, banks should ensure the issuance of cash.
His specialists sent the following comment:
“Currently, the evaluation and analysis of this issue is ongoing, and the practice of neighboring countries is being examined.”
Only 40 euros would be enough for everyone from ATMs?
According to the Bank of Lithuania, household deposits in the country’s financial institutions currently exceed 22.8 billion. euros. If we divide them into all 2.8 million inhabitants, each would spend an average of 8143 euros.
In total, 39.5 million licenses are issued in Lithuania. payment cards. Also, 1137 ATMs are now operating in our country, according to official statistics.
Probably no one knows exactly how much withdrawable money they contain, because this amount is constantly changing. However, even if all the ATMs were completely full, there would hardly be enough money for everyone.
For security reasons, banks do not disclose how much cash they actually keep or can keep in banks.
However, experts interviewed unofficially by the portal tv3.lt confirm the numbers circulating on the Internet as very likely: each ATM can have an average of 30,000. up to 100 thousand euros. It is said that there may be fewer of them in more remote areas, and much more where there are more people.
If we assume that in reality there are 100,000 ATMs in Lithuania. 113.7 million euros in all 1137. euros. Again, if we divide this amount by 2.8 million inhabitants, each would cost just over 40 euros.
It is easy to calculate that if there were 2 or 3 times more cash in each ATM, 80 or 120 euros for each person would probably be enough when the war started.
Of course, in normal times, all ATMs are regularly topped up with money. However, this would hardly be done in case of war.
In any case, even the few hundred million euros that may be in ATMs represent a very small fraction of the total of 22.8 billion. euro deposits.
In an attempt to hedge or diversify risks, some of them could be held in accounts abroad. However, as tv3.lt already wrote, at least the largest banks in the country do not open accounts for Lithuanians in parent banks abroad.
