Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has expressed support for foreign investment in the Greek banking sector, welcoming the recent move by Italy’s UniCredit SpA to increase its stake in Alpha Bank.
"I see value if a foreign buyer shows interest in a Greek company," Mr. Mitsotakis said in an interview with Bloomberg on Friday, adding that he supports pan-European banking deals in principle.
The statement comes as Greece leads a push to return its bailed-out banks to full private ownership.
UniCredit recently increased its stake in Alpha Bank to about 26%, a holding worth approximately €2.1 billion.
The move has also been praised by Bank of Greece Governor Yiannis Stournaras, who told Bloomberg earlier this month that he is "in favor of cross-border transactions."
Mr. Stournaras said that the government, the central bank, and public opinion have all adopted a "very, very pro-European approach" to the banking sector.