Parliamentarians on Tuesday lambasted banks for the lack of ATMs, particularly in mountainous and remote areas, giving them a one-month deadline to come back with a plan for more extensive coverage.

At the House commerce committee, representatives of the two biggest banks – Bank of Cyprus and Hellenic – briefed MPs about the installation of 11 new ATMs in communities, as well as 400 ‘cashback’ points across the island.

Unimpressed, parliamentarians said ATM coverage remains sorely insufficient.

Disy MP and committee chair Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis called it “inconceivable” that banks were not catering to remote, rural areas – inconveniencing particularly the elderly who are not savvy with digital technologies and need to get cash in hand.

“It cannot be that I have to wander about the Kokkinohoria looking for an ATM,” he said. “And when I do find one, it’s usually out of order.”

The Greens’ Stavros Papadouris also urged banks to institute a 24-hour maintenance service for ATMs.

Elam MP Sotiris Ioannou reported that in the Larnaca district at least three village clusters are without a single ATM.

Dipa deputy Michalis Yiakoumi raised the issue of safety for elderly people. Recounting an experience close to him, he said that his great-uncle recently died in a traffic accident while driving around on his motorcycle in the Famagusta area searching for an ATM.

“I have strong feelings about this,” said Yiakoumi.

“I spoke with the banks association, and they said they would install one ATM per village. Today, hearing that only two more villages in the Famagusta district (Avgorou and Frenaros) will get ATMs, this leaves me unsatisfied.”

An official with the deputy ministry of welfare confirmed that the elderly as well as handicapped people experience a great deal of hassle while out looking for a cash dispenser.

Responding to the criticism, a representative of the banks association conceded that “of course the network of ATMs does not cover every single village…we’ve got a lot of ground to cover”.

On behalf of Bank of Cyprus, Theodosis Theodosiou pointed out that installing an ATM costs anywhere from €12,000 to €15,000. The cost is borne by the provider JCC, in which the banks are shareholders.

Andreas Kostouris, of the banks association, said they are open to feedback.

“We want you to know that we are listening, we are not your adversaries, rather we are a part of society, and we can improve, but do not treat us as if we’re enemies of society.”