Greek debt crisis: Banks open for first time in three weeks but withdrawal limits remain, government says

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Greece's banks have opened today for the first time in three weeks but withdrawals will still be limited, a government official says.

Greece's deputy finance minister, Dimitris Mardas, confirmed the banks would reopen, adding that services would also be "widened".

Greeks will be able to withdraw up to 420 euros at once per week, sparing people the ordeal of queuing daily at ATMs in the summer heat, which thousands did for three weeks for just 60 euros per day.

"If someone doesn't want to take 60 euros on Monday and wants to take it on Tuesday, for instance, he can withdraw 120 euros, or 180 on Wednesday," Mr Mardas told ERT television.

"This is a proposal we are processing and we think it's technically possible."

Capital controls will remain largely in place, including a block on money transfers to foreign banks and a ban on the opening of new accounts.

The three-week shutdown of the banking system is estimated to have cost the economy 3 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in market shortages and export disruption.

Greece last week had to agree to a tough fiscal package to earn a three-year bailout from its international creditors and avoid crashing out of the eurozone.

For the first time in months, technical teams representing the creditors — the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — are expected in Athens next week to assess the state of the economy.