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Announcement

Special Dividend (Share capital reduction through a reduction in the share par value)

Following the abovementioned reduction, the share capital of the Company amounts to EUR63,407,506.11, divided into 65,368,563 common registered shares with a par value of EUR0.97 each.

On 30.7.2010, the decision (K2-6025) by the Minister of Development approving the modification of the relevant article in the Company's Articles of Association was registered in the Companies Register. Athens Exchange was informed on 6.9.2010 about this special dividend (share capital reduction through a reduction in the par value of the share by EUR0.13 and payment of this amount to shareholders).

Beneficiaries of the special dividend (share capital return), based on the record date rule, will be those shareholders of the Company that are registered on the Dematerialized Securities System (DSS) on Friday 24.9.2010 (ex date Wednesday 22.09.2010 before the start of trading on Athens Exchange).

On the same date (22.09.2010), the opening price of the shares of the Company on ATHEX will be determined in accordance with the Athens Exchange Rulebook, in conjunction with Resolution 26 of the BoD of ATHEX, as it applies.

The payment date for the share capital return is Thursday September 30^th 2010. Payment will be effected by the Bank of Piraeus as follows:

1.      Through the DSS operators, in accordance with paragraph 5.5 of the ATHEX Rulebook and 39 of the DSS Rulebook, provided they are entitled to receive the special dividend.

2.      Through the branch network of BANK of PIRAEUS, for those shareholders that have requested an exception from their DSS operator or have their shares in the Special Account of their Investor's Share Securities Account kept with DSS.

3.      Those shareholders who, for various reasons, are not able to receive the dividend through their operators will be able to receive the special dividend starting on October 6^th 2010 through the branch network of BANK of PIRAEUS. It will be possible to receive the special dividend through the branch network of BANK of PIRAEUS by providing the DSS account information and presenting an ID, either in person or through a representative. The legal representative must have an authorization from the beneficiary, which must contain the details of both the beneficiary as well as of the legal representative, and the signature of the beneficiary must be verified by the appropriate authorities.

Starting on 30.9.2015, the payment of special dividend in cash will be made by the Company.

It should be noted that the ex date for the right to the special dividend will take place after the expiration of the current series of those derivative products in which the share of the company is an underlying security.