It is expected that today a decision will be made for the anonymity cancellation of pre-paid phone cards. This is done in order to control users and to fight criminality easier because terrorist and abductors in Greece are using pre-paid card phones.

One of the possible measures, which will be taken, is to forbid the sale of phone cars with a mobile number at the kiosks and supermarkets. The subscriber will need to show his ID, tax number and address.

This topic will be discusses today with Transport Minister Evripidis Stilianidis, who will meet representatives of phone companies in the afternoon. The employees of the three companies agreed that anonymity, which comes with pre-paid phone cards has helped for many wrongdoings. The representatives also said that the development of the market depends on what they will agree on.

Firstly, will the cancellation of anonymity apply only to new subscribers or will the old ones have to declare their numbers as well? Out of 18.5 million subscribers all around the country, 13.5 million are using pre-paid cards. This means that around 6.5 million subscribers will need to inform their companies about the numbers, which they are using.

The second question refers to where and when the personal information will be declared. If a new pre-paid card should be bought with a passport copy and the tax number, then those cards cannot be sold in kiosks and super-markets.

In France and in Bulgaria, pre-paid card phone owners need to declare their personal information. In Spain, getting a new pre-paid phone number is possible only by showing ID or passport but in order for this measure to take place, they needed 2 years. This same practice exists also in Albania since last summer but subscribers had one year in order to declare their personal data.