Banks in Cyprus are reopening today after being shut for nearly two weeks with new controls now in place to prevent people from emptying their bank accounts. Cash withdrawals are limited to 300 euros, or $384, per person each day with limits also imposed on how much can be carried abroad. The electronic transfer of funds out of Cyprus is banned. Officials still fear mass withdrawals after it was announced major swaths of larger-size deposits would be used to pay off banking debts under a $13 billion international bailout. Mass protests against the bailout continued Wednesday as thousands took to the streets in the capital Nicosia.

Mathew Elefteriou: “I think we should leave the troika and do this on our own, because they forced us to take these austerity measures, and the people has done, in my opinion, nothing wrong. The banks, the banks should pay, not the people.”