In brief
After the revocation of Alta Banka AD Belgrade’s licence, the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia put Alta Banka AD Bitola under administration and imposed a weekly withdrawal limit, prompting queues of mainly pensioners for the limited cash available. The move has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who call for the Finance Minister’s resignation, while the Finance Minister maintains that the situation poses no danger to the banking system.
According to BTA, the revocation of Alta Banka AD Belgrade’s licence has intensified tensions in Bitola, where the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia placed Alta Banka under administration and allowed customers to withdraw up to 20,000 MKD (≈EUR 320) at one branch, sparking long queues primarily of pensioners.
BTA reports that following the licence revocation, the National Bank announced that customers without bank cards could withdraw up to 20,000 MKD over the counter, but only at the Bitola branch, where queues had been forming since Thursday morning. Most of those queuing, the source notes, are pensioners seeking to withdraw part of their pensions amid concerns that the banking system might be disrupted.
The National Bank imposed a weekly withdrawal limit of 10,000 MKD from ATMs, but customers say there is no cash in the machines. BTA indicates that the administration also suspended Alta Banka’s licence until further notice, and the bank’s operations are now overseen by the National Bank’s administration team.
Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska‑Kochoska, according to BTA, dismissed the developments as “not a reason to panic” and claimed that Alta Banka had a negligible market share, while affirming the stability of North Macedonia’s banking system. The minister said she had not communicated with National Bank Governor Trajko Slaveski about the matter and had been informed only via the media. She also noted that the Finance Ministry had not consulted the National Bank Governor about Alta Banka’s entry into North Macedonia late last year.
“Gordana Dimitrieska‑Kochoska must resign. She is lying about Alta Banka. The Public Prosecutor’s Office must immediately launch an investigation into both Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Kochoska. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office must also get involved to examine all the money flows involving Alta Banka.”
Venko Filipce, leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), posted the statement on Facebook, accompanied by photographs of what he claimed were minutes from a government meeting.
BTA reports that the Finance Ministry responded that the meeting in question had taken place after Alta Banka’s acquisition of Stopanska Banka Bitola, asserting that the conclusions concerned the public institutions holding shares in Stopanska Banka Bitola. The minister’s response further clarified that no directives had been issued regarding Alta Banka’s share sale.
In the broader regulatory context, BTA notes that a three‑day deadline set by National Bank Governor Slaveski for Serbia’s regulator to confirm whether Alta Banka AD Belgrade would offer its shares in Alta Banka AD Bitola for sale expires soon. The deadline has heightened scrutiny of cross-border banking operations and government oversight.
