Venko Filipche on Alta Bank: "An urgent response from the police and the prosecution is necessary"
SDSM leader called for a swift investigation as regional moves against Alta Pay Group leave customers unable to withdraw savings.
2 November 2026 — Venko Filipche, leader of SDSM, urged an immediate reaction from law enforcement and the public prosecutor after regional moves against Alta Pay Group left Macedonian customers unable to access their savings.
"An urgent response from the police and the prosecution is necessary," Filipche said, calling on authorities to act swiftly while citizens demand information and access to their deposits.
Background
In recent hours Montenegro revoked the licence for Alta Pay Group, and Serbian authorities detained the owner of Alta Bank in Serbia, Davor Macura. Those developments have heightened concern among account-holders in North Macedonia, where branches and services linked to the Alta group have been the subject of public protests and demands to withdraw funds.
The National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia (NBRM) has previously stated that bankruptcy or measures taken against the Serbian Alta do not automatically transfer to the Macedonian bank, but residents continue to press for swift clarifications and practical solutions.
Filipche demanded clear and rapid steps from the police and prosecutors to investigate possible irregularities and to protect savers, while urging state bodies to provide transparent information about the legal and operational status of the local entities connected to Alta.
Citizens and local activists, including groups in Bitola who have gathered to demand access to their savings, say they are still waiting for concrete answers from domestic institutions as cross-border developments unfold.
Photo: press material from the event
