Public Prosecutor: Office monitoring Alta Bank, will act if crime found

State Public Prosecutor Nenad Saveski told reporters that the Office is closely watching developments around Alta Bank and will step in if it uncovers elements of a criminal offence, but that it is too early to say whether investigators have opened any specific procedures.

Asked after a meeting of the Council of Public Prosecutors whether his institution had started investigative actions in the case, Saveski said the situation is being observed and, if necessary, will prompt a response from the prosecution.

"As with any situation that attracts particular public interest, this situation is being monitored by the Public Prosecutor's Office and if we detect that it concerns something connected to a criminal legal event we have no other choice but to react. However, I cannot answer you concretely at this moment because it is too early," he said.

Cooperation with Serbian authorities possible, not yet requested

On whether the Macedonian prosecution had asked Serbian counterparts for information — given that Serbian authorities have opened an investigation and Alta Bank owner Davor Macura is in custody — Saveski indicated there has been no specific exchange so far, but stressed that cooperation would proceed without obstacles if needed.

"We have excellent cooperation with colleagues from the neighbouring Republic of Serbia, so if there is a need for such data and communication with the judicial bodies of the Republic of Serbia, that would of course be carried out unobstructed," he said.

The events in Serbia have reverberated in North Macedonia because Alta Bank Belgrade became the majority owner of Alta Bank AD Bitola last year after acquiring Stopanska Banka AD Bitola. On 31 October the National Bank of Serbia revoked Alta Bank's licence and on 3 November bankruptcy proceedings were opened. Macura was arrested on 2 November and the Higher Court in Belgrade ordered 30 days' pre-trial detention for him and two bank employees on 4 November.

Serbian prosecutors suspect the bank owner misused his position and removed funds from the bank's vault amounting to around 45 billion dinars (more than 380 million euros); two other employees are accused of assisting him.

Regarding Alta Bank AD Bitola — a separate legal entity linked by ownership to the Belgrade bank — the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia imposed temporary administration and restrictions for users. Individuals face a weekly cash and card withdrawal limit of 10,000 denars, while internal transfers within the bank remain unrestricted. From today, citizens without payment cards can withdraw 20,000 denars per week at dedicated teller windows.

Meanwhile, at the request of the opposition, the parliamentary committee will open an oversight hearing on the Alta Bank developments. Opposition SDSM has repeatedly called on the prosecution to investigate Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and the governor of the central bank, Trajko Slaveski, whom it blames for allowing the bank's entry into North Macedonia.

Photo: Arhiva