Alta Banka weekly withdrawal limit raised to 15,000 denars, says Trajko Slaveski

From Monday, November 9 the weekly limit for cash withdrawals and card payments on Alta Banka cards will be raised from 10,000 to 15,000 denars, announced the governor of the National Bank, Trajko Slaveski.

Three measures to ease access to funds

Slaveski said the central bank is rolling out three measures meant to expand customers' access to funds: expanding the network of cash payout points, increasing card usage limits, and removing restrictions on newly incoming salaries, pensions and social transfers.

He explained that starting Monday, November 9 counters will open in Tetovo and Strumica where customers who do not have payment cards will be able to withdraw up to 20,000 denars. That change will allow residents of those towns and nearby settlements to collect funds without travelling to Bitola.

On the treatment of incoming transfers Slaveski said: "The third easing concerns all future incoming salaries, pensions and social transfers that come from institutions or companies that have accounts in other banks. Citizens will be able to withdraw them in full, without any limit. In that sense, the Bank's customers do not need to open an account in another bank, because they will be able to dispose of incoming funds on these grounds in full, using a payment card or withdrawing cash through the Bank's opened counters."

Payments to citizens who do not have payment cards began yesterday and will continue in the coming days. The Bitola branch is working two shifts and will also operate on Saturday, November 7. Social assistance payments started today; roughly 660 clients were served in the Bitola office today. The average withdrawal per client was about 19,000 denars yesterday and about 16,000 denars today, which the governor said was expected given the lower amounts of social transfers.

On the bank's status Slaveski stated: "'Alta Banka' AD Bitola continues to operate, is not in bankruptcy and its licence has not been revoked. The administration is a temporary measure applied until a change of ownership. The situation in the Bank is good, it is liquid and highly capitalised, with a solid quality of the loan portfolio."

Photo: K. Popov)