SDSM urges PIOM to stop pension payments into Alta Bank accounts

SDSM urges PIOM to stop pension payments into Alta Bank accounts

Party officials say pensioners cannot access their money after closures and ATM shortages, and demand immediate protection of savers.

Aleksandra Sasha Dimitrijevic, general secretary of the opposition Social Democratic Union (SDSM), visited Bitola today and called on the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (PIOM) to halt pension transfers to accounts held at Alta Bank until pensioners can safely withdraw their funds.

Party warns of growing hardship for pensioners

Dimitrijevic described the situation as alarming for retirees who are finding themselves unable to use their pensions because of closed branches, empty ATMs and missing payment cards. She said the measures are needed to protect citizens while the bank’s ownership and liquidity problems are being addressed.

“We demand that PIOM cease paying pensions into pensioners' accounts at Alta Bank to protect them,” Dimitrijevic said.

She also outlined practical problems faced by pensioners: long queues at functioning ATMs, closed counters and the impossibility for many to withdraw the weekly cash limit. “Pensioners, today is the second day, are left without pensions. Branches are closed, ATMs are empty, there are no cards. They cannot even withdraw those 10,000 denars. People without cards cannot reach their money because the branches are not operating. Many ATMs are empty, and at others they wait for hours,” Dimitrijevic said.

At the Bitola meeting she demanded that savers be given full access to their deposits and accused the government of protecting the bank owners’ capital at citizens’ expense. The party also called for accountability from Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and the governor of the National Bank, Trajko Slaveski.

SDSM leader Venko Filipche said the party will request a supervisory debate and file an interpellation on the performance of the National Bank governor. The developments follow the decision by the National Bank of Serbia, announced on Saturday, to revoke the licence of Alta Bank AD Belgrade, the majority owner of Alta Bank AD Bitola, citing a sharp deterioration of the Serbian bank’s financial position and liquidity risk.

The National Bank of North Macedonia introduced temporary administration at Alta Bank AD Bitola and imposed restrictions on customers. Individuals face a weekly cash withdrawal limit of 10,000 denars and card payments are limited, while internal transfers within the bank remain allowed without a limit. Legal entities can make unlimited internal transfers but cannot move funds to other banks or withdraw cash from ATMs or counters. Borrowers are expected to continue servicing their loans on time.

Photo: SDSM