Selaudin Arifi denies role in Alta Bank entry and announces lawsuits
AS Senjak says it did not take a loan from Alta and rejects any influence over the bank’s entry into North Macedonia.
Selaudin Arifi, owner of the Kičevo-based company AS Senjak and son‑in‑law of DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, has rejected accusations that he helped bring Serbia’s Alta Bank into North Macedonia and said his firm will sue the ruling party Vlen for defamation.
AS Senjak issued a written statement denying it took a loan from Alta Bank – Serbia and denying any role in decisions related to the bank’s entry into the Macedonian market.
Company statement: "We categorically reject the allegations that we had any influence on the processes related to Alta Bank's entry into the Macedonian market, nor were we in a position to influence the decisions of the competent institutions. In court proceedings the facts will be established and it will be proven that these are unfounded allegations, slander and deliberate manipulations of the public," the company said.
Allegations and timeline cited by Vlen
The ruling party Vlen has accused Arifi of being the link that enabled Alta Bank’s entry. Vlen says AS Senjak bought a significant stake in Stopanska Banka – Bitola in October 2024; that a firm connected to Arifi took a €5 million loan from Alta Bank’s Belgrade headquarters in June 2025; and that on 17 September 2025 AS Senjak sold its shares to Davor Mačura and his Alta Bank, enabling a direct takeover.
"And only three months later, on 17 September 2025, the final act takes place: the company 'AS Senjak' of Ahmeti's son‑in‑law officially sells its shares in the Bitola bank precisely to Davor Mačura and his Alta Bank, thereby enabling a direct takeover of the bank in Macedonia," Astrit Iseni of Vlen said.
Opposition and other party reactions have been swift. SDSM accused Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and central bank governor Trajko Slaveski of endangering citizens' money and the banking system while attempting to silence the opposition.
"Now, afraid of accountability, Hristijan Mickoski resorts to the same model as his boss, Aleksandar Vučić, and what he did in Serbia; he wants to silence the opposition. Mickoski first accused SDSM of spreading hysteria, even though he and Slaveski created the hysteria," Natasa Popovic of SDSM said.
VMRO‑DPMNE pointed out that the issue of Alta Bank was first raised at a government session on 24 October 2023. "Now it is clear why Fatmir Besimi, the finance minister in the SDSM–DUI government, opened the issue of Alta Bank at the government session on 24 October 2023," said Valentin Manasievski of VMRO‑DPMNE.
DUI responded that the decisions enabling Alta Bank’s entry are decisions of the current government. "We have concrete decisions from this government, only from this government, from no one else, where Alta Bank is enabled to enter the banking system of the Republic of North Macedonia," Arber Ademi of DUI said.
Two weeks ago the National Bank of Serbia revoked the licence of Alta Bank – Belgrade and owner Davor Mačura was arrested. The National Bank of North Macedonia subsequently took over the management of Alta Bank – Macedonia.
Photo: press material from the event
