North Macedonia central bank places Alta Banka Bitola under temporary administration

North Macedonia's central bank has placed Alta Banka AD Bitola under temporary administration. The move followed a decision to revoke the operating license of Serbia-based Alta Banka AD Belgrade and start bankruptcy proceedings against it. At a meeting on 1 November 2026, the central bank's board decided on temporary administration to protect the bank's financial structure and the interests of depositors, and the decision was reported to have taken effect.

The central bank said the measure was applied temporarily and only because of developments linked to Alta Banka AD Belgrade's position as a qualifying shareholder. It stated that Alta Banka AD Bitola has high capital adequacy, a liquid position and a sound loan portfolio, and meets all supervisory standards. Management of the bank's assets has been transferred to persons appointed by the central bank.

Under the measure, weekly withdrawals and payments from individuals' accounts are limited to 10,000 denars, usable through bank cards. Intra-bank transfers between accounts will continue without any amount limit. Customers with loans were reminded to keep meeting their existing obligations on time. The central bank said it will continue to monitor developments closely.