Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told lawmakers on November 11 that discussions about Serbia’s Alta Bank entering Macedonia’s banking market began under the previous government. He cited draft minutes dated October 24, 2023, during a parliamentary hearing on why Alta Bank Bitola was placed under administration.
Mickoski was the first witness to answer lawmakers’ questions. The hearing, held by Parliament’s Committee on Financing and Budget, also examined how the National Bank handled the case and which institutions were responsible for the decisions.
Mickoski Points to Draft Minutes From October 2023
Mickoski said the document showed that the question of Alta Bank’s entry into Stopanska Banka Bitola came up while Dimitar Kovačevski was prime minister. He cited an excerpt from the draft minutes to explain when the issue first arose.
The testimony addressed one part of the timeline: when the previous government discussed Alta Bank’s entry. The hearing also covered a separate question about the bank’s later operations in Bitola and the circumstances that led to the appointment of an administrator.
Lawmakers Examine the National Bank’s Response
The committee called the hearing to review the circumstances that led to the intervention, the National Bank’s actions and the roles of the institutions involved. It invited government representatives and others with information about the case to testify.
Asked about the bank’s future, Mickoski told lawmakers he did not expect Alta Bank Bitola to go bankrupt. His remarks came as the committee examined how the authorities responded before placing the bank under administration.
