Serbian central bank withdraws Alta Bank’s licence
The regulator says the bank’s financial position and liquidity had deteriorated sharply.
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The National Bank of Serbia has withdrawn Alta Bank’s banking licence and initiated bankruptcy proceedings. According to the regulator, the bank’s deteriorating financial condition had put the interests of depositors and other creditors at risk.
The decision was taken on Saturday after supervisory measures and a temporary intervention at the bank. According to the central bank, Alta Bank’s financial condition had deteriorated considerably and there was a risk that its liquidity would decline further.
The Serbian deposit guarantee agency has been appointed administrator. It must begin making payments to account holders within seven working days, up to the legally guaranteed amount. The central bank cites a guaranteed amount of up to €50,000 per depositor.
Customers with larger balances must submit their remaining claims in the bankruptcy proceedings. The central bank says Alta Bank’s assets will also remain under supervision, to prevent them from disappearing before creditors’ claims have been dealt with.
Alta Bank is not one of Serbia’s largest banks, but its closure is attracting additional political attention because local reports describe the owner as someone with close ties to Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party. The regulator does not cite that political relationship as a reason for the decision.
The central bank says the measure is intended to protect financial stability. The public statement does not show how many customers or how much savings will be affected by the closure. Nor is it yet clear what proportion of balances above the guarantee limit can ultimately be recovered.
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Both sides of the figures
▲ Bright spots
- The deposit guarantee protects balances up to €50,000 per depositor, according to the National Bank of Serbia.
- The central bank says the measure is intended to prevent wider damage to the financial sector.
▼ Concerns
- The regulator reports that Alta Bank’s financial position and liquidity had deteriorated sharply.
- Balances above €50,000 are not fully covered by the guarantee and must be dealt with through the bankruptcy proceedings.
Critical note
The official publication gives no figure for total deposits, the number of customers or the size of any shortfall. The bank’s political reputation is not evidence of the financial cause.
Who notices what
- Households
- Depositors can have guaranteed balances of up to €50,000 paid out, while larger balances remain uncertain.
- Businesses
- Business account holders may temporarily have limited access to their money and must register uninsured claims.
- Investors
- The closure is particularly relevant as a signal about supervision and confidence in Serbia’s banking sector.
- Government
- The government and regulator must organise the resolution and safeguard financial stability.
Every point comes from the article’s sources and was included in the fact check.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The central bank withdrew the licence because of a sharply deteriorated financial position and risks to depositors.
- The state guarantees deposits up to €50,000 per depositor.
- Local reports link the owner to Aleksandar Vučić’s party.
Left
Arguments An independent regulator must be able to close banks without political protection and protect depositors.
Values Public oversight, equal treatment and protection of households.
Consequences A transparent procedure can restore confidence; uncertainty about political ties could instead increase distrust.
Centre
Arguments The decision should primarily be assessed on supervision, capital and liquidity, not political associations.
Values Legal certainty, institutional independence and financial stability.
Consequences An orderly resolution limits contagion to other banks, but the outcome for uninsured depositors remains uncertain.
Right
Arguments The regulator must act quickly when a bank poses risks, without waiting for political negotiations.
Values Order, responsibility and protection of the financial system.
Consequences Firm action can prevent further damage, but may also raise questions about supervision of banks with political connections.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts are based directly on the statement by the Serbian central bank. The owner’s political ties are included only as context and are not presented as the cause of the decision.
- confirmed The National Bank of Serbia withdrew Alta Bank’s licence on 31 October. — Stated in the central bank’s official statement. source
- confirmed Bankruptcy proceedings and administration by the deposit guarantee agency will follow. — Mentioned in the official announcement. source
- confirmed Guaranteed deposits are protected up to €50,000. — Amount cited by the Serbian central bank. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the licence has been withdrawn and that bankruptcy proceedings will follow. The scale of the affected deposits and the eventual payout above €50,000 remain unknown.Sources
- Narodna banka Srbije oduzela dozvolu za rad ALTA banci — Nationale Bank van Servië
- De Servische centrale bank trok de vergunning in van een bank met banden met de partij van Vučić — Telex
- Bescherming van spaarders en stabiliteit van de financiële sector — Nationale Bank van Servië
More on this in Dutch media
- Trouw — „servië alta bank”
- RTL Nieuws — „servië alta bank”
- FD — „servië alta bank”