The Securities and Exchange Commission of the Republic of North Macedonia, by decision dated 19 August 2025, halted the takeover procedure of Stopanska Banka a.d. Bitola at the request of Alta Group LLC Belgrade. The decision became public and delivered to the bank on 25 August (archive no. 02-10332/1).
According to the explanation, the procedure was halted due to a change of acquirer within the same group, and not because of a withdrawal from the takeover intention. Alta Group stated that it remains committed to the takeover of Stopanska Banka Bitola, but that there will be a change in the entity that will appear as the formal acquirer.
This development follows the analysis SERBIAN (BROTHERLY) WORLD: Will VMRO-DPMNE Get Its Own Bank? published by CIVIL on 23 August, two days before the announcement of this decision—an analysis that examined the political and economic implications of the announced takeover.
The procedure is conducted in accordance with the Law on Takeover of Joint-Stock Companies and the Law on General Administrative Procedure. For the process to continue, a new review and possible approvals from the competent institutions will be required, including the National Bank of North Macedonia.
CIVIL MEDIA News Desk
