On 3 November 2026, the Commercial Court in Belgrade opened bankruptcy proceedings against Alta Banka a.d. Beograd, and the Deposit Insurance Agency was appointed bankruptcy administrator. For every creditor whose claim is not covered by deposit insurance, the key step is a timely and complete filing of the claim — without it, the right to recover from the bankruptcy estate is lost.
Below we explain who needs to file a claim, within what deadline, what the filing must contain and how the procedure runs through to payment.
Who needs to file a claim in the Alta Banka bankruptcy?
Filing concerns every creditor of the bank whose claims are not (fully) covered by deposit insurance:
- depositors — individuals, entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium-sized companies — for the portion of deposits above the insured EUR 50,000,
- large legal entities — for their entire claims under accounts and deposits, as they are not covered by deposit insurance,
- small investors — for the portion of claims above the protected EUR 20,000,
- holders of guarantees, letters of credit and other instruments issued by the bank, suppliers and all other creditors.
Filing deadline: 90 days from the Official Gazette announcement
Creditors file their secured and unsecured claims within 90 days from the day the announcement of the opening of bankruptcy was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia. The deadline is preclusive: late filings are rejected and the claim can no longer be asserted in the bankruptcy.
The examination hearing is scheduled no later than 60 days after the filing deadline expires, so the completeness and evidentiary quality of each filing are tested very quickly. Do not leave the filing for the last days of the deadline.
What must the claim filing contain?
The filing is submitted to the Commercial Court in Belgrade, referencing the case number, and must contain:
- creditor details (name, address, registration or personal ID number) and the account for payment,
- the legal basis of the claim (deposit or term-deposit agreement, account agreement, guarantee, invoice and similar),
- the principal amount and interest calculated up to the day the bankruptcy was opened,
- evidence: agreements, account statements, balance confirmations as at 3 November 2026,
- details of collateral and secured creditor rights, if any.
What happens after the claim is filed?
The Deposit Insurance Agency, as bankruptcy administrator, verifies the validity and amount of the filed claims within six months after the filing deadline expires. An examination hearing follows, and the final list of claims is drawn up.
Recognized claims are paid from the bankruptcy estate according to priority ranks — depositors’ claims remaining after payment of the insured amounts rank first among the bank’s creditors. A disputed claim is not the end of the road: the creditor is referred to litigation to establish the claim, subject to strict deadlines for filing the lawsuit.
Common mistakes in claim filings
- filing in the last days of the deadline, with no time to complete the documentation,
- incorrectly calculated or entirely omitted interest,
- filing without complete evidence of the balance as at the day the bankruptcy was opened,
- ignoring the possibility of set-off where the creditor is also a debtor of the bank (deposit and loan),
- a defective power of attorney or filing with the wrong authority.
How can IVVK Lawyers help?
IVVK Lawyers represents depositors and creditors in the Alta Banka bankruptcy — from calculating the claim and preparing the filing with complete documentation, through representation at the examination hearing, to litigation over disputed claims. Contact us at milos.vuckovic@ivvk.rs — our office is located in Belgrade, at Maršala Birjuzova 50.
Read more: Alta Banka bankruptcy: how to get your money back and Alta Banka bankruptcy: what companies and entrepreneurs should do. Learn more about our Banking and Finance practice.
This text is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on a specific matter, please consult a lawyer.