Oversight hearing on Alta Banka without "defrauding citizens": SDSM says the title was copied from VMRO-DPMNE's own initiative on Eurostandard

Parliament will look into Alta Banka - but first the title had to be negotiated. The Finance and Budget Committee decided to hold an oversight hearing at the initiative of SDSM and its coalition, after three words were deleted from the proposed topic: "on defrauding citizens".

The topic now reads "Reasons for introducing administration at Alta Banka AD Bitola, the role and conduct of the National Bank, and institutional responsibility". There is responsibility - it just doesn't say for what.

VMRO-DPMNE MP Dafina Stojanoska was clear: "We are not a court here, that is, you are not a court to determine that this is some kind of fraud against citizens." If the three words go, they will back the initiative. Her party colleague Bojan Stojanoski added that the Alta Banka case is not the same as Eurostandard Banka, because here there are no court proceedings and no indictment.

The title that was fine when they were in opposition

Then came the best moment of the session. Oliver Spasovski of SDSM pointed out that the disputed title had been copied from VMRO-DPMNE's own initiative for an oversight hearing on Eurostandard Banka, when they were in opposition. "If back then, as the opposition, you were a court, then allow us to be the same kind of court," he said - and immediately accepted a compromise so the item could pass.

This is the Balkans in one sentence: a title is a legitimate question when you write it, and prejudging when your opponent does. Opposition and government swap seats, and their vocabulary swaps with them.

The committee concluded that members and deputy members should agree on deadlines, duration and witnesses as soon as possible. Spasovski also warned why the rush matters: some Parliament staff won't receive their salaries, and pensioners are having problems too. At the same session, the committee also forwarded the amendments to the Law on the Deposit Insurance Fund.

The oversight hearing will have witnesses, deadlines and a title without the word "fraud". Whether it will also have an answer - who knew what about Alta Banka, and when - will be decided by the witness list. If the top people at the National Bank aren't on it, the hearing will be just another agenda item that simply went through.