The Central Bank order to commercial banks and insurance companies not to pay dividend to their shareholders indicates that the country is in serious financial trouble and faces bankruptcy, said VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski. The unprecedented order came on Friday and shocked the financial sector.

This order not only harms the shareholders but completely destabilizes the banking sector. People can be scared into withdrawing their deposits by such actions. The way this was announced indicates that Macedonia is moving toward bankruptcy, Nikoloski said.

The Central Bank said that the order is motivated by the need to improve the liquidity of the commercial banks. Nikoloski objected to the timing of the announcement – in a period ideal to bury seriously bad news, while the public was preoccupied with the dramatic escape of Saso Mijalkov.

After adding 1.6 billion EUR to the total debt over two years, Zoran Zaev still failed to keep the economy standing. The Macedonian economy can only be saved if his Government is removed from office and his lies and manipulations end, Nikoloski added.