‘I have two days until the food in my fridge runs out’: Thousands of Russian emigrants left scrambling after Serbia shuts down Alta Bank, freezing their savings

On October 30, Serbia’s Central Bank revoked the license of Alta, one of the few local banks where Russians could relatively easily open an account. Clients’ accounts were frozen. Many had kept money there from selling property in Russia, while others received their salaries through Alta accounts. Authorities promised to return up to 50,000 euros for lost deposits. What will happen to the rest of the money remains unclear. Meduza spoke with affected Russians, including entrepreneurs who used Alta accounts for their businesses, about how the bank’s closure will affect their lives.