The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) blocked a 30% shareholding in Victoriabank, Governor Dorin Dragutanu has announced. The holding is owned by two groups of shareholders.

“These two groups of shareholders act concertedly. They bought significant holdings of the registered capital of Victoriabank in a non-transparent way, without the preliminary permission of the NBM. Thus, yesterday (February 5), the Board of the NBM decided to block the shareholding,” the governor said in a news conference, quoted by IPN.

The general assembly of shareholders of Victoriabank is taking place today, February 6. Asked what will happen given that the holdings of the two groups of shareholders had been blocked, Dorin Dragutanu said it is the problem of the shareholders of Victoriabank, not of the central bank. He added that ensuring the transparency as regards bank ownership is a key task for building up Moldova’s image and its credibility before international financial organizations.

The shareholders whose holdings were blocked, in a news conference at IPN on February 5 said a raider attack is staged on Victoriabank. They seek the replacement of the bank’s administration because it released bad loans. They deny the accusation that they act concertedly, saying they managed to unite their efforts only by calls through the mass media. The shareholders consider that the National Bank acted illegally, its decision being ‘bought’ by the current administration of Victoriabank. Angela Maxim, senior jurist of “Asito” company, which owns 5% of the bank’s shares, said the shares were purchased on the Stock Exchange in a transparent way.