"We are getting the last details confirmed in order for us to finalize the decision," she said when quizzed by the STA, noting that the issue of NLB's exposure to claims in Croatia was now being resolved.

Vestager did not say when the Commission will take the final decision, but it is widely expected this will happen this week or next.

The statement comes after the Slovenian government last week confirmed a plan under which Slovenia will retain a controlling stake of 25% plus one share, while a majority stake in the bank will be sold in an initial public offering this year and the remainder by the end of 2019.

After the plan was adopted, the National Assembly passed legislation that shields NLB bank from claims in Croatia, a move that paves the way for privatisation in that it resolves contingent liabilities that could run into hundreds of millions of euro.

Slovenia must privatise the bank under commitments it made when it bailed out and nationalised NLB in late-2013.