According to media reports, supervisors quizzed Toni Balažič, the boss of bread and pasta maker Žito, and Drago Kavšek, the head of soft drinks maker Fructal.

While supervisors labelled both presentations as very good, it is not clear whether they are considering just the two or any other candidate for the helm of the retailer.

Until the new management is appointed, Mercator is being run by the old board, which resigned in late March over differences with the major shareholders concerning the company's sale to Croatia's Agrokor.