The decision comes after the regulator found that LL Grosist was not meeting the requirement of providing a permanent and appropriate selection of drugs, and supply the drugs in the required time across the whole geographic area.  LL Grosist can sell off supplies through 15 April, but it is not allowed to purchase new supplies.

LL Grosist said Monday it would challenge the decision at the Health Ministry and press charges against those responsible at the Agency for Drugs, who it claims acted arbitrarily.

The company's director, Mitja Zucchiati, noted there were over 70 drugs wholesale companies in the country and none of them have all drugs in stock.

He believes the agency should have ordered remedial measures if it found shortcomings, instead of issuing an outright ban.

LL Grosist's lawyer, Matej Perpar, also noted that the agency received a complaint from the Jesenice hospital on 11 March, did its check on 14 March and adopted the decision on the same day.

"Such arbitrary conduct constitutes high risk of corruption," he said, noting that the agency was using different yardsticks.

LL Grosist, which does most of its business with its parent company, posted sales of EUR 49m last year and had an operating profit of EUR 2.2m.

Zucchiati suggested the company's success may be the cause of "all these insinuations".