The write-downs and impairments excluded, Slovenia's second biggest bank made a EUR 12.2m profit.

However, a 22.6% drop in net interest revenues to EUR 31.8m from EUR 41.2m in the first six months of 2013 was also an important factor in the loss.

Non-interest revenues, including commissions, meanwhile remained roughly level year-on-year at EUR 19.5m.

The bank's operating loss increased to EUR 46.4m from EUR 39.9m in the first half of 2012.

Total assets decreased by EUR 96.8m (2.2%) to EUR 4.24bn in the first six months of the year.

NKBM, whose capital adequacy stood at 8.71% end of June, holds a 9.4% market share by total assets.

Total non-banking loans amounted to EUR 2.76bn end of June, which is 4.5% less than at the end of 2012.

As part of optimisations and reorganisation, this autumn is expected to bring a 30% reduction of management and cuts in a number of its benefits. The number of employees is to be reduced by 100 by the year through attrition.

Through its measures and without a severe economic downturn, NKBM expects to get out of the red next year.

NKBM boss Aleš Hauc thus remains optimistic, stressing that the bank had enough know-how, experience and quality services, and was stable and safe.

The shareholders of the bank, in which the state holds a majority stake, backed in June a EUR 400m capital injection, most likely to come from public funds after non-performing loans are transferred to the newly established bad bank.

The bank is currently subject to an independent review of its assets and capital, which is to be finished by the end of October and upon which a green light from the European Commission is expected for the transfer of toxic loans to the bad bank and a subsequent capital hike.

Although the timeline remains unclear, the bank said that risk management, the cleansing of the loan portfolio and execution of loans remained among its priorities.