Three employee representatives and a representative of Koper municipality, all supporters of Gašpar Mišič, left the session that was expected to take a vote on the CEO's fate. A two-thirds quorum was needed to vote on the dismissal.

His job was on the line after he had been pulled over by the police earlier this week while driving drunk.

The controversial former aide to the prime minister was appointed to the helm of the state-owned company in late 2013 with the votes of the same supervisory board members who walked out today, despite protests by both the coalition and the opposition.

Chief supervisor Alenka Žnidaršič Kranjc acknowledged Gašpar Mišič had violated several provisions of his employment contract, including driving a company vehicle drunk and harming the company's reputation.

But all the supervisors could do at this point was to abolish a contract under which Luka Koper would hire a driver for Gašpar Mišič.

"The supervisory board asked Mr. Mišič to resign honourably," she said.

The supervisors also refused to adopt a 2014 business plan for the company because the document is not in line with guidelines drafted by the supervisory board. The management was tasked with revising the document.

"I'm determined to stay on. The company is important, I am not. I don't know why some people have problems with me," Gašpar Mišič told reporters after the session.

Indeed, he suggested the entire story was a set up. "I was more than obviously watched."

While failing to dismiss Mišič, the supervisory board managed to appoint Andraž Novak as new board member responsible for operations and infrastructure.

The board is now complete, following months of missing two members. A month ago the supervisors appointed Jože Jaklin as chief financial officer.