The Ljubljana-based newspaper publisher has been unsuccessfully trying to sell Večer since the competition watchdog ordered it in 2009 to sell at least 75% due to excessive concentration in the newspaper and advertising market.

Following the first international call in 2010, Delo signed a sale contract with 3Lan, a small Slovenian IT company, but the Culture Ministry rejected the approval on the grounds that 3Lan submitted an inadequate management strategy.

The second international call was issued in March 2012. Interest has been demonstrated by several companies, including Medici of Hamburg, which however failed to secure the purchase money.

Interest in buying the stake has also been expressed by Večer staff, who also failed to raise enough funds for the project.

Delo is in a hurry to offload the stake because it has already been fined by the regulator for failure to sell the stake by the July 2013 deadline.

Meanwhile, representatives of Večer staff have called on the regulators to check the suitability of the buyer before they endorse a potential sale contract.

Commenting on the failed auction, Delo said it would continue with the efforts to sell the stake in order to implement the Competition Protection Agency's decision of 2009.