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The agreement is coordinated by the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) and includes mainly state-owned banks and companies, but Laško said Thursday the bad bank's memo suggested additional shareholders could join in.

The move comes amidst efforts by the management to secure fresh capital for the indebted group. The management has now been asked to include the consortium in its recapitalisation talks.

That way the consortium could "negotiate with potential investors about the share price and other conditions," the press release from Laško reads.

The major shareholders' move is expected given that many have been looking for an exit strategy; given that the remaining shareholders are mostly banks that got Laško stock as collateral, more could join the consortium.

Laško has been the subject of heated takeover rumours which has sent its stock soaring. Its price has increased six-fold in a year to EUR 23 per share, valuing the entire company at just shy of 200 million euros.