Adria Airways (Ljubljana) chairman of the airline's aupervisory board Tone Pekolj has told Slovenia's Finance journal earlier this month that his board was not satisfied with the aviation business environment in Slovenia.

"If you have to go on like this, it would be better to close [the company] immediately," he said.

In a bid to expand its revenue base, CEO Mark Anžur announced that this year, his airline will expand into Europe with bases in Munich, Lodz (Poland), Pristina, and Tirana (Albania).

Ljubljana has again slated Adria for privatization with the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (Slovenski Državni Holding - SDH), the Bank Asset Management Company (Družba za Upravljanje Terjatev Bank - DUTB), and the PDP restructuring firm (Posebna Družba za Podjetniško) to jointly dispose of their combined 91.58% stake in the national carrier.

During a visit to Qatar last week, Slovenian State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Ales Cantarutti, pitched a stake in the carrier to the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, hoping to replicate the success Serbia has seen with Etihad Airways' involvement in Air Serbia (JU, Belgrade).

“They could at least seriously think about this (proposal)… Mergers and partnerships are necessary in the airline business,” Cantarutti told the Gulf News. “I don’t see why Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) would not do the same [as Etihad]. We want Qatar Airways to put investments according to European Union legislation. There are some limitations as to ownership."

The last attempt at offloading a 75% in the carrier failed in 2012.