Bulgaria’s Central Cooperative Bank (CCB), part of industrial conglomerate Chimimport, is in talks over the purchase of a third lender in FYRMacedonia, SeeNews reported.

The agency quotes Stater Banka as saying in a statement to the Macedonian Stock Exchange that its majority owner -- Iceland's Milestone Group, linked by Reuters to Icelandic tycoon Thor Bjorgolfsson -- is holding negotiations with CBB to sell a 91.71% stake.

CBB declined to comment, saying it is required by law to firth inform the financial regulator. CCB already owns Macedonian banks Sileks and Postenska Banka. It also has a branch in Nicosia, Cyprus.