Slovenia's top pharmaceutical company Krka said on Thursday group sales rose 6% in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period last year to reach €528.8 million ($756.4 million).

In a statement after a shareholders' meeting, it said the biggest sales rise was recorded in Eastern Europe where sales jumped 12% to €134.6 million.
Krka also said it planned to list its shares on bourses outside Slovenia but gave no details.

The company also plans to continue buying its shares to up to 10% of total equity in the next three years to use them as currency for possible takeovers. At present Krka owns 5.2% of its shares.