Six regional Gazelles from a total of 18 nominated companies were announced first, with the winners of the gold, silver and bronze Gazelles being chosen from among the six. The Golden Gazelle was given to Virs, d.o.o., the Silver Gazelle to Alpod, d.o.o. and the Bronze Gazelle to MI elektronika, d.o.o.

The prime minister started by saying that the event was extremely important for Slovenian enterprise and commerce, as it was not just about recognising past achievements but, above all, providing impetus and encouragement for the future. “Without a successful economy and successful companies, there is no money for anything else,” he said, pointing out that, in his opinion, too few of us realised this.

He stressed that the government was taking steps to assist the Slovenian economy, reminding the audience of the tax break for the annual leave allowance but pointing out that such measures were always attended by a difficult process of coordinating opinions.

“Some of us are aware that enterprise carries risk. Every day some decision or other has to be taken – and one wrong decision can start a chain reaction and lead to company decline. So it is all the more important that we recognise entrepreneurs, respect them and thank them for their persistence and hard work, and also for the fact that we can live hand in hand and alongside each other.”

According to the prime minister, mutual understanding is crucial, all work must be valued, and we should not just look at ourselves but must know sometimes how to put ourselves in others’ shoes.

At the end of the ceremony, Mr Šarec congratulated the organisers of the 19^th edition of the Slovenian Gazelle awards, the assembled company, the award-winners and everyone involved in enterprise and commerce, and hoped that they would continue to show courage and spirit in their future ventures.