"We will never be the biggest. We will never be the strongest. But we can be the best." This quote by PM Janez Janša has been voted the best quote of 2006 by readers of the Večer daily, earning him the Bob leta 2006 award. The award ceremony was held in Maribor.

Prime Minister receives the Bob leta 2006 award from Tomaž Ranc, editor-in-chief of Večer. (Photo: Nebojša Tejić/Salomon 2000)

The Prime Minister said there were two reasons he was particularly happy to receive the award. Firstly, because so many Večer readers showed interest in quotes which range from amusing to serious and a bit less serious. And secondly, because his winning quote came from his speech at the state ceremony celebrating fifteen years of Slovenian independence. According to Mr Janša, this recognition shows the emergence of a new self-esteem in Slovenia, the fact that Slovenes have begun to believe in themselves, and are convinced that they are capable of achieving good results in a fiercely competitive environment.

"It is not difficult to be a big fish in a little sea, but it is much harder to be the best on the European stage," said the PM, adding that since May 2004, when Slovenia joined the EU, it has performed exceptionally well on this stage. As one of the new member states, Slovenia met strict criteria, and adopted the euro. In conclusion, Mr Janša said that the advantage of Slovenes lies primarily in individual qualities.