"He knows what life is, the life of another person who you literally hold in your hands, in those moments when the line between life and death is at its thinnest. He rescued from cars, motorcycles, helicopters, with a great deal of imagination he even performed a rescue in an abandoned forestry van. He has been handing over the skills of rescuing and life into the hands of many others, boldly planning the setting up of a top education centre. His story tells that life itself is an act of rescuing. Our Name of the Year is a rescuer, a rescuer of lives," said Mirko Štular, radio station Val 202's editor-in-chief.

Primož Velikonja received the award - a painting by academic painter Boris Zaplatil.

Apart from Velikonja, who was the radio station's Name of the Month in March, also competing for the Name of the Year title were Nina Fokter Dovnik, Uroš Ahčan, Polona Lah, Tomo Novosel, Jernej Kenda, Jože Weiss, Miha Kos, Primož Roglič, Bojan Gantar and Igor Zupan.

The Name of the Year event
During the whole year Val 202 listeners picked individuals who inspired with their humanitarianism, innovativeness, sports achievements and good will. Each month they chose a Name of the Month. The Name of the Year was then chosen by the finalists themselves. One of the rules was that they could not vote for themselves.

The President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, was at the reception ceremony as well, together will all the nominees and those involved in the Botrstvo charity project.