Members of the assembly were greeted with a short speech by Maja
Makovec Brenčič, PhD, the Slovenian Minister of Education, Science and
Sport. After being named minister, Makovec Brenčič stepped down from her
position as vice-president of the business and marketing council of
OCS, where she worked for more than a decade. “I am happy to once again
find myself in familiar company, as part of which I loved to work.
Slovenians are a nation of sports enthusiasts and I am one of them. We
all want to retain the necessary conditions for the advancement of
Slovenian sport, within the scope of our financial and other
capabilities,” said, among other things, Makovec Brenčič.

Supporting numerous individuals and organisations in different sports
disciplines, the BTC Company is one of the leading players in the field
of social responsibility and sustainable development in Slovenia. As a
long-time partner of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, BTC once again
showed support for a variety of sports and vowed to support the
Slovenian Olympic team from 2015 until 2020 by signing a new sponsorship
deal.

Upon signing the contract, Jože Mermal, president of the BTC
Management board, shone the spotlight on the efforts of the BTC Company
to advance Slovenian sport: “The general spirit of the BTC Company can
be described as active, incisive, and striving for perfection. These are
also the characteristics of Slovenia’s Olympic team. I’m proud that our
support will enable some of the best Slovenian athletes to show their
talent and skill at the Olympics, the biggest spectacle in sports
worldwide, making our endeavours in this venue heard internationally.
Supporting athletes and sports events represents an opportunity and an
added value for the BTC Company. We do not only encourage sport on a
professional and recreational level, we also strengthen Slovenian sports
culture in general and promote sport as an important factor in living a
healthy life, thus investing in the future.”

 “I’m glad that the sponsor of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia is
such an important company as BTC. As athletes, we believe in the power
of teamwork and this joint energy helps the Olympic team overcome
obstacles on the road to success. Having a quality support structure,
the athletes can focus fully on their training and I trust that the 2016
Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will already bring us new victories.
After all, it is precisely the elite athletes who are the foremost
ambassadors of Slovenia in the world,” said Bogdan Gabrovec, president
of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports
Federations, commenting on the contribution of this sponsorship to the
Olympic team.

The Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports Federations
strives for a balanced development of all sports as an important factor
in the quality of life. It is the chief NGO for sports in Slovenia,
covering diverse sports federations, facilitating the competitiveness of
Slovenian athletes internationally, and being a model national Olympic
committee with the values it upholds. Supported by sponsors and
passionate fans, it guarantees the athletes the right conditions for
training in preparation for new challenges, adding new and proud
chapters to the Slovenian history of sports.