Goverment stood by private sector and workers like never before

Karlovac-based arms manufacturer HS Produkt was presented with the Zlatna Kuna (Golden Marten) Award for the best large company by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) at a ceremony on Tuesday evening.

HS Produkt is a company with the most modern technology for the production of small arms and one of the largest manufacturers of pistols in the world, which offers its innovations to over 40 countries around the world and currently has more than 1,800 employees.

HS Produkt CEO Željko Pavlin said the company was completely in Croatian ownership, 99% of the products are exported and in 2021 it has been 20-30% more successful than last year.

At the 25th edition of the Zlatna Kuna award ceremony, the HGK presented the award in eight categories.

Split-based construction company G.T. Trade was voted best medium-sized company, while the Gamepires game development studio from Zagreb was awarded as best small company.

Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ) was awarded as best bank and Croatia Osiguranje as best insurance company.

The Dok-Ing company received the Zlatna Kuna Award in the category of innovations, while the Jadran Galenski Laboratorij (JGL) pharmaceutical company received the award for responsible and sustainable business.

Dragutin Kamenski, the founder and owner of the Kamgrad construction company, received a lifetime achievement award. He said that Kamgrad was a family company which employed slightly over 750 workers and which had so far carried out 400 large projects in Croatia and abroad.

The Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) was given special recognition for efficiency in the implementation of the government's job-keeping measures due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

PM: Goverment stood by private sector and workers "like never before"

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that the government had managed, amid the coronavirus pandemic, whose total costs reached almost HRK 40 billion, as well as two devastating earthquakes, in Zagreb and Banovina, to maintain political stability, prevent the collapse of the economy, waves of layoffs and bankruptcies and to stand by the private sector and workers "like never before".

Nearly 700,000 jobs were preserved during the crisis, and employers were supported with more than HRK 17 billion.

He recalled that the government expected economic growth of nine percent in 2021, adding that numerous entrepreneurs and the private sector, which had increased the number of employees in this year compared to 2019, certainly contributed to that. In September, there were 1.6 million employed persons, or 51,000 more compared to the same period of last year.

"I believe that you will try to create jobs, increase the employment rate, and we will ensure the necessary preconditions," the prime minister said, recalling that Croatia had €30 billion at its disposal from different European sources, such as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, for its development until 2030.

HGK president says businesses are state's number one friend

HGK President Luka Burilović said the awarded businesses and businessmen were heroes.

"You stayed here and made it in Croatia, and your products and services compete in foreign markets. You are the ones that create new value, jobs and security for many families," Burilović said.

He said that modern businesses and businessmen were needed the most today.

"You have the strength to change this society, and to respond to the challenges ahead of us through innovation, digital transformation, sustainability and the green transition. You are the state's number one friend," Burilović said.

Text: Hina

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