Doplihar is a "fighter for the rights of the invisible, he is stronger than bureaucracy," the newspaper said as it conferred the award on Friday.

The winner was selected in a popular vote and Doplihar ended up getting over 5,000 of the 30,000 readers' votes cast.

The newspaper said the voting was a good reflection of the year past, as readers thoroughly ignored politicians, which had dominated in the past.

Last year the accolade went to Anita Ogulin, a youth charity worker best known for a fund-raising campaign helping people in need.

Previously the honours often went to politicians and athletes, and all former recipients had been among the winners.