Radio Bulgaria’s daily podcast Bulgaria Today in nine languages won the Grand Prix for significant contribution to the development of the Bulgarian National Radio. The Sirak Skitnik Grand Prix, named after the first director of Radio Sofia, as the national radio was called then, has been awarded since 2001 for contribution to the development of the BNR as public service media.

“For more than 85 years we have been shaping the face of Bulgaria around the world, communicating with our compatriots abroad and endeavouring to popularize Bulgarian culture and the Bulgarian spirit in the best possible way,” said Radio Bulgaria’s managing editor Krasimir Martinov after receiving the award, adding that some of the top journalists and highly qualified foreign language experts work at Radio Bulgaria.

At the ceremony, held in the BNR’s Studio No. 1, the Bulgarian National Radio’s Director General Milen Mitev stated that the past year has been a year riddled with challenges. “Today I am optimistic about the future of the BNR, because I see that there are still people there who are working not for a salary, but for a cause, and I see many people outside the BNR who support this cause,” he added.

The individual prize for radio journalism was awarded to Lilia Goleminova from Radio Sofia, and the collective prize went to the series by Hristo Botev channel History of Art for Children. Radio Bulgaria had nominations in these two categories as well – Veneta Nikolova and A Home Far from Home, a joint radio project and podcast with Horizont channel. The ceremony was attended by many prominent figures, among them Vice President Iliana Yotova, who bestowed one of the awards.