The Minister of Economy and Energy Peter Dimitrov conferred Wednesday the annual Golden Martenitsa awards of the Made in Bulgaria Union. The awards are conferred for the fifteenth year in a row to companies and institutions for considerable achievements in four categories.

This year the board of the union also decided to confer an extraordinary award for Person of the Year 2008 to Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Plougchieva who is responsible for EU funds "for improving the quality of absorption of EU funds, increased control and reduction of malpractice".

Telish Winery received the Golden Martenitsa in the Bulgarian Producer 2008 category.

Amer Sports Bulgaria was awarded the Golden Martenitsa in the Economic Cooperation 2008 category. The company produces skis and snowboards of famous brands like Atomic, and Salomon and 98 per cent of its produce is exported.

The Bulgarian Development Bank was awarded as Financial Institution 2008 for direct and indirect crediting of SMEs, export crediting and financing under EU structural funds.

Vessela Vaneva, editor in the business and finance sector of the national daily "Troud" received the Golden Martenitsa for Journalist 2008.