site.btaMade in Bulgaria Business Association Confers Annual Golden Martenitsa Awards to Successful Businesses

The Made in Bulgaria business association held its 28th annual award-giving ceremony Tuesday at which the organization conferred its Golden Martenitsa prize to successful small and medium-sized businesses. 

This year's Golden Martenitsa awards went to the Rozino Organic Farm which produces organic dairy products, apparel maker Maison Tangerine, and chocolate producer Chocolate PD. Maria Paeva who owns a printing company received the Golden Martenista award for the most successful female entrepreneur. 

The Golden Martenitsa award is named after an old Bulgarian pagan tradition called Baba Martha, or Granny Martha, connected with the onset of spring. On March 1, Bulgarians give each other a white and red amulet called martenitsa for good health and strength in the year. The martenista is also tied on farm animals and trees. The amulet is worn until March 9, The Holy Forty Martyrs holiday, or until March 25, Annunciation, or until one sees the first stork or swallow. The martenitsa is then tied to a blooming fruit tree.

The award was created to support Bulgarian SMEs and help them improve their competitiveness on the domestic market and abroad. 

Tuesday's award-giving ceremony was attended by President Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliyana Iotova.