ABUJET Presents Its Annual National Award Named After Maxim Minchev
Milena Dimitrova has been named the 2025 recipient of the National Award named in honor of Maxim Minchev (1953–2020), the long-serving President of the Bulgarian Association of Journalists and Travel Writers (ABUJET) and Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) for 17 years. The prestigious distinction was conferred by ABUJET during an official ceremony held at the “MaxiM” Hall of BTA.
Plamen Starev, Secretary General of ABUJET, presented the nominations and formally announced the laureate. He noted that the award is bestowed in recognition of outstanding creative achievements in journalism, as well as for dedicated contributions to the promotion and development of tourism — a core mission of ABUJET.
“This award was established in memory of our esteemed colleague and friend, Maxim Minchev - a visionary, traveler, and storyteller,” stated Starev. “Its recipients are to be journalists and writers whose work actively supports ABUJET’s mission: fostering global understanding and cultural exchange, with Bulgaria as an integral part of that global narrative, through the lens of international tourism.”
The purpose of the award is to encourage and recognize members of ABUJET — including journalists, writers, and bloggers — for significant original contributions across all fields of journalism and for professional excellence in tourism-related work.
Due to health reasons, Milena Dimitrova was unable to attend the ceremony in person. However, she addressed the audience in a video message, expressing heartfelt gratitude for the honor and emphasizing the enduring respect for both ABUJET and Maxim Minchev. “The world is changing before our eyes,” she said. “We must evolve as well, in order to meet it and shape its future.”
Last year’s award recipient, Magi Gigova, presented the statuette to Milena Dimitrova’s mother, Bozhana Dimitrova — one of the most prominent figures in Bulgarian radio journalism and a founding member of the “Horizont” program on Bulgarian National Radio.