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“Home Makeover” and bTV News anchor Maria Vankova with the “Worthy Bulgarians” award

At a special ceremony at the National Palace of Culture, the “Worthy Bulgarians” were honored as part of the traditional “24 Hours” newspaper initiative. This year, 30 inspiring stories of strength of spirit and good examples were presented and awarded. bTV news anchor Maria Vankova and the team of the "Home Makeover" show were honored for their contribution to Bulgarian society.

In one of the most inspiring shows on bTV – “Home Makeover”, under the motto “Good is Invincible”, host Maria Sylvester, Brigadier Kalin Evtimov and his team transform not only the homes of the show's characters, but also their lives.

“It is a great pleasure and honor for us. Thank you, 24 Hours, for seeing what the guys and the brigade do. These are the people we work with to make the repairs that really happen in five days, and when we work, we don't think about the result. Often, we encounter great difficulties, but on the fifth day, when we see the smiles on people's faces and that they change their destiny, all the problems and difficulties, which are not few, because all sorts of things come up, the guys forgive me. Our motto is: “Can't can't”. Thank you for seeing our work, because that's how we validate it. I think little kids are the most important audience, they're the biggest fans, we educate them. We have a lot of helpers, do-gooders, partners, and after every show a large part of the audience gets involved in the causes because our message is that good is contagious,” said Maria Sylvester.

Maria Vankova is a news anchor and reporter for bTV. Following her investigation “Medicine at any price - four years later”, filmed by cameraman Tony Petrov and broadcast on bTV Reporters, the Parliament adopted in second reading amendments to the Health Act, creating a new mechanism by which the National Health Insurance Fund will pay hospitals for oncology drugs. The aim is to reduce the difference in prices for the same drugs, which the fund pays with public funds.

Editor-in-chief of bTV News Asen Ivanov accepted the award on behalf of Maria Vankova. “You cannot imagine what a pleasure and honor it is to have a reporter like Maria Vankova. I am proud and truly honored to have her as a colleague. I congratulate “24 Hours” and especially Ms. Gocheva, because these stories come through us, we get excited, but when they come together on this stage in one set and one ceremony, they just blow us away,” said Asen Ivanov.

After the death of their only daughter Antoaneta from Kovid, 96-year-old Kerka Iotova and her late husband Stoycho from Dimitrovgrad donated 100 000 BGN for a modern children's ward at the St. Ekaterina Hospital. The award was received on their behalf by the director of the hospital in Dimitrovgrad Aldin Karagyozov. The award was presented by Gospodin Yovchev, Chief Operating Officer, Member of the Board and Executive Director of bTV Media Group.

“For more than 22 years, “24 Hours” has made us aware of the good. I was very excited. After each ceremony, I leave feeling uplifted and believing that a bright future awaits us. Good is invincible is the theme of our “Home Makeover” show. We must believe that good is invincible. Stories like Kerka's and Efrosina's grab you by the throat and can't leave you indifferent because they show us the human journey to find good, faith and hope. At every ceremony I have tears because of the feeling of faith and worship,” said Gospodin Yovchev.

In memory of her late daughter, Efrosina Seizova donated BGN 40,000 to the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University for scholarships for two students. “I am touched by this award. I did not expect it, and I have no words to express my gratitude. I am 95 years old, and I always thought that this biblical age was a punishment, but seeing so many good people here today, I already consider it a privilege,” Efrosina Seizova said excitedly.

Let there be no more children like 12-year-old Siyana killed on the roads because of the carelessness and irresponsibility of our state and society. With this common cause of “24 Hours” and “The Worthy Bulgarians” the ceremony of awarding the do-gooders for 2025 ended.

You can read more about the event and all the winners here.