Above 800 books were presented on the traditional literature competition of UniCredit Bank Austria

This is the literature competition with the highest cash reward in Eastern Europe

The novel of the Bulgarian writer Palmi Ranchev A Little Luck for Later got to the top three of the best literature works for the Eastern Europe. The high appraisal was given by the prestigious international jury during the annual literature competition UniCredit Bank Austria Literaris 2008. In the previous competition the novel Mothers by Theodora Dimova occupied a place between the top three.

Chaired by the Czech writer and President of the international P.E.N club Jiri Grusa, the jury of this year’s competition of UniCredit Bak Austria Literaris has faced again a difficult choice between the numerous participation requests. After the reading and discussion of over 800 works, the jury has selected a shortlist of 25 titles and after the final voting, the winners have been chosen:

* The first prize was awarded to the Slovak author Agda Bavi Pain with his Koniec sveta (At the end of the world);

* Coming in second is Srdjan Valjarevic, Serbia with Komo (Como);

* The first prize was won by the Bulgarian author Palmi Ranchev with A Little Luck for Later.

This year a special prize for poetry was awarded, as well. The prize was awarded to Slovakian poet Rudolf Jurolek for his book Život je možný (Life is possible).

Additionally, a four-week stay in Vienna was awarded to other seven authors from Slovenia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, etc.

Conducted within one of the most authoritative forums – the Book Fair in Vienna, the literature competition of UniCredit Bank Austria is a competition for works, written by authors of Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The total prize money, which the awarded authors have received is TEUR 100. This makes the competition of UniCredit Bank Austria the literature competition with the highest award fund for the area. The idea of the competition, which is one of the most important activities within the various sponsorship program of UniCredit, corresponds perfectly to the Bank’s goal to be a market leader in a growing area.

Europe is a winner, too…

UniCredit Bank Austria sees its responsibility in bringing together the knowledge and talents from different countries, needed to create a platform that enables authors in this important region of Eastern Europe to create a strong network and to become aware of their potential.

The benefits concern all of the participants: it is the Eastern Europe’s cultural scene, that wins - the authors themselves, the readers and more or less – the whole Europe wins, which has a vested interest to grow together with its Eastern half.

Roadmap to the breakthrough

The award winning works by the three main award winners of UniCredit Bank Austria Literaris 2008 have already been translated in German and will be published. Additionally, the winner will receive a sponsorship award carrying prize money of EUR 7 500. Further, the winning texts will be presented at a series of readings in Vienna. Thus the authors are given an opportunity to introduce themselves to a larger audience.

This „literary journey” will be commenced with a gala dinner at Vienna’s Metrokino.

Palmi Ranchev

He was born in Sofia and graduated from Vassil Levski Sports Academy, subsequently was a boxer and a trainer, he was also an owner of a café and a sports hall. Furthermore, he has headed a newspaper and worked both as a freelance journalist and a screenwriter; he has also hosted his own TV show.

For a long time, he wrote literary texts without publishing them. He has several literature prizes. His stories and poetry have been translated into English, French, Polish, Spanish, Hungarian, Turkish, Serbian, Greek and others languages. Soon his stories from the collection Amateurs and Professionals will be published in Spanish.

Contact persons:

UniCredit Bulbank, Public Relations and Corporate Identity Department

Vicktoriya Blazheva, Phone Number: 02 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone Number: 02/9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch