Spidola award in national economy

The “Economists Association 2010” gives the Spidola award in national economy for a person's contribution to the economical freedom increasing in Latvian economics.
The economical freedom increasing stands for:
• Free enterprise and free market expanding in the national economy. Creating of new market institutions and improving the activity of the existent institutions;
• Competition providing and development in certain market sectors and in the national economy by bringing new products and services to the market;
• Individual freedom increasing in economics to raise the level of education, knowledge and skills.
The Spidola award receives an individual person, in exclusive cases it can be presented to a group of people accomplishing a special task.
The Spidola award in national economy is formed as a statuette that reminds directly or associative of the Spidola character.
The award is presented in a special annual ceremony which takes part in November.
“The Economics lecture of the year” has become a welcomed event which supplements the award ceremony with professional economic situation analysis and gives recommendations to further development.
The Spidola award laureate comments the “The Economics lecture of the year”.
In 1997, the Latvian Culture Foundation in cooperation with the “Economists Association 2010” established a special program of scholarships for research of Latvia’s economic processes. The purpose of the scholarship was to promote research in national economics and different project implementation.
Beginning with the year 2003, the “Economists Association 2010” has changed the concept and form of the Spidola's award in national economy, as a main dominant of the award defining a person's contribution to the economical freedom increasing in Latvian economics. Laureate of the Spidola's award had to appear on an Associations organized Annual Lecture of Economics, where he speaks on his vision of procedure of economical processes in Latvia.
In the year 2004 the Spidola's award was received by two laureates. Former President of the Bank of Latvia Einars Repshe received the award for Lat renovation in Latvia in 1993 and its value further upkeep despite of ineffective political pressure of economical structures.
Three-times elected Prime Minister of Latvia Andris Shkele received the award for reform programs realization in economically critical years 1996 - 1997, incl. non-deficit budget philosophy innovation.
In the year 2005 the Spidola's award was received by Martin Bertolt Flick, A/S AirBaltic president. Martin Bertolt Flick received the award for direct flights and number of passengers reduplication in the airport „Riga”.
In the year 2006 the award was received by that time "Hansabanka" president Ingrida Bluma for the establishment of a successful, creative and social responsible financial institution.
Next year the Spidola award 2007 for the successful promotion of Latvia between dormant investors received the former President of the Latvian Republic Vaira Vīķe Freiberga.
In the year 2008 for the development of new business activities solutions the award was received by the director of the Latvian National opera Andrejs Žagars.
In 2009 the award went to the „Latvian timber Federation” President and the JSC "Latvian Plywood "council chairman Juris Biķis. He received the award for lifetime contribution to the professional forestry sector in a competitive development - the success of privatization, in the knowledge-depth based wood processing, new export market development, as well as effective management skills transfer to future generations.