The official validation was carried out by Eng. Ognyan Atanasov and Pepa Markova, chief expert at Bulgarian Posts EAD.The official ceremony for the validation of the two postage stamps was held at the Art Gallery "Vladimir Dimitrov - Master" Kyustendil. It was also attended by MP Georgi Stamov, the regional governor Eng. Alexander Pandurski, deputy mayor Kristiyan Ivanchov, Rumyana Dimitrova - director of the Western Region of "Bulgarian Posts" EAD, the director of RIM Kyustendil Valentin Debochichki, municipal councilors, historians, citizens.
The stamps are from the collector's series "Bulgarian National Awakeners". This series of two stamps has nominal values of 0.90 leva and 1.35 leva. The circulation of the stamps is 8,000 pieces of each nominal value. The artist of the issue is Prof. Viktor Paunov. One stamp is an image from a book by Yakov Kraykov, and the other is a coat of arms by Hristofor Zhefarovich.
Yakov Kraykov is the first Bulgarian printer, engraver and artist for whom authentic, albeit scarce, biographical information has been preserved. In his “Chasoslovets” published in Venice in 1566, he notes that he was born in the place Kamena Reka, at the foot of the Osogovo Mountain, near Kolasia (present-day Kyustendil). This information about Yakov Kraykov’s birthplace has been accepted and noted in a number of scientific, popular science and encyclopedic works.
The other stamp is dedicated to Hristofor Zhefarovich, who made a huge contribution to the spiritual growth of the Bulgarian people in the 18th century. The book "Stematografia", published by Zhefarovich in Vienna in 1741, is of the greatest importance among his works for our Revival.
The Mayor of Kyustendil, Eng. Atanasov, received the first stamps from both series as a gift.
