Special awards
Special awards are reserved for outstanding personalities from outside business circles, for contributing to the development of entrepreneurship and market economy in Poland.
Bertie Ahern for opening up the Irish labour market to Poles, for the development of bilateral economic relations and a friendly attitude toward Poland.
Madeleine Albright for supporting Poland on the international arena.
José María Aznar for consistent support of Poland's EU negotiations, for help in developing political and economic cooperation between Poland and Spain and his deep sympathy for Poland and the Poles.
Leszek Balcerowicz for furthering economic education, public economic knowledge and economic change in Poland.
José Manuel Barroso for support of Poland integration with EU, for EU budget compromise which is chance to succeed for Poland and other EU countries and for vision and work for the future of EU.
Władysław Bartoszewski for foreign policy being favorable for development and international position of national economy. For embedding ethic principles and strengthening the value fair play in business among entrepreneurs. For giving an example of a truthful man and a citizen as well as for faith and hope he shows to Poles by his life.
George Bush for assisting democratic change and the reinstitution of democracy in Poland.
Jacques Chirac for furthering economic cooperation between France and Poland.
William J. Clinton for successfully supporting Poland's NATO membership on the international arena and his crucial role in voting the issue by NATO member countries.
Mikulá Dzurinda for friendly economic partnership with Poland, dynamic development of international co-operation within Visegrad Group, influencing intensive growth of economic activities with Poland, being in favor of foreign investments.
Dariusz Fikus for creativity as editor of the Rzeczpospolita daily, which provides entrepreneurs with prompt and reliable commercial data.
Bronisław Geremek for raising the status of economy in Polish foreign policy.
Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz for developing a clear vision and strategy for the National Bank of Poland, ensuring the Bank's independence, and developing a consistent policy to stabilize the Zloty.
Wiesław Kaczmarek for courage and determination in the privatization of Polish economy.
Helmut Kohl for furthering Polish-German relations, especially economic cooperation between both countries, and support of Poland's EU membership efforts.
Jacek Kuroń for achieving social consent to difficult economic reforms in Poland.
Janusz Lewandowski for courage and determination in the privatization of Polish economy.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki for effecting Poland's peaceful transition from socialist planning to free market economy and democracy.
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański for contributing to democracy in Poland and the rise of Poland's political and economic status in the world, especially in the U.S.
Elżbieta Penderecka for successfully combining culture and art with business and charity work.
Krzysztof Penderecki for promoting Polish creativity worldwide and thus furthering the promotion of Polish commercial creativity.
Jacques Santer for backing Poland's EU efforts.
Margaret Thatcher for aiding Poland's economic growth and determination and perseverance in pursuing goals
Andrzej Wajda for promoting Polish culture abroad and through this focusing international attention - also of investors - on Poland; for his outstanding work, whose worldwide acclaim helped create a favourable climate for Polish commerce; for his commitment to democracy, which today is the fundament of Poland's new economic system.