Four journalists became winners of the contest “Covering Corruption in Print Media” organized by Transparency International Moldova (TI-Moldova). They conducted the best investigations into corruption-related issues, Info-Prim Neo reports. IT-Moldova offered the grand prize of US$200 to Pavel Paduraru, of Timpul newspaper. The second prize of US$150 went to Lilia Gurez, who had worked for Infotag news agency, while the third prize of US$100 was won by Mariana Rata, of Jurnal de Chisinau, and Alexandr Volcov, of Vesti Gagauzii. “The number of participants this year has increased significantly compared with the previous years and they are now mainly male,” Lilia Carasciuc, executive director of TI-Moldova, said during the award ceremony, stressing the investigations require much courage and nerve. The aim of the contest is to collect as many information about corruption as possible and to promote an ethical, equidistant and integral approach to corruption, Lilia Carasciuc said. The articles presented for the contest were analyzed by a commission composed of four media experts. Writer and publicist Tudor Topa, one of the members of the commission, said this year the works were more interesting and deeper and presented more risks. “I was impressed and satisfied as I realized there appeared young and energetic combative journalists,” he said. Grad prize winner Pavel Paduraru said he conducted an investigation into the April 5 elections and encountered such hindrances as lack of communication and bureaucracy. He also said the parliamentary group of the PCRM refused to talk to the reporters. Asked what advice he would give to the young journalists that want to carry out investigations, Pavel Paduraru said that they “should learn Romanian.” Lilia Gurez, the winner of the second prize, said she investigated the April 5 parliamentary elections and July 29 early elections and aimed to identify irregularities committed during the electoral campaigns. TI-Moldova has organized the contest the sixth year in a row. It also launched the book “Journalists against Corruption” that contains all the investigations of the applicants. Twenty journalists have participated in the contest this year with more than 100 works.