Moldova is among the four winners of the European Young Journalist Award 2011. The award was handed over to Ramin Mazur from Rybnitsa by the Deputy Secretary of the Council of Europe General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio during an official ceremony in Strasbourg, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent in the city reports. The second consecutive year, the Council of Europe has awarded the best European journalists, who treated in an original style the theme “Any person has the right to freedom of expression”. The laureates in the four categories – the print media, radio, photo and video journalism − received diplomas, money awards and the prize “a trip through Strasbourg” on Tuesday. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio said the journalists are a genuine thermometer of society, while the young journalists are important opinion leaders for their generation and this contest offers them the chance of sharing their experience and views. Ramin Mazur, one of the four awardees, is from Rybnitsa, but has lived for many years in Chisinau, where he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism. The young man has told Info-Prim Neo that he applied to the contest online half a year ago and did not expect he will become a winner. He sent a photograph representing a family of blind persons from Balti, who claim rights over a house in court. Ramin Mazur is a freelance photographer. He won several national photo contests. The contest involved over 25 competitors from most of the Council of Europe member states. The selection criteria include the works’ relevance to the announced theme, their originality and technical quality. The other three laureates of the contest are from Spain, Slovenia and Hungary. The award ceremony was attended by jury members and high-ranking European officials, including Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg.