Joint Programme

Horizontal Facility

The Constitutional Court of Montenegro is strengthening its capacity for strategic and crisis communication, with a focus on greater openness, transparency and public trust. A workshop, co-organised with EUROL 4, brought together judges and the Court’s public relations team to support the implementation of the recently endorsed Court’s Communication and Action Plan, with particular attention to effective communication with the media in sensitive and high-profile situations.

The workshop also included a practical crisis communication simulation in a judicial context. Participants were divided into teams and tasked with developing communication procedures and responses to a simulated crisis situation. Through a series of practical sessions, they explored how to communicate under pressure, address emerging challenges and manage both the flow of information and the public narrative during a crisis.

The activity also provided an opportunity to assess progress since the adoption of the Communication Strategy and the appointment of the Court’s spokesperson. A survey of journalists covering the Court’s work, conducted in April 2026, shows a significant improvement in the Court’s communication performance. The average rating increased from 2.48 to 4.45 out of 5, with 59% of journalists rating communication as excellent and 31% as good. The survey also further showed strong support for greater public access to the Court’s work, with 91% of journalists supporting open sessions as an important step towards greater transparency and public trust.

This Strategy and Action Plan were developed with support of the action "Strengthening accountability of the judicial system and enhancing protection of victims' rights in Montenegro", implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe, “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.