The joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Accountability and professionalism of the judicial system in Montenegro” organised a two-day workshop on communication in crisis situations for prosecutors - spokespersons and other communication officers working in prosecutorial offices across the country. The aim of the workshop was to help increase the capacities of prosecution officials for communicating with the media and the public in crisis situations. It was organised in co-operation with the Judicial Training Centre and Supreme State Prosecution Office of Montenegro.
Held on 26th and 27th of October 2020, the practical workshop focused on managing external and internal communication in crisis situations and addressing communication challenges which may arise in such situations, through presentations and interactive discussion with role-plays based on possible crisis scenarios. In this way, the exchange of experience can be even more practical.
The crisis is not what has happened, it is what the public presumes that has happened - was one of the key messages voiced during the workshop. The participants agreed that transparency in prosecutors' performance is an essential rule of law component. As stated in 2018 European Commission for the efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) Guide on communication with the media and public for courts and prosecution authorities, not only must justice be done, but it must also be seen to be done.
At the end of the workshop, a number of recommendations were formulated, which will be transposed into concrete guidelines for crisis communication for members of the prosecution over the course of November and December 2020. As such, the action “Accountability and professionalism of the judicial system in Montenegro” remains dedicated to assisting prosecutors in performing their important roles in an accountable and transparent manner.
The workshop was organised within the action “Accountability and professionalism of the judicial system in Montenegro”, which is a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”, implemented by the Council of Europe.