Good morning, everyone!
It is a pleasure to be at this roundtable where the topic of the communication of justice institutions with the media and the public will be discussed, and I take the opportunity to thank the Council of Europe for this organization, but also for the continuous support to our institutions through CEPEJ.
Communication is very broad and it is continuously evolving, the same as information technology itself, and obviously every experience, model and practice is necessary for an efficient interaction with the public opinion and the media, aiming at bringing the work and activity of the justice system as close as possible to the public, first-hand or through the media, in the most accessible and transparent way.
There have been more than 5 years so far, since the adoption of the Justice Reform and one of the main challenges for each of our institutions remains the public expectation for the work and results of the system, for a justice that acts equally against injustice and the culture of impunity. Therefore, the work of justice institutions is observed, judged and prejudiced, sometimes correctly and sometimes not. We live in times of challenges, where pursuing the sensation of the day or seeking political benefit has unfortunately become a trend, which leaves little or no room for the substance, the in-depth and professional thought. The institutions of justice are also facing this situation, of course with their own problems. But this should not make us shy away from public communication. Personally, I think that we should not be afraid of criticism, because we cannot consider ourselves infallible, but we should definitely know how to stay above the day interests of the actors and public factors, focusing on our mission.
I believe that a very good defense mechanism is transparency, through a good communication strategy, for the qualitative presentation of our work, both for increasing and strengthening the public’s trust in justice, as well as for strengthening the functioning and role of our own institutions in achieving and maintaining the independence and impartiality of magistrates.
Undoubtedly, in the age of fake news, this is not easy because it is precisely “fake news” that increases mutual prejudice among institutions, media and the public. However, not considering a good communication strategy an obstacle but an opportunity, would help to face these challenges, first by building a correct relationship with the media, based precisely on the common focus that we as institutions and the media share: public opinion. The better we communicate our work and activity, the better will the public understand them. And we definitely need to discuss and get the best expertise to achieve this. How much and how to communicate? How should we face challenging situations? These and other questions will undoubtedly be answered during these two days by the respected experts of the Council of Europe, but also by the colleagues of the High Prosecutorial Council, which initiated this round table, and the High Judicial Council.
Thank you and best wishes for a successful roundtable!
