How to successfully communicate with the media and target audiences was in the focus of a two-day workshop for members of the High Judicial Council (HJC) held in Šabac on 3-4 December 2018.

Six HJC members had an opportunity to discuss challenges and their experience related to media with experts in communications and journalism. Hearing about the practice of the Communications Department at the Netherlands Judicial Council was a valuable inspiration for further steps. Participants individually practised how to implement possible strategies and tactics in order to successfully convey messages from the judiciary and bring the judicial branch of government closer to citizens.

Through individual and interactive approaches judges learned how to form key messages in order to bridge the gap between the perceptions of target audiences while at the same time achieving their communication goals. Special focus was put on improving techniques to reach out to the media in cases where the High Judicial Council reacts publicly to political and other types of pressures on individual judges.

The workshop was organised within the action “Strengthening Legal Guarantees for Independent and Impartial Tribunals”, which is part of the "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey", a joint programme co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.