The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Macedonia presents a new communication strategy of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the period 2026-2028 and an action plan for its implementation.
According to the State Public Prosecutor Nenad Saveski, one word from this strategic document that should describe the approach they will insist on is “proactive” communication of the Public Prosecutor’s Office with the public, which will not wait for questions to be asked before giving an answer, but will clarify in advance the actions, that is, the decision-making of the public prosecutor’s offices to the citizens, making sure that they correctly and promptly understand the decisions we make.
– It is precisely in that direction that I plan to soon amend and clarify the guidelines for public relations. All prosecutors will not only enjoy the right to freedom of expression, but it will also be their obligation to inform the public about the cases they are handling, of course as much as the law allows. At the same time, we will work out the systems for internal and crisis communication, as well as improving coordination in reporting with other institutions and authorities. Maybe seemingly small steps, but they are extremely important – said Saveski.
The strategy, according to Saveski, means that at no point does JO act spontaneously, but carefully and thoroughly approaches relations with the public, stressing that it will invest its entire capacity to return and earn public trust.
– The cases on which the Public Prosecutor’s Office acts are often the main news in the public and every time we are faced with such a situation there is a difference between what the public expects to hear from the Public Prosecutor’s Office and what the law allows us on the other hand, i.e. within what framework we can move, primarily guided by what stage the procedure is in the interest of the public. Such a ratio and discrepancy requires good preparation, verification, accurate and precise information – he said.
This, according to Saveski, is a serious and responsible task, at the same time emphasizing that the Public Prosecutor’s Office is not starting from scratch, but is only a supplement and upgrade of everything that the Public Prosecutor’s Office has been practicing so far in the name of transparency on the one hand and what is the basic role of the Prosecutor’s Office on the other hand.
– To avoid sensationalism and speculation at the same time, and for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to come forward by emphasizing the facts that have emerged from the public prosecutor’s actions, with the aim of protecting the rights of the participants in the procedure, above all the victims and the accused, i.e. the suspects in the procedure. But to assure the public in all of this that a procedure was carried out from which certain facts emerged and in which the rights of the participants themselves will be guaranteed in full by the public prosecutor – stressed Saveski.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office is a complex body with 23 basic public prosecutor’s offices, four higher public prosecutor’s offices and one republic in which 190 public prosecutors work at different levels.
Saveski said that he expects through an open approach to the citizens that they will recognize the Public Prosecutor’s Office as an institution that protects them and always has the public interest before them. However, he pointed out that a large number of planned activities in the communication strategy have appropriate financial implications without which they cannot be realized.
– A poor Public Prosecutor’s Office cannot oppose rich criminality, emphasized Saveski and said that “the executive and legislative authorities must show the will to enable the functioning of the public prosecutor’s office”.
The Deputy Attorney General of Portugal, Paulo Jorge Vieira Morgado de Carvaio, emphasized in his presentation that the central idea is simple – strategic communication is not only public relations, but it is a function of the rule of law for citizens to understand legality, independence and accountability.
– The public debate today is fast and fragmented. The silence of the institutions and the lack of official information can be filled by disinformation. Therefore, it is necessary to communicate transparently, strategically and legally – said Carvajo.
The trust of the public, he emphasized, does not mean popularity as with politicians, but the legitimacy of prosecutors comes from their legality, independence and public accountability.
– The prosecution is facing a strange dilemma. The public interest in information is greatest when caution is paramount. Courts often speak through judgments, while public prosecutors are asked to speak much earlier when proceedings are still under investigation and excessive information may jeopardize the investigation. The balance is clear – public prosecutors must inform without prejudice, explain without jeopardizing legality and be transparent without compromising investigations – said Carvajo.
The professor at the Faculty of Law and head of the “Public Relations” department, Jasna Bachovska-Nedić, emphasized in her presentation that the Public Prosecutor’s Office is not an ordinary organ of public administration, but represents a segment of the third government, perhaps the most important in a democratic state, and that is precisely why strategic communications are not just a “technical need, but a democratic need of a society”.
– The principle of transparency is the most difficult and this is where the biggest conflict between the media and the judiciary is. We have a fragmented, highly polarized media system with low integrity and blood and sensation are required here, while the law is conservative, phased and slow and you need to know a lot about it in order not to do any harm – said Bachovska-Nedic.
According to Bachovska-Nedić, the Public Prosecutor’s Office must find a way to be visible in the media, but in a constructive way and with an educational function.
– It is a social responsibility of the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office and an obligation to get closer to the citizens and raise the level of legal culture, which is very low in our society – said Bachovska-Nedić.
The new communication strategy of OJ together with the new logo was developed in cooperation with the project “EU support for the rule of law”, reported MIA.
