Public administration reform was the focus of a media briefing held in Belgrade, which for the first time brought together journalists and members of the Working Group for planning and coordinating communication activities related to public administration reform in a single three-day event. Organized by the EU4PAR project, the briefing was unique in that representatives of local and national media also had the opportunity to attend live the conference “The change that lasts, the result that remains,” held at the EU House in Belgrade.
Although public administration reform is often seen as a complex process full of procedures and technical details, it is easy to forget that behind these concepts are people, journalists, civil servants, and experts, whose joint efforts help make reform results visible and understandable to citizens.
This is exactly what the workshop brought to life, bringing together members of the Working Group and journalists from the “PAR list.” The atmosphere was open, friendly, and encouraging, with a clear goal: to remove the “trenches” of mistrust between the media and the institutions implementing public administration reform.
Participants stressed that this way of working brings particular value. “Personal contacts can erase even the strongest boundaries,” both sides agreed, noting that such encounters help create better stories about reform results, stories that bring changes closer to citizens’ everyday lives.
The workshop showed that cooperation between the media and institutions is not a one-off event, but a process that grows over time. This is part of the broader work of the EU4PAR project, which through its Component 3 organizes four media briefings a year in cooperation with journalists. In this way, communication about public administration reform becomes clearer, more accessible, and closer to those it is meant for, citizens and businesses.