ULOGA JAVNOG NASTUPA KAO SREDSTVA OČUVANJA POVERENJA U INSTITUCIJE

Abstract

Every period of institutional change raises the question of the relationship between citizens and new developments, as well as between citizens and holders of public authority. Citizens’ trust in institutions is one of the key prerequisites for the preservation of the rule of law and social stability. Institutional changes may be multifaceted, whether they involve legal reforms, organizational restructuring, or crisis situations; in each of these cases, it is not sufficient for a decision to be legally valid alone, but it must also be adequately communicated to all citizens. Considering that many people carry an inherent fear of change, even when such changes are for the better, it is necessary to persuade them of their correctness. In such situations, the most important means for the acceptance of decisions is the public performance of holders of state and public institutions. The subject of this paper is the guidelines that serve as a tool for building a high-quality public performance and, consequently, for restoring public trust in institutions. The paper is based on the thesis that public speaking does not merely represent a method of transmitting information, but an important instrument contributing to institutional legitimacy, and therefore must be given special attention. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate that the quality of public speaking represents an important, yet insufficiently researched factor in maintaining institutional authority, reducing social uncertainty, and strengthening legal certainty in times of change.