KOMPLEKSNOST OBRAMBNO-VOJAŠKEGA OKOLJA NAREKUJE STRATEŠKO UPRAVLJANJE ODNOSOV Z JAVNOSTMI

Vojska spada med ustanove državnega pomena, ki morajo komunicirati s svojimi številnimi javnostmi. Vojaški odnosi z javnostmi so del neoperativne aktivnosti oboroženih sil, njihov namen je vzpostavljanje ali ohranjanje dobrih odnosov in ustvarjanje sprejemljive podobe v javnosti, kar je življenjskega pomena za vsako vojsko. Vojaški odnosi z javnostmi se ne razlikujejo veliko od odnosov z javnostmi v zasebnem sektorju; uporabljajo enake strateške pristope in enaka orodja, le izdelek je drugačen. Ker delujejo v okolju javnega sektorja, so pogosto predmet kritične presoje medijev ter strokovne in tudi laične javnosti. Zato se, tako kot drugod, tudi na področju vojaških odnosov z javnostmi pričakuje visoka stopnja etičnosti in profesionalnosti.Komunikacijski primeri iz prakse državnih ustanov, pa tudi s področja obrambno--vojaške prakse odnosov z javnostmi so v strokovni literaturi redko predstavljeni, v Sloveniji jih skoraj ni najti. V prispevku je prvič predstavljen študijski primer komu- nikacijskega programa in referendumske kampanje v podporo včlanitvi Slovenije v Nato. Primer je zanimiv za bralce, ne le zaradi celovite predstavitve kampanje, kritik in vprašanj, ki jih je kampanja sprožila, temveč tudi zaradi izjemnih izkušenj, ki so jih komunikatorji pridobili. Pokaže pa tudi na zapletenost in zahtevnost sodobnih političnih in vojaških odnosov z javnostmi, kar utrjuje potrebo po dosledni uporabi strateških pristopov h komuniciranju.Armed forces rank among the institutions of national interest and as such have to communicate with its numerous publics. Military public relations form a part of the armed forces’ non-operational activities, aimed at establishing or maintaining good relations with different stakeholders and creating an acceptable public image, which is vital to any army. Military public relations do not differ much from the public relations in the private sector. They both use the same strategic approaches and the same tools, but differ in the product. Since they operate in the public sector enviro- nment, they are often subject to critical judgement by the media, as well as of the professional and lay publics. It is thus expected that in military public affairs, the same as elsewhere, they demonstrate a high level of ethics and professionalism.Examples of communication practice of national institutions as well as of the defence and military sector are rarely presented in the literature and can hardly be found in Slovenia. This paper presents a case study of communication programme and the re- ferendum campaign led in support of Slovenia’s accession to NATO. The case study is also interesting for the readers not only because of the comprehensive presenta- tion of the campaign, criticism and questions raised by the campaign, but also due to the useful lessons learned by the communicators. Moreover, the case also points to the complexity and demanding nature of modern political and military public relations and thus reinforces the need for a consistent use of strategic approaches to communication.