The role of public relations in the discussions over the 2021 budget between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government

The negotiations of the Budget Law of 2021 between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government were the longest negotiations and it lasted several months. This study aims to evaluate and analyze the efforts of public relations institutions and channels in the Kurdistan Regional Government to enhance understanding on the issue of the budget. The study was based on a qualitative methodology, and interviews were conducted with eleven experts and officials in the field of public relations in Kurdistan and Iraq. The study concluded that the Kurdistan Regional Government did not use public relations methods and mechanisms in a scientific and professional manner to enhance mutual understanding about its budget. In addition, there is insufficient understanding of public relations themselves between officials and institutions in the region.