Carentanian Public Broadcasting

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: the snowfall of the recent days has ended for now, meteorologists say, announcing temperatures above freezing point for the next days. With snowfall being a rare sight in Carentania, the coldest winter of the last decade has surprised many Carentanians and obstructed daily life in the country. However, metereological institutes throughout Carentania claim that the cold weather had less destructive effects than initially feared and the Commissariate for Health confirmed it, commenting that there has been only a slight raise in weather-related injuries and accidents.

As feared, the south was affected the strongest by the weather and Revolutionary Army forces around Sisak had been mobilized for emergency duties. The soldiers performed several tasks in the recent days, including rescuing missions and clearing roads and railtracks from snow. Until further notice, the forces will stay mobilized, the Commissariate for Defence announced, to be prepared in case of a sudden return of the cold weather, even if meteorologists say that is unlikely. A number of training operations have been scheduled for the first army for the next days, taking place along the Vrbas River.

Notable accidents of the recent winter include a car crash on the highway from Osijek to Sisak, involving ten Carentanian citizens, of which two died, as well as a snowstorm near Izola that trapped several farming communities in snow. Minor infrastructure damages occured throughout the country, but were quickly fixed, while several of the bridges on the northern islands had to be closed after the roads froze over and became to dangerous to operate. Right now, the country has returned back to normalcy.

In other news: Carentanian diplomats dispatch to a meeting with the new Kryobaijani government. On schedule for the meeting are discussions about economic cooperation between both countries, the reevaluation of Kryobaijani-Carentanian relationship following the succesful coup against the former Party-Communist government, as well as issues of regional security.​

Good night,

my name is Elena Kos and you are watching the Late Night Talk. Here with me today is Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Dusan Mejic. Commissar Mejic has recently been reelected for the fourth time on the All-Workers Congress and acquired a lot of experience and expertise on the field of international relations even before he took over the leadership of the Commissariate, during years of work in employment of the very same Commissariate. Today he will answer me some question about the dissolution of the International Revolutionary Bloc.

Mr. Mejic, what led to the end of the IRB?

There are a number of reasons why the IRB had to fail in the end, but I believe there are two main issues that caused these events. First, the IRB was a totalitarian, despotic alliance or at least most of its members were. While their governments used to call upon the left to stay "united", this was merely another way of demanding socialist of all color to support these violent regimes unconditionally and without questioning. When it came to their domestic population, neither of these regimes showed any will to stay "united" with the left and socialist oppositional faced much the same violence as reactionaries. This hipocrisy meant that, where there was a change within the government, such as in states like Kryobaijan and Cyrillica, the new governments had little interest to align themselves with the best friends and allies of their former oppressive governments.
Secondly, the IRB has repeatedly failed to adress its own regional crisises and international conflicts. The IRB has met these geopolitical events with utmost passivity and was neither inclined to support the position of its memberstates with military and political force, nor put pressure on its more loudmouthed members to seek out diplomatic solutions to conflicts with other European states. In the end, there was little that made the IRB appear to be an actual alliance.

What consequences will the fall of the IRB have for Europe?

Right now we can already see the first one. The crisis in Batavie attracts a lot of attention from even minor states, each and everyone eager to prove its importance through involvement in the situation. Provocations such as the Oikawan taskforce would likely not have happened if the IRB were still existent and considered functional. Batavie however is now weak and isolated and thus has become a field of power politics where different nations attempt to prove their importance.
At the same time, the risk of open war with Batavie has been reduced considerably. Even for nations which have a distinctly anti-communist state philosophy, there is too little to gain through warfare now. Batavie has lost its role as leader of the Party-Communist branch of the left, as well as its role as a leading nation of a military alliance. Batavie is no longer a threat, even to those nations bent on the destruction of worker states, failed or not. These nations will likely hope on internal strife to bring down the Batavien government.
At the same time, the fall of the IRB has catapulted Carentania to an importan position in the left. With the anti-communist threat still unchanged, the left-wing nations in Europe will soon attempt to reorganize and Carentania is the likely rallying point for this new left, considering it is the largest, strongest and oldest still existing socialist state in Europe. This means enormous responsibility for our nation and we should tread careful from now on.

So Carentania seeks to build a new IRB? Who would be its members?

Now, that's not what I said. Carentania has forged contacts with like-minded states in Europe and will work on deepening its friendship with states like Kryobaijan and Cyrillica. What I believe will happen soon is that a defensive organization for socialist states will arise, may it be formalized in a treaty or remain informal, the need is apparant. The two mentioned states are the most obvious partners for Carentania, and I believe Volga to be another - though its state of emergency and martial law have remained in power for a bit long by now, I have to say. Batavie and Vangala will need to reform before anything than just superficial relations with Carentania can occur.

How likely are such reforms?

That really depends on the events of the next weeks. Batavie will have to reform, one way or another, or it will fall apart. The Republican Army has a considerable powerbase and the Batavien government will now have to give in to demands. What remains to be seen is, what direction these reforms are headed and right now I fear that market reforms may win over democratization, as capitalists usurp leading positions in the state. If however, Batavie surprises us, we could easily forge ties with a reformed, socialist democracy, as we did with Cyrillica. In such an environment, Vangala would naturally have to follow this trend and adopt democratic reforms as well, as its own situation presses the need for allies on the state on the border of Oikawa. Of course, with such a neighbour, the democratic reforms can not be as thoroughly as in other corners of Europe and we understand the Vangalans need for a strong state to ensure its independence and liberty, but we expect certain standards to be upheld in any nation we place our support on.

That was very informative. Thank you for coming, Commissar.

Thank you as well.​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: following an increased presence of naval forces from both AGE nations as well as Oikawa in the seas around Batavie, Carentania has announced its intention to dispatch a small force tasked with a monitoring mission to the affected area. Currently, two Oikawan carrier battle groups and one Austurlander carrier battle group have been sent to the Great Sea, causing increased tension in the area and sparking concerns that Batavies request for Council of Nations peacekeepers may be abused for imperialist endeavours by Europes great powers.

Commissar for Defence, Matija Dračar, commented that the Carentanian government has intensely discussed its own reaction to the crisis in northern Europe before concluding that, bearing the responsibility that comes from its new engagement in European politics, Carentania is one of the few nations that can honestly engage in the peacekeeping effort without secret motives. "We are neither supportive of the Batavien government or the rebel groups, we have no geopolitical interests in the region and are not an imperialist power," the Commissar said. "Carentania is, when it comes to this current crisis, a true neutral."

To meet fears that further deployment of forces to the region may be seen as escalation, the Commissariate decided to send only a very small group of four destroyers to the Great Sea, incapable of engaging in hostilities with any other navy present. "Their duty," the Commissar explained "is not to fight in a war over Batavie, but to observe the other forces present in the area and to provide data about the actions of the imperialist powers in this region. In case of incidents, reports from a neutral observer force could be decisive in defusing critical situations."

Speculations about the deployment of a submarine group have been rejected by the Commissar as untrue. Submarines, the Commissar replied, are not suited for the task at hand and have not been ordered to the Great Sea, despite unconfirmed reports from within the Revolutionary Navy that claim otherwise. The Commissar was unable to explain these rumours, but stressed that these were indeed untrue.

In other news: the trial of Stanislav Posanski, who had been arrested in November 2009 by a investigation commission on charges of major capitalist acts, wage-slavery, incitement to criminal acts and fraud, is starting today. The Posanski trial is expected to become one of the largest trials in Carentanian history, considering his far-fetched black trade empire.​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: following the arrest of more than thousand people in Marquette on accusations of "terrorism", international criticism of the French government is mounting. After Carentania strongly criticised the move by Marquetten security forces as "befitting a police state" and raised strong doubts over the actual reasoning behind the arrests, the Levantine States have joined the critics, stating their indignation. Official condemnations of the "purge" as it has been termed by Levantine media, were followed by the announcement of the Levantine olympic team not to participate in the upcoming games due to the repressive climate in the host nation, Marquette.

Marquettes police forces made the arrests only one day after a supposed security leak in the Marquen government released a document, claiming the existance of a broad network of so called "extremist" forces in the country. While there has hardly been any terrorist activity in Marquette in the recent past, it is not surprising that the charges raised against the arrested are very unspecific. Criticised for its practise of "guilt by association", the Marquen government defended their actions, stating that the arrest of people for supposedly approving of actions against the Marquen state do not constitute a human rights violation. Legal experts meanwhile speak harshly of the law and the practise of mass arrest, demanding the Marquen state to produce "actual" charges against the arrested or release them at once.

The Carentanian Lawyers League, a NGO that provides Carentanian citizens with legal assistance and advises juries in trials, has announced its intention to hold independent investigations into the cases and offered those arrested legal aid - the first time the CLL is acting outside of Carentanian territory. "Of course, the number of our members who have knowledge of the Marquen legal system is considerably smaller than those with education on the Carentanian system," a spokesperson commented, "But this specific case affects basic human rights and democratic standards and could therefore have happened anywhere else, it would not change the facts at hand." The CLL also supports the demands for a release of those arrested on "thought-crimes" and furthermore insists that evidence gathered in the process of the arrests has to be dismissed. "It's acquisition was illegal and the political motives of the arrests furthermore raise concerns that evidence may have been manipulated in order to produce the wanted results." This would clear some of the arrested of charges for illegal possession of weaponry.

Meanwhile, the Olympic team of Carentania has commented on the withdrawal of the Levantine team, stating that they "regret to be unable to compete with our neighbours" and furthermore announcing that they are currently discussing a similiar withdrawal. "We will, however, wait to see how the situation evolves from now on before we make a final decision."

In other news: after failing to find abroad customers for the overproduction of marihuana cigarettes, Yuka Cigarettes WO. has eliminated the largest parts of their stockpiles in order to clear up urgently needed warehouse space.​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: the Commissariate for Defence has announced it is currently investigating the possibility of a "Long Sea Control" project to be located in the old Carentanian capital of Dravinja. The project, so far only an idea whose feasibility and use is researched, consists of an "over-the-horizon" radar array, an air force base and a new destroyer group which would be tasked with surveillance of the waters between Carentania and Danzig, in order to guarantuee the Workers' Republic maintains control over this area of Europe in case of an enemy attack.

Over-the-horizon radars which have been reasearched thoroughly by different nations throughout Europe, allow for a military force to monitor a large territory from a fixed position, using athmospheric reflections of the radar to extend the range beyond the visible boundries of the horizon. It is unclear whether the Carentanian military possesses the necessary technology for such a project, but it may be well possible that the Commissariate for Defence has already begun to secretely buy up computer parts that can be utilized for the difficult computing processes in the OTH radar better than the domestically available electronics.

While the Commissariate maintains that the idea of a new base in Dravinja to control the Long Sea is only one of many ideas currently discussed, it has left no doubts about the intention of the Commissars to expand the military capabilities of the Carentanian state, especially in regards to the newly risen necessity for power projection beyond its own borders. Faced with powerful navies, utilizing Carentanias own position near a waterway of international importance could allow for increased pressure on any nation taking a belligerent stance on Carentania or one of its future allies.

However, many expect other nations in the region to be less than thrilled about the idea of Carentania reaching for control over the Long Sea, and believe that states like the Levant of Marquette will do all that is necessary to prevent Carentania from developing the ability to decide who uses the Long Sea and who doesn't. Before any international reaction could reach Carentania, the Commissariate for Foreign Affairs already commented on the plans, explaining that these plans are not to be understood as a Carentanian intention to control peace-time traffic in the Long Sea, but only in the context of a belligerent power attacking Carentania.

"In that case, the ability to block out the access to the Long Sea for said belligerent would prove crucial."

In other news: an aid package for Vangala has been offered by the Commissariates today and the Carentanian Olympic team brings in the first medals, earning silver in the women's biathlon and Bronze in the womens alpine skiing disciplines.​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: according to reports of the Revolutionary Navy observation group stationed in the Great Sea, forces of the EDF seem to be preparing for an invasion of Batavie and have, as Admiral Furlan reported, who is in charge of the Carentanian operations in the region, repeatedly penetrated Batavien sovereign territory. This, the Commissariate for Foreign Affairs warned, is not only an act of blatant disrespect towards the Batavien people and their right to sovereignity, but also a direct sign of the EDF's willingness to overstep the boundries set by the Council of Nations and take unilateral action to enforce a favourable outcome of the current Batavien crisis to the alliance.

The violations of the Batavien borders occured mostly at night, the crew of one Carentanian destroyer in the region reported, by very small forces obviously sent to gather intelligence. Reports about massive EDF troop presences along the Batavien border indicate, that these missions were conducted in preparation of a massive military engagement, probably in favour of the rebel faction or, what is not entirely unlikely as well, as a mission of complete imperialistic occupation. Considering that the known intrusions by forces most likely of Franken origin were discovered out of sheer coincidence and luck, the level of EDF intelligence in the region must be assumed to be better than that of any other faction present around Batavie and well enable the alliance to conduct an offensive operation.

The international community has been watching the alliances actions with suspicion for a while now, though with different motives. Socialist states like Carentania are worried about the possibilities of imperialist exploitation of Batavie and the prospect of war for the citizens of the country, while the AGE and LFS respectively fear an expansion of the third alliance will come at cost of their own influence and power. Meanwhile, smaller nations who were hoping for a return of capitalism to Batavie are afraid they might be pushed aside in the expected sellout in favour of EDF corporations.

How exactly the publication of the observations made by the Carentanian fleet will affect the situation around Batavie remains to be seen. Carentanias Commissars have already declared that our country has no interests in an open confrontation with the EDF, but had an obligation to share the truth with the world. The Commissariate for Foreign Affairs furthermore called upon the EDF states to allow the Batavien government and the rebel forces to settle the conflict in the country through peaceful means.

In other news we will hear about the civil war in Ratomkira, where an Oikawan intervention did not yeild the results hoped for and the Communist liberation fighters are still in the offense against the dictatorship. Good luck!​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: a gunman in the city of Sunja has shot down the famous Revolutionary Army veteran Luka Kalan. Eighty-five year old Luka Kalan was heading home with groceries when a bypasser drew a gun and fired six shots at the elderly war survivor, yelling "die, red filth" according to eyewitnesses. According to some, he was accompanied by a second individual, who additionally screamed "traitor" at Kalan, who is currently in Sunja Central Hospital and still in mortal danger, according to the doctors, though they managed to remove the projectils in emergency surgery and put him into artificial coma.

Luka Kalan is well known as one of the few survivors of the Revolutionary Army intervention in the phase of revolutionary unrest Oikawa was going through in 1959. Supporting the socialist commune in the short civil war, an expedition force of volunteers was sent by the Revolutionary Army, amongst them Kalan as a young officer. The intervention is often cited as one of the biggest failures of Carentanian foreign policy, failed spectacularily and nearly brought Carentania to war with the Oikawan Empire. Few of the volunteers survived and those who did, like Kalan, had to suffer torture and prolonged slave labor in Oikawa.

Becoming a symbol for the heroic deeds of the volunteer force, Kalan was awarded the Red Star of the Republic and the Hero's Medal for several of his inspiring deeds in 1959, repeatedly saving the lifes of Oikawan civilians at the risk of his own. Meanwhile, Carentania withdrew from the international stage as a result of the failed foreign policy and a later Commissar for Defence publically apologized to Kalan for the mission, stating that Carentania willingly risked the life of good and noble men like Luka Kalan in a flawed intervention.

An investigation commission has now been tasked with finding the assassins, who managed to escape after the shooting. According to the commission, there is a strong suspicion that the attackers may have been Mezhist terrorists operating from within the Levantine States and thus may have retreated to Barca. They believe one of the Mezhist groups in the Levant will soon claim responsibility for the attack on one of the symbol-figures of the Revolutionary Army.

In other news: Marquette displays its hipocritical attitude by criticising the plans for a long range defense and surveillance project currently under review by the Carentanian Defense Commissariate, while at the same time the EDF announces the construction of a similiar system in the very same country.​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: after the Commissariate for Defense had revealed one of several possible projects for national defense currently under investigation, several nations stepped forward in open criticism of Carentanias will to defend itself. Most notably the Talemantine Empire, which still occupies Carentanian land in the form of the Vrbas Kraj, has publically leashed out against the expansion of strategic assets of the Revolutionary Navy, in fear of a strengthening Workers' Republic.

Openly threatening Carentania and demanding the Commissariate for Defence to drop the plans for a long range surveillance and intervention group to be stationed in Dravinja, Talemantine-Carentanian relations have hit a new low. Declaring its intention to use "any means necessary" to prevent the realization of such a project as currently reviewed by the Commissariate has managed to even outshine the announcement made by the EDF about the construction of long range surveillance systems in Marquette. Meanwhile, Carentania declared it will not attend the celebrations to the 1400 year of the Talemantine Empire, referring to the continued illegal occupation of the Vrbas Kraj by the Empire.

The Commissariate for Foreign Affairs has already announced it will not tolerate disturbances in the democratic process of the Workers' Republic by any imperialist power, nor will they stand idle as said states try to compromise the security of Europe's most progressive society. "If the Commissariate for Defence decides to adopt the plans for a naval surveillance group, then there's only one power in Europe able to stop these plans: the All-Workers' Congress. The will of the people is the only will we will ever heed. Tyrants opinions have little value in a free society."

At the same time, the Commissariate for Defence reacted by publishing some of the other plans whose possibility is investigated along the plans for a naval surveillance group. This includes the construction of a guided missile cruiser group as well as a traditional carrier strike group, both strong power projection assets. Additionally, the Commissar offered that "if it fits the Talemantine Empire any better, we could also construct a new strategic bomber division and station it within reach of the Talemantine capital."

In other news: two governments in Europe collapse, as Ratomkira as well as Batavie are taken over by military governments. In Ratomkira, the military leadership has managed to work out a ceasefire with the communist rebels and seems to be approaching diplomatic solutions to the conflict, while Batavies military government has declared its intention to hold elections for the future of the nation in the near future. The Commissar for Foreign Affairs has commented both to be positive developements, but remains sceptical.​

Hello and welcome to CPB evening news.

Todays head story: Luka Kalan, famous Revolutionary Army veteran of the Carentanian volunteer force in the Oikawan civil war and nationwide symbol for a true socialist hero, has died early this morning as a consequence of the severe wounds a gunmen had inflicted upon him a few days ago. He did not regain consciousness after the attack and the doctors of the Sunja Central Hospital were unable to save his life. Kalan, who had survived Oikawan prison camp and torture, and who spent most of his post-military life working for children suffering from cancer, died at the age of eighty-five years.

Only hours after his death had been announced, a Mezhist terror group, calling itself the "Patriotic Slavian Brigade" claimed responsibility for the attack during which, according to eyewitnesses, the victim was scorned with yells of "traitor" and "red filth". The Patriotic Slavian Brigade announced that the attack on Kalan was a late revenge for his service for the socialists in the Oikawan rebellion in the late fifties, as well as an attack on one of the most popular figureheads of the Revolutionary Army who has popularized the image of the socialist soldier as defender of freedom. This confirmes initial suspicions that a Mezhist group may have been responsible for the murder.

But while, due to the proximity to the city of Barca, the Investigation Commission had suspected the attackers to operate from within the Levantine States, experts now believe the attackers to have entered Carentania from the south, with the Talemantine occupied Vrbas Kraj as their base of operations. The Patriotic Slavian Brigade is a small Mezhist group from the general area of the Vrbas Kraj, which, analysts claim, tries to even out their relatively minor position within the Mezhist movement by committing very daring and violent acts of terrorism. The gruesome murder of Luka Kalan would fit well within their general strategy.

The Commissariate for Foreign Affairs was swift to adress the issue, calling upon the Talemantine Empire to persecute those responsible and extract them to the Workers' Republic. "We expect a full commitment of the Talemantine authorities to the task, and we will sanction a failure to do so," Commissar Mejic announced. "This is no minor incident. The murder of Luka Kalan has hurt the entire Carentanian people and we will see to it that justice is done." Fears within the Commissariate are that Carentanian plans to expand naval capabilities and the associated attacks on these plans by Talemantine authorities may interfere with the persecution of the Patriotic Slavian Brigade.

Following his death, Luka Kalan has been awarded the Order of Socialism. This order, amongst the highest honors that can be granted to a citizen of the Workers' Republic, is awarded exclusively post-mortem, to either civilians or soldiers for a life in the service of the working class as a whole.

In other news: diplomatic clashes over Carentanian defense plans continue. Commissars call the reaction by neighbours "blown out of proportion", reject the interference into matters of national defense and point out that thusfar, the plans haven't even been considered for implementation yet.​