What's new

Andal Media

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos
You must be registered for see images

El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
Todos los derechos reservados

Zerbino's Travel Plans Revealed — The office of Chairman Zerbino, Commissioner for Justice and current head of the Executive Committee, has recently announced an expanded travel itinerary for the coming month, featuring several state trips which have drawn some concern and controversy from critics.

Chief among these are planned visits to Kadikistan, as part of an expanded tour of Gallo-Germania, as well as several states in in the Far Occident. In response to questions regarding whether it was Zerbino's intention to build new relations with either state, the Chairman only said that it was only his intention to “continue to maintain cordial relations”, and that snubbing either party would not be “good diplomacy”.

The Executive Committee has already approved Chairman Zerbino's plans, with the Council of Deputies likewise signing off on any necessary expenditures. It's expected that his trip will continue to build upon already existing friendships with other republics in Gallo-Germania, as well as foster new ones with more recent or nascent democracies further abroad. During his absence, Emmanuel Velez-Aquino, currently Deputy Chairman, will be serving as interim Chairman of the Executive Committee with the Chief of the Council of Deputies as a temporary sitting member to vote only in the case of ties.

However, critics have pointed out that the planned visit to Kadikistan in particular sets a potentially dangerous precedent.

“The Chairman should be ashamed to even set foot in that country,” stated a representative of the Old Form Coalition. “It grants legitimacy to what by all rights should be considered a dangerous and rogue state.”

Others have pointed out that Andaluz should take up a more active position in the international community, particularly with regards to some of the boiling points and conflicts in Gallo-Germania. As it stands, however, neither Chairman Zerbino nor Commissioner Velez-Aquino have made known any intentions on their part to radically alter the standing foreign policy of the current Executive Committee.

Deputy Chairman Velez-Aquino, as the Commissioner for the Exterior, has stated that he has “high hopes” for the Chairman's trips, and that he “looks forward” to “communicating further” with his opposites in certain other states.

“It's of paramount importance that Andaluz continues to cultivate good relations with states like Engellex, Justiza, and others – where we have historic interests, as well as very real modern ones,” he added.

The itinerary, if followed as intended, will be historic in that it will mark the first time an Andal head of state has visited either the Far Occident or Kadikistan.

The Esperanza Formally Retired — The Esperanza, oldest of the warships in service with the Commonwealth Fleet, was retired earlier today in a simple ceremony at San Agustín. The venerable vessel was formally struck from the Fleet's active roster by Admiral Rodrigo Silguene, and accepted by the city of San Agustín by its mayor, Emanuel Zaro. As part of a federal plan to rebuild and revitalize the city's waterfront, much of which was lost or damaged in last year's earthquake, the Esperanza will serve as a museum and important historical landmark that will hopefully attract visitors from both Andaluz and abroad.

Uniquely, San Agustín has been empowered with a charter by the Council of Deputies to assume extraordinary powers to both maintain and partially crew the Esperanza. Though the battleship has been removed from the active roster, it will remain on the reserve roster for at least twenty years and must thus remain at a minimal level of readiness. In practice, however, all this means is that a skeleton crew must remain aboard at all times and regular maintenance performed. No live munitions are required to be aboard, nor does the vessel need to partake in the same in-service drills or maneuvers that active duty vessels are required to. After the twenty years period has expired, the Esperanza will be ceded in full to civilian control and be fully decommissioned and struck entirely from the Fleet's ledgers.

The Esperanza is the last of the Austeridad-class battleships, first commissioned during the early years of this century as all navies sought to build new ships in the dreadnought mold. She served ably (and most notably) in the War of the Main, though rapidly became outclassed and outdated as new types of battleships were pushed into service a scarce five years after she was laid down. However, whereas other Austeridad-class vessels were pushed out of service or scrapped outright, the Esperanza remained active as the flagship of the Littoral Squadron – though largely in a ceremonial role as she grew older.

Many are excited about the planned museum. For many citizens, it offers an opportunity to gain some insight into the internal world of the Commonwealth Fleet. They will be able to see how sailors live on a day-to-day basis, and come to understand just a little bit better what goes into making a military vessel properly function.

The only criticism has come from conservatives that question the decision of the Council of Deputies to imbue San Agustín with special powers. Some have claimed that it's a subtle jab at the existing federal structure, and is dangerous for authorizing a non-federal entity to maintain a standing military force, however minor.

Much of the other reconstruction work has progressed fairly well, and the Esperanza will remain moored by the northern quay where the retirement ceremony took place until the pier to accommodate it is finished.
 
Last edited:

Great Engellex

Established Nation
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Messages
5,258
Location
London, UK
Capital
Dulwich
Nick
Engellex
You must be registered for see images

ENGELLEXIAN REPUBLIC
of
ANGELLEX and GEWISSEX

STATEMENT MADE in COUNCIL
OFFICE of the SECRETARY of STATE of the FOREIGN DEPARTMENTS

AUGUST 21st 1956

DULWICH, GEWISSEX, ENGELLEXIAN REPUBLIC,


Ladies and Gentlemen of the Government of the Andal Commonwealth, I avail myself with satisfaction, in the present anxious state of European affairs, of the advice of the Council of State, of the Engellexian Republic, which I have been instructed to communicate on behalf.

I have directed that formal invitations shall be laid before you, by our ambassador to Sargoza, from which you will learn how earnest and sincere the endeavours of the Engellexian Republic are in desiring to fortify the relations between our two noble republics. Those endeavours, it is honestly hoped, shall not fail but prove a pacifying foundation for Europe.

Recognising assurances of friendship from both Dulwich and Sargoza, it would be the intention of the Council of State – and most especially the Lady Chancellor, her Grace, Lady Rosamund Cavendish, Duchess of Kew, to maintain between our two republics the guaranteed support for the mutual progression of prosperity and influence for our peoples; and it is hoped, with Sovereign determination and will of our democracies, to preserve to our people the blessing of continued peace.

Therefore, considering, however, the present state of Europe, the Commissioner of the Exterior having announced his hope of communicating further with his opposites in other States, I have thought fit, in concert with the Council of State, to renew our diplomatic intercourse with the Government of Andaluz, which has unfortunately languished under the shadow of Engell isolation. It is, naturally, my pleasure to invite Chancellor Felix Velez-Aquino to Dulwich for formal observations with Lady Chancellor, Lady Rosamund Cavendish, Duchess of Kew.

LADY GEORGIANA SALWEY, DUCHESS of HAMMERSMITH
SECRETARY of STATE of the FOREIGN DEPARTMENTS
LADY COMMISSIONER of the COUNCIL of STATE
 
Last edited:

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos

La Pluma y la Espada
1 sólido (/) — Jueves y Domingo — Sargoza y San Agustín — Todas Andaluz

The NEWS in BRIEF


Opinion Piece: by Juan Lopez-Baez — Andaluz must awake. These aren't the ramblings of a deranged revolutionary or a deluded reactionary. This a simple fact: that for a nation to prosper—nay, to survive!—she must assert herself with full conviction! Where is Andaluz now that tensions flare, that passions are stirred? Where is the Andal on this Kalahari Conference? A simple missive, and the Commonwealth might have had a place at the table of talks that might determine the future path for a very significant chunk of Europe. It is this lethargy, this grueling and—frankly—disgusting inaction, which holds Andaluz back and that we must shake from our shoulders!

It is no shock, of course, that Chairman Zerbino would continue this tepid line of foreign policy. It has been the standard for the Commons Group since they first managed to worm their way onto the Executive Committee. His predecessors for the past decade have failed in much the same fashion to assert Andaluz internationally in any capacity, content to allow other states to dictate the fate of our country. It is deplorable that with a history as storied as that of Andaluz, a tale of glory and struggle aplenty, that we should now quietly submit to the whims of others without even a muted protest! In my mind, it isn't to the Tiburan submission that we should look to for inspiration—but the War of the Main, or the Exarchate!

I concede that in the wake of the recession of the late 40s, economic recovery has been an important issue. On this matter, I will not contest that the Commons Group has managed to prove themselves adept in mitigating the disaster's full effects. However, I do not believe that retreating indoors is the best way to prepare for a bad storm. One must sandbag their cellar, bolt their shutters, and secure their property. There may be a slightly belligerent quality to my writing thus far. I submit that there is no jingoism here, no hawkish posturing for Andal fleets to sail up and down the Long Sea—but that Andaluz' retreat from the international stage to look inward, however prudent it might have seemed at the time, was anything but.

Allies and friends that once we maintained have now fallen by the wayside, with old treaties and agreements abandoned in the wake of revolutions or governmental changes that we had little say or interaction with. It's truly shocking to think just how little regard Chairman Zerbino's administration has shown for the outside world, outside of his most recent efforts. And even then, what of them? Too little, too late. Chairman Zerbino is not an impressive figure. He does not inspire confidence, nor does he possess any particular charm. A bureaucrat, puffed up and placed at the head of the Executive Committee for no better reason than seniority. It should be the Commissioner for the Exterior abroad, as is his job!

I can only hope that Zerbino's successor will firmly take ahold of the reigns and pull Andaluz back onto the international concourse. We must engage ourselves more actively in European affairs if we are to hope to have any say. In a world that is increasingly connected, by planes, railways, and boats, it is imperative that we have a say.

Local News: — Yusuf al-Ahmadi, a senior deputy in the lower Parliament for the Uroduah People's Party, has announced his intention in a speech earlier today to organize and present a formal petition before the Council of Deputies on the issue of Uroduah autonomy. By law, any petition that is filed with the Adjutant-General of the Council of Deputies bearing more than 100,000 unique signatures must be presented to the floor of the Council for debate and discussion – regardless of the topic. In his speech, al-Ahmadi claimed to have already collected “more than a thousand” signatures, the majority of whom are UPP members at this time. The UPP will be assisting al-Ahmadi in finding supporters and organizing the petition effort, principally in Jazirat but also in many of Andaluz' major cities.
 
Last edited:

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos
You must be registered for see images

El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
Todos los derechos reservados

Conservation Efforts Successful — The Sierra Nevada Wildlife Preserve is, according to the Committee for Conservation & the Environment, a massive success. Two recent studies by the University of Toledo and the Zulia-Santander College of Technology have found that conservation efforts, first began in 1902, have been largely successful in reestablishing lion populations in the wild. Commissioner Angel Marquez commented that he was “ecstatic” and that the findings should “put to rest any nay-sayers.”

The Judean Lion, which once had a range across much of the coast of northern Himyar, was diminished immensely in population during the 18th and 19th centuries. By 1899, there were less than a dozen breeding pairs left in the entirety of Andaluz, with famed ecologist Leonardo Fuertes' report on the issue drawing widespread interest to the topic of conservation. In 1902, the Conservation Act was signed into law, and the Committee for Conservation & the Environment established to oversee the creation of national parks and wildlife preserves ostensibly under the aim of “preserving Andaluz' natural heritage”.

Since then, the Committee has largely assumed responsibility for regulating hunting and combating poaching. Game wardens and park rangers regularly patrol the perimeter and territories of all national wildlife preserves and park areas, as well as issue seasonal hunting permits for species judged to be in greater than normal abundance. For those animals that are judged by scientific experts to be at risk of extinction, no hunting permits can legally be issued.

According to rangers and researchers that work with the wildlife preserve, the greatest challenge has to do with the peculiar behavior that Judean Lions exhibit. Unlike other lions, Judean Lions are more often found in pairs or family units composed of a lion, lioness, and usually a pair of cubs, rather than large prides. It is suggested by some researchers and biologists that this behavior has to do with the comparative scarcity and aridity of the Sierra Nevada to south Himyar, rather than any intrinsic difference between Judean and South Himyari lions.

As it stands, the population of Judean lions is believed to be presently stable, with multiple separate breeding pairs that should theoretically not compete for territory. The populations of prey species, such as ibex and wild goats, have also not shown to have been significantly affected.

The Littoral Squadron Embarks — The Littoral Squadron has been placed on high alert by order of Admiral Rodrigo Silguene, announced Commonwealth Fleet spokesperson Taddeo Diaz today. Based out of Tartessos, just a few kilometers south of San Agustín, the Littoral Squadron slipped from their docks some three days past on an extended patrol around Elbas and the Varlden Straits. While the Commonwealth Fleet maintains numerous squadrons and fleets with assorted duties and responsibilities, the Littoral Squadron holds the high honor of being the oldest such formation, and the one with chief responsibility for protecting Andal territorial waters and the Varlden Straits.

Per Diaz, this deployment was a direct response to the abrupt movement of a large Pelasgian contingent through the straits – sailing close to, though never violating Andal territorial waters. “The Commonwealth Fleet in general and the Littoral Squadron in particular have a charge to safeguard the home waters of Andaluz,” said Diaz, “and so all such abnormal maneuvers will be carefully monitored.”

The Pelasgian fleet was thus observed by the Littoral Squadron, who followed until they were safely through the straits and firmly away from Andal waters.

It is generally believed that the rising tension in the Kalahari Sea is at root for the Pelasgian redeployment. Overall, the Commonwealth has refrained from involvement or even commentary on the issue – with Chairman Zerbino only making an offhand comment during an earlier interview that the government would be “keeping an eye” on the situation there.

There have been some calls for Andaluz to establish a firmer presence in the Kalahari itself, with extended patrols to range east through the Long Sea – but all such suggestions have reportedly been shot down by the Executive Committee and the Admiralty Board. “We have confidence that our partners in the region will maintain the integrity of the vitals trade lanes in the eastern Long Sea and Kalahari,” stated Diaz, going on to say that Andaluz' naval focus has always “been oriented towards the Thaumantic.”
 

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos

La Pluma y la Espada
1 sólido (/) — Jueves y Domingo — Sargoza y San Agustín — Todas Andaluz

The NEWS in BRIEF


THE NEWS IN BRIEF:

> Plans for a tunnel to Isla d'Albas are being considered by the Council of Deputies, with engineering firm Cortez y Santiago having taken the lead alongside several others in proposing a design that would run beneath the relatively shallow waters of the Varlden Straits. Largely thought of as being firmly in the realm of fiction, recent geological surveys have shown – per Mr. Alejandro Cortez – that the idea is more feasible than originally thought. The Council of Deputies is scheduled to discuss the matter in committee via the Commission for Economics on Tuesday next week. The major obstacle, many expect, is the exorbitant cost such an undertaking will doubtless require.

> The first Beiran class of the University of Toledo have begun their classes this last week. An exchange program that would allow Beiran students to come to Andaluz for education in engineering and the sciences was quietly passed through the Council of Deputies last year. So far, the total count is approximately 200 students scattered through a handful of participating schools such as the University of Toledo, the Zulia-Santander College of Technology, and the Ruben Rodriguez State University. Students are expected to maintain high marks to ensure their continued eligibility for student visas, and are expected to continue to attend classes in Andal without special accommodation made – both specific clauses of the program.

> Commissioner for the Interior, Eduard Salcedar, has announced his intention to retire at the end of the year. Having served on the Executive Council for nearly two decades now, Mr. Salcedar was inaugurated to his position during the last few years of the recession following the War of the Main, and helped to steer our Commonwealth through those trying times. The question of his replacement is up for debate, as the Commission for the Interior has yet to put forward a definitive answer on the subject. It was originally believed by many of Mr. Salcedar's confidants and political speculators that Mr. Enrique Jaco-Hernandez, the Deputy Commissioner for the Interior, would be taking his position, but Mr. Jaco-Hernandez has similarly expressed a desire to retire two months ago.

> The Week of Limes begins today, with festivals and parades scheduled to occur in Tartessos, San Agustín, Toledo, and Sargoza. The celebration honors Andaluz' maritime history and traditions, and marks the last possible harvest of citrus fruit for the year. Believed to have originated as a sailor's holiday, the Week of Limes grew in popularity following the Commonwealth's foundation and was declared a full holiday at the turn of the century. Some of the post-parade celebrations have been known to become somewhat rowdy, however, and police in Toledo and Sargoza have posted notices that the usual rambunctiousness that accompanies these events will be cracked down on severely this year and onward.

> Jewish leaders have pushed the Executive Committee to take a stance regarding the proposed bi-national state in Trivodnia, whereby the Yiddish and Krasnislavian portions would become a confederated republic instead of a unitary state. Opinions are divided between those who support a Jewish State, those that do not, and those that advocate for it in the Jewish homeland instead. As it stands, the government has refused to take a stance on the matter, and has instead affirmed that the special Right of Return visas for those Jews that can prove descent from north Himyar will continue to be issued to petitioners from Trivodnia.
 

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos
You must be registered for see images

La Pluma y la Espada
1 sólido (/) — Jueves y Domingo — Sargoza y San Agustín — Todas Andaluz


Already, with two more months left in the year, 2017 has hit a record in the number of reported opioid overdoses throughout the Commonwealth. The Committee for Justice (CoJ) and the Committee for Public Health & Safety (CPHS) released these figures in a study last night that both agencies commissioned from the Rubén Rodriguez State University. Using publicly available figures over several years drawn from municipal ambulance services, police departments, and area hospitals, the study found that both the distribution and impact of heroin is perhaps more widespread than most would believe.

One of the key takeaways from this study is that the pervading idea of heroin as a lower income drug is essentially groundless. There has been shown to be very little correlation between income and heroin use, with populations across every income bracket apparently just as likely to abuse opiates in some manner. Co-author Enrique Gallego-Pérez suggested that “the forms opiates take may differ across income groups” but ultimately that “they appear to be as readily abused regardless.” He went on to add that while there doesn't appear to be a correlation with regards to income, there did appear to be a geographical component – in that overdose cases appear to be more common, or at least more reported, in the south.

“This confirms some of what we already knew, and tells us some new things,” said Commissioner for Public Health & Safety Taddeo Marquéz. “It will inform our policies going forward, such that we can combat this unfortunate disease with all means available to us.”

The CPHS has already taken several steps to try to reduce opiate dependency and overdose rates. In 2005, the first federally-operated methadone clinics opened, followed by withdrawal and rehabilitation centers the year after that. Just last year, the CPHS issued an injunction against the La Vieja Committee for Public Safety for reported deficiencies in the prefecture's handling of overdose cases, and promptly afterwards mandated that all first-responders (firefighters, police, and ambulances) must all be issued naloxone kits – the overdose reversing drug. Next year, too, a series of new guidelines are set to go into effect whereby the criteria for the prescription of opiate painkillers will become increasingly strict.

One of the steps viewed as most important, however, is the CoJ's newly instituted policy that opiate use itself is to be considered non-criminal. While possession of illicit opiates still holds criminal penalties, their use will not – so as to encourage users to seek treatment in the case of emergencies.

“All evidence we have at our disposal points to opiate abuse as being, chiefly, a medical issue,” said Commissioner Rodrigo Zara on the subject. “While we have and will continue to go after distributors and manufacturers, the Committee for Justice is currently of the belief that the best way to tackle this issue is at the source – users themselves – and to cut off demand.”

It is expected that increasing public attention to the topic will lead to greater efforts by local governments to combat opiate abuse as well, though the majority has come from the federal government thus far.

Other News:
  • All Saints' Eve starts today, followed by All Saints' Day tomorrow. It is a Christian holiday celebrated by Andaluz's Arian and Tiburan Catholic communities, as well as by many other countries around Europe - honoring saints, martyrs, and the dead in general. In Andaluz, the holiday has a special significance for its coincidence with the Feast of Saint Iago, the patron saint of Andaluz and Iago de Compostela's namesake.
  • Zama, the prefecture directly adjacent to the border with Beira and Beira's heartland, has entered talks with private contractors and their equivalents in Beira with regards to a possible high-speed commuter rail link between the city of Zama itself and Vila Flor. If a similar line were to exist as already connects Zama and San Agustín, a traveler would be able to make the trip from Vila Flor to Zama in just slightly more than an hour. The idea has the tentative approval of the Committee for the Exterior, though final plans will have to be formally reviewed again before implementation.
 

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos
El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
Todos los derechos reservados
Tiburan Radicalism: A "dangerous distraction", says Zara — A string of news reports from the Frontier Lands, following first the arrest of an Eiffellander man in Kashtan and then a bombing in Ostrovakia, have brought forth suspicions and fears of the existence of a series of Tiburan Catholic conspirators and terrorist organizations that ostensibly act to undermine existing nation-states in that region. This includes claims made that these incidents represent a return of Tiburan Radicalism to the political fore – though in an entirely new landscape.

“This is, quite frankly, ridiculous,” commented Deputy Chairman Rodrigo Zara this morning, “and to paint all Tiburan Catholics as zealous, bloodthirsty crusaders is a dangerous distraction from the persecution of true terrorism.”

When questioned regarding the possibility of terrorist attacks in Andaluz as occurred in Ostrovakia and Geotri recently, Hernán Jaco-Alcante – Chairman of the Committee of Justice Sub-Committee on Special & Major Crime – stated that no evidence of an organized Tiburan Catholic terror ring exists. “I would be skeptical that there is even any evidence of such a thing in the Frontier Lands either,” he added, and suggested that these attacks constitute “isolated incidents”. He went on to say that though security forces in Andaluz currently viewed the threat of a terror attack as low, additional precautions will be taken nevertheless in the coming days to safeguard the public.

“It's blatant scapegoating,” Zara continued, “scapegoating of groups that constitute only scant minorities in the Frontier Lands yet have the temerity to be politically and economically active.”

Zara added that terrorism as a whole, whether as an act by a single motivated individual or by an organized religious or political group, is altogether far more potent and dangerous in this modern era. “Technology, the propagation of widespread information, the media, the accessibility of and ability to make a basic bomb with household devices,” he said, “means that we must be vigilant in general.”

Andaluz as a state, despite the fact that a narrow plurality of the population is ostensibly Tiburan Catholic, has had a contentious relationship with the Papacy as well. It was the target of crusades in the 11th century, fought several wars against the Pope in the medieval period, and went on to abjure itself of any temporal obligations to Tibur during the revolution. On this topic of Caesaropapism – of combining the authority of government and Church – the Commonwealth has strongly stood opposed since its inception.

A travel advisory has been placed on Kashtan and Ostrovakia for Tiburan Catholic Andals to exercise caution should they seek to visit either country for any reason.
 

Tyvia

Establishing Nation
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
2,406
Location
NYC
Capital
Swanfleet
Nick
Davyos
El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
Todos los derechos reservados

Andaluz and Beira to Cooperate on Narcotics — Council of Deputies Chairman Osvaldo Pérez announced today that following several closed meetings and deliberations with their Beiran counterparts, the creation of a proposed joint committee for the purpose of tackling the narcotics trade in a cooperative manner has been formally approved and federal funding for such an agency released.​

Talks have been ongoing since the summer of 2016 with Ribalmar in regards to coordinating law enforcement and criminal justice resources to tackle the drug trade, though stalled at various points due to difficulties in reconciling the differing legal codes between the two countries. An agreement has finally been reached, however, and the so-called Joint Committee for Narcotics Enforcement (JCNE) will be inaugurated and enter operation on March 1st 2018.

This Joint Committee takes its inspiration from and uses as its direct precedent in Andal law the Joint Committee for the Varden Straits (JCVS). It is intended to operate in a similar manner, as an extra-national agency able to operate within either state for the purpose of meeting its directed objectives. In much the same manner as the JCVS, the JCNE will be supervised by an Oversight Board consisting of several commissioners appointed by both Andaluz and Beira, as well as an Internal Affairs division to handle any incidences of corruption, abuses of power, or other disputes. The key difference between the JCVS and the JCNE, however, is that the JCNE will principally operate as a law enforcement agency – whereas the JCVS does so only tangentially to its primary purpose.

Per the agreement, both Andaluz and Beira will commit to reforming their respective sentencing standards and penal codes with regards to narcotics offenses until they are at complete parity by 2022. The JCNE will act to directly combat narcotics smuggling and manufacturing, and will be responsible for any high-profile narcotics cases or assume jurisdiction those cases where the value of total “product” is estimated to be above a certain threshold. JCNE agents are thus empowered to make arrests, detain individuals, and operate as peace officers within either Andaluz or Beira. They are to operate under a mutually agreed set of protocols, policies, and procedures, with all other law enforcement agencies in either state legally obligated to assist and comply with their investigations.

Detained individuals will be tried via the normal legal system in whichever country they happen to be arrested in. Once Andaluz and Beira implement identical penal codes for narcotics offenses in 2022, it is expected for there to be functionally no difference with regards to legal judgments for offenders between the two.

Critics cite the mounting costs of the JCVS and continuous delays in the construction of the Sálargos Tunnel as prophetic of the future of the JCNE. Others fear that its creation represents a direct blow to Andal sovereignty, and a move by the Council of Deputies to surrender some of the Judiciary's and its own powers to a foreign body.

Others, such as Deputy Chairman Rodrigo Zara, are more hopeful. “We've seen a significant rise in this type of crime since the start of this century,” he commented. “We see that these drugs aren't just a local problem. It's endemic to all of norther Himyar – to Gallia – to Germania. I think that the path forward in combating this problem is in cooperation.”

As it stands, it is unknown if Gallega will also participate in the JCNE. Given longstanding Andal-Gallic cooperation via the JCVS and the Joint Varden Naval Council, however, it is expected by many that they will be invited eventually as well.
 

Polesia

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,741
Capital
Amstov
Nick
Norse
Ministry of External Affairs

The Free State welcomes the joint initiative by Andaluz and Beira to try and stem the flow of illegal drugs into northern Himyar and beyond. International cooperation is imperative if we are to defeat this scourge.
 
Top