AP BusinessWire ~ Affiliated Press Business News

[Telora]

TelorRail unveils demonstrator for new diesel engine
AP, Telor City

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TelorRail, the state-owned Teloran railway company, has unveiled a demonstrator locomotive for the powerful "Eulerian" diesel engine at its Nidaros yard today. The prototype, which is powered by two of the diesel engines manufactured by Opalian, will test the engine in a variety of settings; both formal trails and in regular use on the network. Whilst TelorRail has begun an extensive electrification program in recent years, it still expects to retain a considerable distance of non-electrified track well into the 1970s. Senior managers at the firm, as well as officials at the Ministry of Transport, hope that the EE-1 will be a successful pioneer for a whole class of large diesel locomotives designed to pull express trains, as well as heavy goods work.

Federal officials also announced at the unveiling that the final version of this locomotive will be available for export, having secured the agreement of Opalian to the commercial sale of the locomotive. Opalian is expected to take a 30% share of the profits from any sales made overseas of the locomotive, having already secured a healthy business of selling the engines to ship manufacturers within Telora. This announcement has ended speculation that Opalian was about to sell its non-car engines division to an overseas buyer. Given that the deal does not appear to include an exclusivity clause, analysts now expect the company to seek new overseas partners for further uses of the engine, for both marine and rail platforms.

 

[Tyvia]

Avon Polytechnics (Avopoly) releases new line of "pocket radios"
AP, Port Republic

Avon Polytechnics, a well known manufacturer of radios, televisions, and other electronics in the Seneca Union State, has recently revealed that it will soon be releasing a line of new so-called "pocket radios" utilizing transistor technology first utilized by the Rathenau Gruppe in Eiffelland. After obtaining the patent in the Union State, Avopoly has begun production of similar devices, with the smaller and more efficient electrical transistors replacing the bulky vacuum tubes which had previously featured heavily in radio production. Now, Avopoly claims that it has created a radio that weighs less than a poud, and can operate using only your regular household 9-volt batteries. The device, provisionally named the Avoradio, is reportedly to go on sale first in Seneca and Sylvania during the spring season, and become available elsewhere dependent upon demand.

The design manager for the project reveals that the device, though representing a substantial shift away from the lunch-box sized vacuum-tube radios we're all used to, in truth possesses only four transistors inside of it.

"One acts as a combination mixer-oscillator, one as an audio amplifier, and two as intermediate-frequency amplifiers," he claimed. According to him, Avopoly will continue to research further applications of transistors, and their potential use in other electronic devices. Allegedly, a fully transistorized television receiver is one of the other projects currently on the plate.

 

[Serenierre]

Sikandari oil exports stabilize following calm in East
AP Sheravan

Over the past few years, owing to the serious instability in the region, Sikandari exports of oil and other products had been seriously undermined by the threat of military conflict spreading into Sikandara and due to fears of communist blockades of Sikandari ports. However, the Government of Sikandara announced yesterday that the supply agreements that it had struck with friendly governments in different parts of the world would now be returning to their "optimum" level. This is likely to be welcome news in [MENTION=1187]Ivernia[/MENTION] and [MENTION=18]Eiffelland[/MENTION], which remain the largest markets for Sikandari oil and have been effected by the previous few years instability in supply and price. The news had a positive effect on the stock prices of the Sikandari oil companies and was welcomed by most people.

 

[Touzen]

Tyarinian Railroad Union prepares for increased business opportunities as Long Sea tensions rise
AP Lagan

The Tyarinian Railroad Union is preparing for increased business as uncertainness once again endangers the safety of shipping in the Long Sea. Representatives of the Union said that they expected an increased interest of West Germanian enterprises in ensuring a reliable passage of goods in either direction as threats of military escalation put the near future of business in the major business artery of the Long Sea into question. The Tyarinian Railroad Union, representing the majority of the major railroad networks in Tyarin-Sabassia, said that the Republic's unique position as a gate between East and West would now enable it to profit from the escalating global security situation.

"I think what we will be seeing is that the transport of goods will find other routes, routes that might be more reliable [...] The Union is moving to meet that demand", a spokesperson for the TRU said. According to the organization, locomotive engineers currently on vacation are being called back to their posts and reserve locomotives are being moved out of storage in anticipation of an increased volume of goods passing either side of the Republic's borders in the upcoming weeks on the Trans-Touyou Railway.

"It will be difficult, organizing reliable schedules that can accommodate all trains, and I don't expect it to go smoothly from the beginning, and it certainly is a situation that will take getting used to for our members as well, but I am confident that the TRU will continue to prove and expand its role as a reliable link between the worlds," the same spokesperson told AP.

 

[Khemia]

Government Expands Oil Exploration in Cadim After Findings
AP Sarik

Amid findings made by geologists exploring for oil in the northern Himyari country, the royal government in Sarik has called for an expansion in exploration across the Asqari Desert, a region previously thought to be devoid of oil. Experts now believe that the region may be rich in hydrocarbons, and global demand for oil in the northern Himyari country may set Cadim up to challenge the Sikandari monopoly.

The government has called for international companies to begin developing oil concessions discovered in the Asqari Desert, and notes that instability and the potential for conflict between Sikandara, Auraria, and Carentania provide large profit potential for development in Cadim. The royal government has already moved to begin expanding petroleum infrastructure and refining in the north and has announced plans to utilize the revenue to boost education and healthcare services across the nation.

 

[Serenierre]

National Petroleum Association

We welcome the news coming from Cadim and would be interested in facilitating the growth of this sector in the Cadimi economy.

 

[Polesia]

Trading volumes at Kretyn port city plummet
AP Byalistok

The number of goods passing through the port city of Kretyn, the Free States' main trading port on its northern coastline, halved in the 12 months up to November official statistics show.

Analysis by the Kretyn Port Authority revealed the city, which largely handles imports from Cymru, Ivernia and Saaremaa, suffered badly from the crisis in Calidia, with many freight shipping companies refusing to service the port. A spokesman for the Port Authority said private conversations with senior industry figures highlighted the risk of a Kadikistani attack as the main reasoning behind diverted or aborted traffic.

With Lauenburg having agreed to Calidian independence, many expect trade flows to return to normal. But given the close ties between Calidia and Kadikistan, local politicians are already starting to fret over Kretyn's vulnerability to a naval blockade in the event of another conflict.

 

[Polesia]

Trivodnia calls for regional trade embargo on Chetnik Empire
AP Amstov

The Free States of Trivodnia is calling for a region-wide trade embargo on the Chetnik Empire after the Chetnik Dictator vowed to deport the country's entire Jewish population.

Trivodnia, which has a large Jewish population, has been leading the international response to the Chetnik Empire's attacks on its Jewish community. Last night it emerged there had been violent clashes between Chetnik Jews and Muslims, leading to the Chetnik military and police to encircle the predominantly Jewish city of Metohija and forbid outsiders from entering. This morning it was announced Jews in the Chetnik Empire could either convert to Orthodox Christianity and stay, or leave within a week.

Hundreds of Jewish refugees have already starting fleeing into neighbouring states, with the majority heading to Trivodnia. The country has a long history of Jewish acceptance, and the Yiddish Free State, one of Trivodnia's four constituent states, was established in the late 19th century as a homeland for Ashkenazi Jews.

Trivodnia has promised to accommodate Jews escaping persecution in the Chetnik Empire, and it is likely many will be offered citizenship. Under a settlement programme run by the Yiddish Free State, Yiddish-speaking Jews will be offered financial and logistical support to permanently move there.

Trivodnia is now keen for the Chetnik Empire to be punished for its actions. Internal divisions within the government mean military intervention is unlikely, but all parties have agreed to economic sanctions.

The Free States is now pushing for other nations in the region to follow suit. Being landlocked, the Chetnik Empire is reliant on its neighbours for trade. A comprehensive regional trade embargo has the potential to seriously damage the Chetnik economy.

 

[Clarenthia]

Industry & Commerce Minister Expects “Unprecedented Growth” in Jurzani Economy
​AP Sharjah

Today, the Minister of Industry & Commerce held a press conference for the first time since his swearing in on December 7[SUP]th[/SUP]. Akram Faraz, 58, was the Executive Director of the Sharjah Economic Institute – which was founded to help coordinate the city’s economic investments and advise City Council on appropriate and meaningful investments.

Minister Faraz gave an incredibly uplifting speech before he opened up the conference for questions from the Press Corps that had assembled.

“I believe that after the approval of the Jurzani-Kadiki Peace Accords, our industries will see an unprecedented level of growth, fueled by the continued promise of peace and further cooperation with the Kadikistani state,” he said.

The Press Corps pressed the Minister on the exact side effects of the peace accords, particularly if the Ministry was considering revising some of the rules for foreign investment.

“You’d have to believe that the imminent possibility of war between Kadikistan and the Jurzan would dissuade any foreign investor from putting too much money into the Jurzan. Now, we have an opportunity to show the world that Kadikistan and the Jurzan can not only coexist, but even cooperate and secure a peace. With the threat of war gone and a government more friendly to the idea of foreign investments, we can open up numerous areas of the country to eager investors and that can only be a positive for the Jurzani people,” the Minister stated.

The Minister also announced that he was in discussions with the Parliament, President, Council of Elders, and Prime Minister to place massive investments into the offshore oil drilling within the Zhwandun Bay – an area rich in oil below the sea and has served as a massive revenue source for the Jurzani Government.

After years of stagflation, the Minister is convinced that good economic times are ahead for the Islamic Republic.

 

[Kadikistani Union]

Kadikistani State facing massive economic deficit
AP Amstov

A group of Kadikistani exiled economists and financial experts have brought out a study today called 'The Higher they Rise...' in which they predict an imminent collapse of the Kadikistani socialist economy within the next few years or even months. During their presentation of the study in Amstov, Trivodnia, the five renown scientists explained how the predicted failure of the 14-Years Plan, the massive cost of the numerous foreign interventions, the demographic decline, the out of proportion military and the massive size of the State and its social roles are the five of the main pillars of the demise of Kadikistani communism, more commonly known as Marxist-Leninovism.

While the industrialisation aspect of the 14-Years Plan can be objectively called a success the Kadikistani striving for agricultural self-sufficiency will most certainly not make it's deadline in 1958. The most profound illustration of this fact is shown, according to the 'Group of Five', by the fact that the Kadikistani State has imported no less than 290,000 tons of grain during 1956 from its regional rival, the Empire of Pelasgia. The latter being information that the Leninov regime would much rather keep to herself since it stands in sharp contrast to what the Kadikistani propaganda machinery would want us and its people to believe. Inside sources have confirmed that the Kadikistani policy of turning the Northern part of the country into the granary of the industrialised south have largely failed. Turning the steppes into agricultural lands was not only very costly and time consuming, but it is becoming more and more clear that those area's simply aren't fertile enough to feed the massive Kadikistani population. Even with the newest in agricultural machines and the creation of grand, stretched out state farms one can not turn those lands into something it is not. The positivist socialist view that humanity can manipulate nature is such a way to turn even deserts into arable lands will prove to be inherently failed, says the Group of Five.

Meanwhile the Kadikistani State is confronted with enormous cost ranging from its 'all-inclusive social wellfare' system to its armed forces counting millions of heads. The many highly expensive military interventions of the Kadikistani State, such as those in the Kalahari Sea, Calidia, Milesia and most recently Cumbria have drained the already stagnating economy even further. Meanwhile the Leninov regime simply prints more money in order to keep its non-military international interests assured such as the building of the oversized East Star Airport in Gouw Marken and the investments in Marxist-Leninovist Parties from around the globe through the International Association of Marxist-Leninovist Parties. Because of these and many other drains the Kadikistani currency is expected to drop rapidly once Ivar inevitably fails to artificiality uphold the charade.

What the Group of Five could not predict was how the economical situation will affect the political one as there is no telling in how the regime will act and react in the following months. The only thing that is certain is that the regime shows no interest in relinquishing control over the massive nation regardless.

 

[Telora]

New Teloran trade chief approved; announces bold shakeup of policy
AP, Telor City

Professor Ivar Hurum was today confirmed as the chair of the Teloran Trade Commission, and commenced his tenure with a bold shake up of Teloran trade policy. Immediately after the Senate confirmed his appointment in a 71-5 vote, on the back of unanimous recommendation by a committee, Professor Hurum drove to the TTC building in the Federal District of Telor City. There, addressing reporters and TTC staff, he announced he would be reviving what he described as the "dormant powers" of the TTC, and seeking to recommend a bold new trade policy to President Hjalmar Almquist, focusing on building "deeper commercial ties" with other countries on the Gothic and Wergorent seas.

The Teloran Trade Commission has two key powers - to recommend new trade or commercial deals to the President, and to provide the staff necessary to negotiate the deals and craft legislation to pass their contents into Teloran federal law. Under its most recent chairs, the former power has remained unexercised, and the TTC has mostly focused on suggesting amendments to legislation to ensure that it remains within the boundaries of already established treaties. However, there have been some voices - in Congress and business - who have called for the TTC to take a more assertive approach to trade policy again.

It is unclear if Professor Hurum's initiative comes with the full backing of the President, who is currently battling to hold his administration together in the face of several Congressional and independent inquiries into a failed rural regeneration scheme. However, at press time, both the Ministries of Finance and Commerce had expressed their support for reviving the TTC's recommendary powers, with a particular view to crafting deals with near neighbours of Telora.

 

[Telora]

Telora approves trade deals, seeks more
AP, Telor City

The Teloran Senate voted late last night to approve two free trade deals with [MENTION=26]Bourgogne[/MENTION] and [MENTION=18]Eiffelland[/MENTION], whilst the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it was preparing proposals for both [MENTION=2057]Geotri[/MENTION] and [MENTION=665]Gouw Marken[/MENTION]. The free trade deals were advanced by the chair of the Teloran Trade Commission, Professor Ivar Hurum, and found widespread support among politicians as the country looks to strengthen its economic position.

Whilst both trade deals commit the parties to streamlining customs checks and mutual recognition of patents, with officials from both sides now engaged in detailed discussions on how to put these measures fully into effect, the tariff reductions vary between the two deals. The Bourgogne deal allows a 10% cut in tariffs on steel, cars, ships and electronics valued at 150 Livre/200 Marks, whilst the Eiffelland deal calls for a 20% cut in tariffs across those areas as well as cameras, lenses, medical devices, photographic materials, pharmaceuticals, textiles and timber. Both deals passed the Senate with more than 60 votes - only the Communist Senators all voted against both deals, with most of the Christian Union Senators and a few Socialist rebels joining them.

In the meantime, the TTC and Ministry of Foreign Affairs are expecting to complete a trade deal with Gouw Marken relatively quickly - however, early preparations for a deal with Geotri have run into trouble, with the House of Session's Finance Committee chair, Niels Clausen, threatening to call hearings on the preparations for such a deal, arguing Geotri's government represents a "considerable threat to Teloran interests". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave no indication it was prepared to slow down the preparations, and re-iterated the government's support for a widening free trade agenda, stating that Telora welcomed deals with all its neighbours, in line with its long standing policy of neutrality.

At time of writing, the passage of the deals had raised the Teloran Mark slightly on the markets, whilst the yield on federal debt had eased slightly.

 

[Polesia]

BREAKING: Free State economy set to enter recession this year
AP Amstov

The Free State Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority (FSMFEA) has warned Trivodnia is likely to enter into its second consecutive quarter of negative growth, as conflicts in neighbouring states and rising regional tensions weigh down on consumer confidence, domestic business activity and foreign investment.

Since gaining independence in 1921, the Free State has largely suffered from weak growth rates, with the country's damaged infrastructure, landlocked position and closed border with [MENTION=83]Kadikistan[/MENTION], its biggest neighbour, limiting economic opportunities. However, in recent years the Free State has seen something of a boom, with the Social Democratic administration led by Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann overseeing a massive state-led investment programme and normalisation of relations with Kadikistan, leading to an explosion in cross-border trade.


More follows...

 

[Gunnland]

Gunnish Markets Rebound As Country Re-Stabilizes
AP Ayr

When a princess was found safe and sound in Eiffelland, the Ayr Securities Exchange Group (ASEG) composite index climbed to a record-high of 611 points. What may sound like a fairy tale is in fact good news for investors.

Last month, Gunnland's largest container shipping company, Lloyd & MacLeish General Maritime Group, won a major concession in Kadikistan's exclave port of Rurikgrad. Over the next several years, the Narrow Strait sealanes, which includes the Gunnish port of Seaguard, are expected to become much busier. The news even revived some stocks from Gunnland's industrial sector, which has been suffering for several years, and increased expectations for wool and barley exports.

These gains were dashed, however, when a tax crisis emerged in early June. Because a complex succession crisis has left Gunnland without a crowned monarch, it seemed that the wealthy autonomous region of Arundel would not collect taxes for the national government in Windhaven. Ayr, the capital of Arundel, is the major financial district where all of Gunnland's banks are located. The threat of civil war led investors to become more bearish. Then, last week, the mysterious disappearance of Princess Julian, the eldest daughter of the late King Josias and Queen Deoiridh (who died in a plane crash last year), threatened to lead to a clan war between the Gunns and their archenemies the Keiths. On the day Julian's disappearance was announced in the Windhaven Free Press, the ASEG composite index fell to a two-year low, below 450 points.

The peaceful resolution of the tax crisis, and the discovery of Princess Julian on holiday in Eiffelland, has restored investor confidence. Even though economists warn that the fundamentals of the kingdom's economy are still shaky, and the government looks in vain for answers to high unemployment, Gunnland is once again a country that Europeans are betting on.

 

[Polesia]

Trivodnia: tourist numbers plummet after regional crises
AP Amstov

The number of tourists visiting Trivodnia this summer is expected to be the lowest on record, with the country's government and industry figures blaming on-going tensions with [MENTION=83]Kadikistan[/MENTION] and the civil war in neighbouring [MENTION=2168]Novo Srbja[/MENTION] for scaring away overseas visitors.

While summer visitor numbers won't be published until later this year, initial findings from hotel operators, airlines and tour companies suggest a marked drop from the previous year. Informal surveys suggest the threat of war with Kadikistan and continuing trouble in Novo Srbja are the main causes behind the fall-off, say market sources.

Boosting tourism was a key pledge of Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann when he took office four years ago. Boasting coastlines with three different inland seas, two large mountain ranges as well as a number of key historic religious and cultural sites, Trivodnia's politicians had hoped the Free State had a unique offering that would make it stand out in the fast-growing international tourism trade.

A fall in the value of the Trivodnian Mark has failed to lure less risk-averse tourists who may be less concerned by regional tensions. Many in the Trivodnian hospitality and leisure industries fear the country's reputation has been irreversibly damaged by recent events and want more state support in restoring Trivodnia's image.

 

[Polesia]

Eiffelland banks agree half-billion loan with Trivodnian government
AP Trier

Some of Eiffelland's largest banks have agreed a EM500 million loan with the Trivodnian government, with an interest rate of two per cent. The facility, which has been underwritten by the Eiffellandian government, will be used to fund new infrastructure projects in the Free State.

Fuger Bank, Trierer Bank, Hoffmann-Roderburg-Bank, Bremer Handelsbank, Luebecker Handelsbank, Wechter Bank and Villacher Goldbank were lead arrangers. Villacher Goldbank, which is run by a prominent Jewish family, already has an established presence in Trivodnia's financial markets.

As part of the deal, Eiffellandian construction firms will be tasked with delivering new infrastructure, which will include new rail and road links. Shortlisted companies include Baugesellschaft Hagemann AG, Baugesellschaft Strunck & Riesel AG, Baugesellschaft Thiessen and Bartsch & Von Gedern AG. Trivodnia's ruling Social Democratic Alliance, which has close links to local trade unions, has promised Trivodnian labour will be used on all projects.

Separately, the Eiffellandian government is believed to have purchased an undisclosed amount of Trivodnian state bonds on favourable terms, and agreed to sell military equipment on credit to support to the Free State's defence modernisation programme.

[MENTION=414]Nichtstein[/MENTION], which has close to ties to [MENTION=18]Eiffelland[/MENTION], is rumoured to be in discussions with Trivodnia on a similar loan and bond purchase scheme, albeit on a much smaller scale.

 

[Gunnland]

Gunnland's Whisky Distillers Face Summer Demand Crisis
AP Ayr

Apparently nobody on the Long Sea drinks Gunnish whisky in the summertime. Although distillers report an overall boom in the spirit's popularity, demand in important export markets like Eiffelland and Nichtstein dries up in the warmer months, whereas year-round demand in colder climates like Telora and Varinia remains constant.

"It's not a warm weather drink, they say on the Long Sea," a slightly bemused Kenvir Keith, chief distiller at Ardmar, says. "Rumors around here say that way down in Elephant and Castle, they drink it over ice, and even with a kind of mint syrup." He puckers his lips and makes a face of disgust.

In response, the Gunnish Whisky Trade Board has launched an advertisement campaign for "whisky gingers," publicizing a concoction intermittently popular with Gunnish sailors who drink half-whisky, half-ginger soda cocktails, over ice with a lime. The ad campaign will feature posters of kilted sailors drinking the cocktail, as well as radio advertisements in which a man with a strong Gunnish accent says, "It's OK to cool it down, lad." But Mr. Keith points out an irony. "A Gunnish sailor would never mix a single-malt whisky with soda... that would be a sacrilege! Few would even mix it with ice. Their whisky gingers are made with cheaper rye whiskies. This is why we're going to have so start producing cheaper blends for export to the warmer countries."

To fill the demand for the mixed-drink market, the two largest distillers in Gunnland, Ardmar and Glenwillie, are responding by releasing 5-year old blended whiskies, called "Silas Keith's" and "Alexander Gunn's," respectively, for export only. In Gunnland, where traditional single-malt whiskies are often the only liquors that pubs serve, the distillers will not try to sell the new blends. "They'll lack the unique character of a single malt," says Mr. Keith with a wink, "the smoke and peat of an 16-year-old Ardmar single malt, or that burnt band-aid flavor you get with 10-year-old Glenwillies."


Note: Perhaps of interest to [MENTION=18]Eiffelland[/MENTION].

 

[Clarenthia]

Jurzani Minister of Defense Resigns in a Stunning Move
AP - Alaghan

In a shocking announcement today, Defense Minister Mahmud Tarzai officially announced that he would be stepping down from his position effective immediately. In the announcement, he offered a staunch repudiation of the Farrukh Government declaring that it is “failing to uphold the standards and responsibilities of a government that holds its power from the Faith of the People.”

Mahmud Tarzai has been a long-respected leader in the Jurzan, helping to establish the Islamic Republic by leading forces alongside Faraj Khayrat to defeat the Monarchy and install the Republican Government. Tarzai had served as Commander of the Green Armed Forces from 1943 – 1947 before taking over as the Jurzani Defense Minister from 1947 – 1950. He took a short-lived retirement before returning to the post of Defense Minister in 1954.

Tarzai – in a statement that received noticeably little press in the Islamic Republic itself – stated that Prime Minister Farrukh “after capitulating to the Kadikistani and choosing surrender over protection, seems committed to continuing a policy where the Jurzan loses its own proud and sovereign identity to instead mimic the Imperialist empires of Gallia. He has repeatedly failed to provide true leadership to the Jurzani people and I can no longer bring myself to serve under such a man.”

Tarzai’s successor in 1947 was Zabihullah Rassoul, who is often credited with transforming the Green Forces and gained the reputation as a powerful military leader – standing as an informal liaison between the Military and Republican Government. It is unclear if Field Marshall Rassoul will move to succeed Tarzai once again.

 

[Natal]

Technocratic Ministries present Beira '30 plan
AP Vila Flor

In a press conference held today at Casa Verde, the Chancellery of the Confederation, Rubinho Corte-Real, the Minister of Economy, Joel Benzacar, the Minister of Commerce and Antonio Lobo, the Minister of Development, Planning and Ivestments have presented a plan of developing Beira for the next 13 years, developing the initial prototype they first called "Direction: Himyari Tigers".

The plan intends to support the development of infrastructure. In a few weeks the A6 Highway linking Mira to Ribamar will be finished and the plan commences with bids for the building of the A8, A9 and A10 highways linking Seixal to Setubal, Setubal to Sunspear in Arcadia and Setubal to Vila Genera Machado, the capital of the Lunda Autonomous Republic. The infrastructure development section also contains the building of the Zama-Vila Flor high speed commuter rail line and also the Vila Verde-Ribamar high speed mainline.

The plan has a section of industrial development, especially the development of the Lunda-Tafilaet Oil Field. While it is planned an expansion of the oil production especially with the rising demand coming from the Implarian Republic and the Andal Commonwealth. For that, Minister Joel Benzacar also asked for the end of the "Separate Development" policy regarding the Lunda and the Urudoah peoples, as most of the laws of the two Autonomous Regions are different from the rest of the Beiran states (Dioceses) and that makes investment from outside the regions difficult to say the least, and investment from inside the regions, near impossible, thanks to the lack of capital. It is for the first time since a member of the government openly asks for the end of the separation policies. The plan calls for the building of two refineries in the autonomous regions and the expansion of the extraction industry to rise the quantity of petrol extracted by 15 to 20%.

The Beira '30 Plan also touches on the working law, making trade union membership compulsory while changing the corporation memberships to be optional. This must represent the biggest blow to the 90 years old Corporatist system of Beira. The three ministers have motivated their change by declaring that the ways corporations work are making companies that are part of them unproductive. They condemned the government monopolies as bringing a reduction of quality in the goods produced and sometimes an unjustified rise in the prices of the said goods. While they still call for companies to remain in corporations so that the Beiran economy would not pass through a shock therapy that might destabilize it, they also called for a change in corporate politics and management, calling for a private-style management that can encourage economical competition.

The last point in the plan is linked to the innovation of the Beiran society, starting from the energy industry, with the plan calling for the expansion of solar, hydro and geothermal energies. The most expensive element is thus the building of a hydro-electrical power plant on the huge Natal River, on the border with the Kingdom of Arcadia. The plan also calls for the creation of an e-government internet platform that can ease the way the local direct democracy meetings and voting function.

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Elections in the SWR between Socialism and liberalization
AP Deliverance

With the appointment of outsider and populist Donna Trumm as candidate of the Social Republican party, the upcoming presidential election in the SWR has its battlelines drawn very clearly. Especially in terms of economic policy the contrast between the socialist hardliner Trumm and the reformist candidate of the Social Democrats, Clint Hill, could not be more pronounced.

Hill, who has been endorsed by current President Nathaniel Winters, stands for a continuation of the administrations attempts to reform the economic structure of the World Republic. Market liberalization and reforms to allow and encourage foreign capital investments had been one of the main priorities of the Social Democrats for a few years now and Hill a consistent supporter. Although not nearly as radical as fellow Social Democratic Senator Sandor Bernstein in his demands for reform, Hill could prove more palatable to those strates of the population who have thusfar remained opposed to the reform attempts - and repeatedly rallied to stop them dead in their tracks.

This opposition is embodied by the Social Republican candidate Donna Trumm, her entire campaign being born out of the campaign to stop the proposed privatization of the mining sector. Trumm stands for rigid state control of central industries in the SWR, as well as the tight laws placed upon the private sector. Her vision is that of a protectionist foreign policy.

Behind these fundamentally different positions stand bases of support with opposing economic interests. Hill, just like President Winters, is supported by a privilegded strate of high-ranking beuraucrats, who hope to secure the lion share in privatizations of state industries and laxened foreign trade policies. Furthermore, young academics and parts of the private sector support the reform plans, feeling that the rigid system has obstructed their personal economic success. The private sector of the SWR has often been described as lively and dynamic, providing the majority of services and producing many goods supplied to the large state owned companies as well as filling nichés in the market the big state conglomerates can not react to. However, strict limitations to business structure and maximum company size have hampered the growth of many a company.

Meanwhile Trumm draws her support from the large amounts of workers in state owned companies who feel that liberalization would mean an end to gratuitous state benefits and generous labor laws. Her supporters rarely possess higher education, are of rural background or at least do not live in any of the major metropolises, and they seem keenly aware of their own disadvantages should they compete on a free market. This includes many of her supporters from the private sector: small shops and businesses in the service industry that are not adversely affected by the tight regulations because of mediocre business performance. For them the socialist system primarily means protection from aggressive competition.

With the two candidates contrasting so strongly and representing the interests of very distinct strates of the population, the upcoming presidential election is shaping up to become a turning point for the Socialist World Republic. Both major parties possess wings unhappy with their current course and while a Trumm victory would likely embolden the leftists in the Social Democrats to steer their party away from reformism, the more likely victory of Clint Hill could become the final defeat of the ongoing opposition to the liberalization of this 160 million consumer market.