Mazara Free Press Association

[Thaumantica]

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______________________________
VESPER, TUESDAY, 27th NOVEMBER
​

THE Grand Covenant and this Foreign Office will not require public correction from the Lord Minister, Rudolph Kögler, as we have not condoned the alleged violent actions taken by the Faith Alliance. Although no official investigation results have been released, we are being led to believe that certain individuals within the Faith Alliance instigated violence from armed occupiers. If this was the case in this tragic and unfortunate event, then we naturally believe in a formed court of justice to punish the accused violent instigators who detracted from the peaceful core of Solaris Culture & Faith.

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Forward Cantignia!
Harriet Fauconberg,
Chief Officer
​

 

[Rheinbund]

New political parties formed in Eiffellandian Occupied Zone

After the Coalizione Nazionale Operaia (CNO) indicated that it would not form a Socialist Party, a group of doctors and teachers announced the formation of the Partito Sozialista Democratico di Solaren (PSDS). At the press conference, their leader Giuseppe Craxi said that the CNO left a lot of chances unused by not forming a political party: “No matter whether we get direct representation or a parliamentary system, a political party can reach its goals better than individual representants. Size definitely matters in this case. A political party can become known nationwide simply because it can organise its campaign nationwide.” The PSDS wants to keep a limited form of a market system, but also advocates a limit of what people are allowed to earn. Other important points are the abolishment of all laws against homosexual intercourse and the abolishment of all laws against sex before marriage.
Two other political parties were formed as well: The Partito Cristiano and the Partito Liberale.

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Carentania Warns Eiffelland: Solarens National Integrity Must Remain

Amidst ongoing disputes about the postponing of elections the Solaren National Congress had promised for the end of last year, Carentanias Commissar for Foreign Affairs has warned the government of Eiffelland not to violate Solaren national integrity. He reminded his Eiffelländer counterpart that "all powers involved" had acknowledged the SNC as legal interim government, tasked it with drafting a constitution and to organize elections within the framework of said constitution.

"Solarens new constitution will not be written to appease Eiffelland, or Potenza or Solaren, but be written to meet the requirements of the Solaren people. Eiffellands attempts to set limitations to what the new constitution may regulate or not, is a clear attempt to infringe upon the work of the interim government and an attempt to force a new Solaren into Eiffellands sphere of influence," Carentanias government officially commented.

The SNC has regretted the delay in writing the constitution and promised to work on solving its internal disputes. "Sometimes, it is better to take time to find a solution that serves all parties, than to rush it unnnecessarily," a spokesperson for the National Congress said. However, the SNC also affirmed its independence and rejected Eiffellands attempts to dictate that a new constitution must not be socialist. "It is not up to Eiffelland to dictate the economic system of a future Solaren. Just like the National Congress stopped the forceful Carentanian evacuations of Iscla, we will maintain our autonomy before Eiffelland as well."

Protests Against Carentanian Dancehall Widen To General Campaign

Conservative protestors who had staged several - sometimes violent - protests against the Carentanian dancehall "Sodom" on Capraria have called for a nationwide campaign against "moral decay". The campaign foresees staging protests in front of dancehalls throughout the country, protesting what conservatives have called "the export of homosexuality by the invaders". Experiences with protesters on Capraria give reason for concern as the demonstration tried to force entry into the building and Carentanian soldiers fired warning shots. "We now expect similiar scenes throughout the country, including the occupational zones of Eiffelland and Potenza," the Carentanian commander commented.

 

[Potenza]

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The Grand Duchy must confess that this sudden accusation against fellow Solaris reconstructionist, the state of Eiffelland, seems rather brash and unwarranted. Both the Grand Duchy and Eiffelland desire the will of the Solaris people to be fulfilled, but there are questions concerning the legitimacy of the Carentanian occupational forces, which have been worsened by the secretive nature of the Carentanian military concerning rumors regarding their intentions within Solaren.

Gian Lombardo
Foreign Minister
​

 

[Rheinbund]

Aussenministerium
Trier, Eiffelland

The Carentanian Government explicitly states that “Solaren’s new constitution will not be written to appease Eiffelland, or Potenza or Solaren”. “Carentania” is left out of this list. Accidentally or deliberately? Furthermore, why should the new constitution not appease Solaren, i.e. the Solaris people? And on top of all, why does the Carentanian government state how the new constitution will be written, and not how it should be written? The SNC claims to be independent from Carentania, but how independent is it really? What does the SNC represent? What does the SNC want to represent? The Solaris people, or itself?

We agree with the SNC that it is sometimes better to take your time than to rush things. However, when the disputes within the SNC are so deep, it could be better to leave those disputes for now and see how they can be solved in the future, maybe through legislation that is not part of the constitution.

And for the economic system, expropriating the people’s means of subsistence is such a drastic move that it requires the approval of a large majority of the people. Without that approval, you need a dictatorship to impose it. Is that what the SNC wants? Replacing the old dictatorship with a new dictatorship? In any case, exactly the economic system is something that should be stipulated in laws that are not part of the constitution.

Rudolph Kögler, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Commissariate for Foreign Affairs

The line is a misquotation. The actual statement reads:

“Solaren’s new constitution will not be written to appease Eiffelland, or Potenza or Carentania.”

 

[Potenza]

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The misquotation is noted, and we thank the Commissariat for their clarification.

Gian Lombardo
Foreign Minister
​

 

[Rheinbund]

Aussenministerium
Trier, Eiffelland

We really quoted Mazara Free Press Association, so the mistake lies either there or at the Carentanian Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. However, we accept the latest statement by the Carentanian Commissariat for Foreign Affairs as a clarification of the statement we reacted on.

Rudolph Kögler, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Mass Raid on Food Hoarders

In several raids on farmers throughout the country, security forces of the interim government have arrested a total of 112 farmers accused of hoarding food and violating emergency law. Emergency measures currently require farmers to register their harvests and stockpiles with local authorities and make them available to the public at fixed prices to prevent food speculation and avert famine. "Naturally, the current shortage and the general hardship of the post-war situation is a great incentive for less honest individuals amongst the landowners, but considering the dramatic effects hoarding and speculation have on the general public wellbeing, we are assuming a zero tolerance policy," the gouvernor of the city of Mazara commented. All those arrested in the raids will face trials during the next weeks and, if found guilty, the state may seize their land as punishment. The SNC meanwhile announced further raids wherever evidence of food hoarding or illegal price raises are found, regardless of occupational zones. "Given the ongoing debates about land collectivization, there is little surprise the socialist Carentanians support our enforcement of the emergency measures. However, we hope that, beyond political differences, Potenza and Eiffelland as well recognize the importance of preventing food from being denied from the general population and lend us their support as well," a spokesperson for the interim government said.

Bomb Kills Carentanian Soldier

A bomb in the north-eastern countryside has killed a Carentanian soldier. The bomb was hidden in a cardboard box and placed at the side of a street which was highly frequented by Carentanian troopers passing between two outposts and their main base. According to the Carentanian commander in the region, the soldier was transferring to one of the outposts alongside two comrades when they became aware of the suspicious package and the soldier decided to investigate it. The explosion of the bomb immediately killed the man, but luckily left his comrades unharmed. "The body of our comrade will be returned to the Workers' Republic with full military honors," the Carentanian Commissariate for Defence commented in the Carentanian public radio. Throughout the last months, the security situation in Solaren has seen a steady decline and occupational forces are witnessing a steady increase of violence directed at them.

 

[Potenza]

Northern Council Formed

The government of the Grand Duchy of Potenza announced that, under the protection of the Potenzan Royal Army in norther Solaren, a body of leaders selected from the villages and towns scattered throughout the north. Since the beginning of the reconstruction efforts, the Potenzan military and relief bodies had been working in close cooperation with the local leaders, and therefore are already acquainted with many who are expected to take up their representational helm. This body would report directly to Tenente Generale Giorgio Battisti, who would act as the representative for the Grand Duchy and her military. The tentative name for the institution is the Northern Council, and there is currently no plan for a head, and therefore it would function as something of a confederation or "group of equals." Prime Minister Gaetano Merlino's office assured journalists that this body would not act in isolation from the SNC, but would serve as a voice for the northern populations, as well as would provide a source for greater cooperation between the Royal Army and the Solaris people.

 

[Rheinbund]

11FEB1953

Eiffellandian army starts patrolling permanently in Tegeata
Also protests against dancehalls in Eiffellandian zone

The protests that started around the Caprarian dancehall “Sodom” also spread out into the Eiffellandian Occupational Zone. Most of the times, these protests remain civil, but not always. Sometimes the protesters tried to block the entrance so that nobody could enter the dancehall. There are also reports of people leaving dancehalls who were threateningly followed by protesters. Furthermore, sometimes the visitors of dancehalls themselves attack protesters as a reaction to earlier agression by protesters. The Eiffellandian armed forces had already decided to guard the dancehalls during opening hours after the protests against “Sodom” had started, and the number of guards per dancehall were doubled recently. They have been instructed to not only protect the dancehalls against violent protesters, but also protect peaceful protesters against violent dancehall visitors.
The Eiffellandian armed forces indicated that they would allow the protests as long as they remain peaceful. Up to now, none of the demonstrations against the dancehalls have been forbidden. A spokesperson of the Eiffellandian armed forces indicated that “freedom of speech should also be awarded to people with unwelcome opinions”. He also indicated that the agressive attitude of some protesters reduced the tolerance of the dancehall visitors to the peaceful protesters.
The protests against the dancehalls have an extra dimension in Tegeata. This city has an active gay-scene. Several pubs and two dancehalls explicitly present themselves as gay pubs and dancehalls. This has led to severe reactions by various religious groups. The Solaris Catholic Archbishop of Tegeata, Riccardo Fanfani, gave a statement in which he called homosexuality a sin, said that homosexuality could be defeated by very much love of someone from the opposite gender, called upon the Eiffellandian authorities and the SNC to close all gay pubs and dancehalls, and called upon all the gays and lesbians to leave the path of sin and lead a faithful life. A prominent member of the Alleanza della Fede went further and stated that “Panetelleria may have given shelter to Sodom, but Tegeata completely turned itself into Gomorrah.” He demanded that all gays and lesbians be arrested and sent to re‑education camps. Anonymous members of more obscure religious groups even called for the re‑introduction of the stake for gays and lesbians, like it was during the old regime.
Meanwhile, no day passes by without a fight between religious protesters and frequenters of gay bars and dancehalls in Tegeata. Sometimes protesters even fought themselves into a gay pub, beat up all guests and demolished the furniture. Furthermore, frequenters of gay pubs are followed by groups of protesters and beaten up when they are far away from a crowd. This weekend a gay pub was set to fire after closing time, for the first time.
This morning, Colonel Rahmke of the regiment in Tegeata gave a press conference about the violence in the gay scene of Tegeata. After a description of last weekend’s events, he announced that effective immediately the complete gay scene of Tegeata would be continuously patrolled by armed soldiers. Commenting on the burnt down gay pub, he said that “Old‑Testamentary violence by religious protesters will be met with Old‑Testamentary violence by us”, and that the culprits would be found and judged.
Colonel Rahmke also indicated that he would forbid all protests for a month if he would have been able to do so to restore the peace, but unfortunately he could not. He called upon the religious groups to not protest the coming weekend, or at least keep protests very quietly. When a journalist of a conservative religious Solaris newspaper commented that the Bible clearly condemns homosexuality, Rahmke answered: “I have to correct you in this. The Bible can also be explained differently with respect to that. I know that, because I read the Bible. And because It is not clear in this, we should leave it to God to judge. In any case, beating people up and denying people to enjoy love go against my feeling of caring for your fellow men, which is also a Biblical principle.”


15FEB1953
Consiglio del Centro e Sud-Est formed

After the formation of the Consiglio del Nord in Potenzan Occupied Solaren was announced, the Eiffellandian government announced the formation of the Consiglio del Centro e Sud‑Est (CCSE). Chancellor Graf von Seydewitz indicated in his weekly press conference that a more direct line with the Solaris people in Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren was required to meet the local needs better and react more adequately on acute local problems. The CCSE will cooperate with the Eiffellandian armed forces and all welfare organisations active in Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren. General Modersohn will also be a member of the CCSE to represent the Eiffellandian armed forces and the Government of Eiffelland. Furthermore, all welfare organisations active in Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren will be offered a seat in the CCSE.
Chancellor Graf von Seydewitz emphasized that, like the Consiglio del Nord does in Potenzan Occupied Solaren, the CCSE will give a voice to the people of Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren, and that it is the intention that the CCSE will cooperate with the SNC.


15FEB1953
Von Seydewitz: “Also we act against food hoarding”

In the same weekly press conference, Chancellor Von Seydewitz indicated that the Eiffellandians are already cooperating intensively with the farmers in Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren to meet the needs of the Solaris people on the short term and make sure that the farmers survive on the long term. In September last year, the large landowners in Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren had already indicated that they offered their harvests to the Solaris for free. Furthermore, the Eiffellandian government had bought the harvests of the small farmers at a fair price to distribute it in Solaren.
Currently, the food available in Eiffellandian Occupied Solaren is distributed equally by means of a coupon system, in which young children and pregnant women get what they need and all others are ransomed. There are food shortages though, which makes it profitable to sell food on the black market. Currently the Eiffellandian authorities are very keen on preventing a black market from coming to existence. Part of that is indeed checking whether farmers are keeping parts of their harvests behind, but that is done on a continuous basis instead of incidental raids, as indicated by the Chancellor. He didn’t have any numbers on how many farmers had been caught food hoarding or selling on the black market.

 

[Potenza]

Explosion Kills Potenzan Troops

News has come in that four Potenzan soldiers were killed in a bomb that exploded earlier today. Details are still sketchy, but the Potenzan occupational forces have confirmed that a cafe near the headquarters for General Battisti exploded, killing four Potenzans and an unknown number of Solaris. The Potenzans were all members of the Royal Army. The identity of the ones who planted the bomb has not yet been identified.

The Grand Duchy is expected to release official information through the Prime Minister's office as soon as details are in. This is the first open attack against Potenzan troops since the Royal Army entered northern Potenza earlier this year. General Battisti and his direct inferiors have yet to comment on the attack themselves.

 

[Rheinbund]

Prince Johann severely injured

Tonight Prince Johann got severely injured during a firefight in Torrenze, Solaren. A protest against the dancehall the Prince was visiting resulted in a riot and then in a firefight with the soldiers that were guarding the dancehall. During that firefight, the Prince sustained several abdominal injuries. He has been taken to the military hospital. His condition is stable but his life is still in danger. Several other people got injured during the fight. Also they have been taken to the military hospital. Up to now, two protesters have been arrested; they got injured while they resisted their arrestments. They will be interrogated as soon as their conditions allow to do so. The King and Queen are currently traveling to Torrenze to visit their son. During the press conference at his private home in Köln that he had organised to comment on the Zamosk crisis, the Chancellor also commented on the health status of the Prince. He indicated that he had already telephoned with the King and Queen to tell them that he feels sorry for them and to wish all the best to the Prince. He called the event “a tragedy for the country”. “It shows even more how much our presence is needed to stabilise the country,” the Chancellor said.
Prince Johann is the second son of King Albrecht and Queen Mafalda. After his Abitur in 1943, he went to the Königliche Akademie der Luftstreitkräfte in Kirchhain, near Marburg, where he graduated in 1947. In 1951, he was promoted to Kapitän der Lufstreitkräfte, allowing him to fly jet fighters. Immediately after his promotion, he went to Lorraine to fight in the war against Solaren. After the capitulation of Solaren last July, Prince Johann continued to serve there.

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Carentanian Forces Raze Insurgent Camp

Earlier this morning forces of the Revolutionary Army Corps of Carentania assaulted an insurgent holdout in the northern mountain ridges of La Spina. The Carentanian authorities report that units belonging to the third infantry brigade had encircled the camp shortly after it had been discovered by patrols during the night and staged a large scale attack on the organized resistance against the occupational forces and interim government. "Utilizing aerial support flown in from our bases on Iscla, we managed to break the enemy's fighting spirit very quickly and experience only minimal losses ourselves," the commanding officer of the third Carentanian infantry brigade commented. In total, a massive army of four hundred soldiers participated in the attack, killing fourty-two insurgents and arresting an additional twelve. Carentanian forces themselves reported only six injuries and no deaths. Carentanian command expressed its hopes that this strike curbs the recent wave of organized violent resistance and that the loss of a dedicated camp and especially the weapons and explosives reclaimed within it will limit the ability of insurgents to cause damage.

Coalizione Nationale Operaia Demands Legalization of Squatting

The recently elected national commission of Solarens first free labor union has adressed the problems posed by refugees and a lack of housing in a press release, demanding that the squatting of unused land and empty houses be legalized. "Property rights can only justify themselves from a direct utilization of the wealth bestowed upon all humanity equally by nature," the CNO justifies its demands. "Where property is claimed without putting it to use, state and society must intervene to redistribute the wealth of gods earth to those willing to utilize it and put it to work for the best of the Solaren people." Housing, especially for people displaced during the war, remains a pressing social issue, despite best efforts at reconstruction of the country. The vicinity of larger cities, especially those hit hardest by the fighting like Mazara, has seen numerous shantytowns arise on illegally occupied land. According to the CNO, legalization of those shantytowns could go a long way towards improving the living conditions within: "Fact of the matter remains: these people don't have elsewhere to go, but their precarious and illegalized state makes them reluctant to invest material and labor into their homes when they could be razed at any point in the near future."
The CNO has announced their intention to organize local committees within the squatter communities and do practical work to improve infrastructure, but stressed that they do not call anyone to squat land or houses as long as it remains illegal.

 

[Potenza]

Solaris Rebels Identified

The group behind the attack on Potenzan forces last week has been officially identified by various sources. Claimed to be the "Party of God" by a letter sent to Potenzan headquarters, the name has been confirmed as being attached to an underground group that claims loyalty to Solaris Catholicism and Pope Urban. Their goals appear to be the removal of foreign soldiers from Solaris soil, the removal of all non-Solaris Catholic religious bodies - both Protestant and Tiburan Catholic - as well as the return to the former system of government before the war. They have accused Potenzan forces of being "bastard Tiburans" who are seeking to "enslave and milk" the Solaris people. They likewise accused Potenza of working with Eiffelland and Carentania in instituting a puppet government, and in working with the Tiburan Catholic Church to undermine the authority of the Solaris Catholic Church. They also condemned any Solaris who are working or seeking to work with the foreign armies, calling them "cancerous tumors that will be sliced from the body."

Potenzan forces have asked Solaris citizens to come forward with any information regarding the Party of God. General Battisti, commander of Potenzan forces in Solaren, has assured Solaris and non-Solaris alike that the perpetrators of the violence will come to justice.

NC Condemns Rebel Attack

The Northern Council, formed under Potenzan auspices earlier this month, has openly condemned the attack last week which claimed the lives of four Potenzan soldiers and wounded several more Solaris citizens. The Council stated that "such attacks do not represent the majority opinion of Solaris citizens" and that "the future of Solaren does not lie in such fanaticism." While recognizing there exist "differences" between the government of Potenza and the Solaris people, "everything can be resolved through peaceful discussion, not violence."

Rumors that this resolution was imposed upon by Potenzan leadership have been denied by General Battisti. Rumors that there were more than a few votes against the resolution, and by significant voices in the council, were also denied by General Battisti.

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Interim Government Enacts "Duty to Work" in Emergency Law

While a consensus in the negotiations for the new constitution is still not in sight, the interim government proceeds with the reconstruction efforts through emergency laws. In its most recent decree, the National Congress stipulates that all Solaren citizens have "a duty to work" and must present a valid employment contract to their local authorities. "Naturally, self-employment is possible as well, if the legal conditions are met," a spokesperson of the SNC specified. Unemployed citizens are obliged to participate in reconstruction projects of the government in exchange for the social security they receive.

The Coalizione Nazionale Operaia has welcomed the new emergency law, but insisted that a working constitution must be passed as soon as possible and a free government be elected. "Amongst their first duties must then be to expand state welfare, so that every working citizen, including those now working for the state, will receive an acceptable wage."

Dancehall in Galara Burned Down

Last night, a Dancehall in the city of Galara has caught fire and burned down completely. As the establishment was closed down on thursday, no one was injured. Local authorities and Carentanian occupation forces have commented, that the cause of the fire is as of yet unknown, but that a terrorist attack can not be ruled out. Conservative forces have been staging protests against Dancehalls throughout the country for weeks now, claiming that they are a source of "moral decay" for the Solaren people.

 

[Rheinbund]

Terrorist attack in Northern Solaren also condemned by CCSE and political parties

The condemnation of the terrorist attack by the Consiglio del Nord was followed by condemnations from various other Solaris organisations. The CCSE issued a statement in which it offers its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased people, and states that “killing innocent people is not the way to make your point if you disagree with what is going on”. Conte Stefano di Perugia, leader of the Partito Soziale Liberale, stated that “the future of Solaren is completely open”, that “there is enough room for everybody to voice their ideas about the future of Solaren” and that it is “evil to kill innocent victims with a heinous bombing attack like this one”. Giuseppe Craxi, leader of the Partito Sozialista Democratico di Solaren, stated that “the kind of violent Solaren the Partito di Dio stands for is not the kind of Solaren we Solaris should wish for”.


CCSE and Eiffellandian Armed Forces comment on legalising squatting

The CCSE issued a statement in which the demand of the Coalizione Nationale Operaia to legalise squatting is commented on. The CCSE stated among others that there would be several problems with legalising squatting: “First of all, there is nothing to squad.” Each building in Solaren that can be used one way or the other is already in use or will be used in the very near future, said the spokesperson of the CCSE. Furthermore, the CCSE asks itself how it will be determined that a piece of land is in use or not; “A piece of grassland may seem not to be in use at this moment, but next week the farmer possessing it might want to take his cows there. The same could be said about arable land. It seems to be not in use at this moment, but next week the farmer might want to sow there.” The same applies to other kinds of land in possession of companies or private persons, according to the spokesperson of the CCSE. “It would be something else if empty buildings are kept empty by their owners for speculative reasons, given the current situation in Solaren, but not even the rich Solaris can afford that at this moment,” the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson of the Eiffellandian armed forces also commented on the demand for legalised squatting: “It would have been good if the CNO would have taken a look in the country before telling everybody to sqat whatever you like. Every building is already in use. Also we know that there is a shortage in houses, but we cannot solve that by swinging a magic wand. Everything possible is done to build new houses, but we cannot build a whole city in one day. The CNO should understand that.” Asked about the formation of shanty towns, he said: “In the future, there will be enough houses for everyone in Solaren, and we will make sure that everyone will be able to afford a house. Therefore, shantytowns will really be considered a temporary solution. We call upon all people currently living in a shantytown to go to the nearest refugee camp, for several reasons. First of all, if hundreds of thousands of people walk around in this country without us knowing that they exist, we structurally underestimate how much food, medications and whatsoever is needed in this country. Furthermore, it is easier to maintain a certain level of hygiene in the refugee camps than in the shantytowns, and it is easier to organise health care in the refugee camps than in shantytowns. And finally, it will be easier to us to help people to their new homes from refugee camps.”

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Count Stefano di Perugia a homosexual, claims Gazetta di Torrenza

In its latest edition, one of Solarens most read newspapers - the conservative Gazetta di Torrenza - has published partly censored pictures of Count Stefano di Perugia, seemingly in sexual intercourse with another man. Stefano di Perugia is the founder of the Partito Soziale Liberale, a moderate party which was expected to become a major faction in any future parliament. The Gazetta di Torrenza cites an "inside source" and considers the pictures proof of what they call di Perugias "sexual perversion", claiming him "morally unsuitable" for any future government position. Furthermore, the newspaper has raised the question of anti-sodomy laws enacted in pre-war Solaren and their current legal status. Arguably, anti-Sodomy laws can be considered still in effect, similiar to other parts of pre-war legislation, unless they are in conflict with a new constitution - which has not yet been passed - or measures of the interim government remove the law in question. Said interim government, however, has refused to comment on the issue.

 

[Rheinbund]

Count di Perugia charges Gazetta di Torrenza for libel

Immediately after the latest issue of the Gazetta di Torrenza, Count di Perugia indicated in a press‑release that he is going to charge this newspaper for libel if it does not place a rectification of the message about his supposed affair with a man on the front page of the next issue of this newspaper, “to be precise above the fold, page‑wide and at least 30 centimeters tall, with a header of maximum 10 centimeters tall; the precise contents of that rectification will be sent to that newspaper”. “I am furious about the fact that the Gazetta di Torrenza dares to take my faith to my wife, my faith to my family, and even my faith to God into doubt. I am furious about the fact that that newspaper dares to even suggest that I would be so irresponsible to damage my family life with an extramarital affair. With a man even. The board of editors of the Gazetta di Torrenza will acknowledge that it was spreading a blatant and evil lie,” he added.
The PSL also issued a statement on the latest issue of the Gazetta di Torrenza: “The old regime was plagued by gossip and lies. People based their careers on spreading gossip and lies about other people who applied for the same higher position as they did. Or people spread gossip and lies purely out of jealousy. Often these people were successful. The prisons were filled with people who had been arrested because somebody wanted to have the job they had, or even because they were engaged with a girl that somebody else wanted to have. The Gazetta di Torrenza thinks that it has proven that the Count di Perugia is homosexual, but it mainly proves that the depraved practices of gossip and lying, which are sins as well, is still a part of the Solaris society. And apparently even the Gazetta di Torrenza, which seemed to be a respectable newspaper, does not shrink from these wicked sins of gossip and lying.”

 

[Rheinbund]

Friday 8 March 1953
Prince Johann back to Eiffelland

Prince Johann has recovered enough to be able to travel. A spokesperson of the Eiffellandian Armed Forces confirmed that the Prince will travel to Eiffelland to further recover from the injuries he got during a fight in Torrenza two weeks ago. A person was arrested after that fight. It is still investigated what happened that night, but no details have been given yet, neither by the Eiffellandian Armed Forces in Solaren nor by the Eiffellandian Royal Palace.


Friday 8 March 1953
Former police director Aldo Siciliano sentenced to life imprisonment

As one of the first representants of the old regime, the former police director of Mazara was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court of judges in Torrenza. During the old regime, Aldo Siciliano led a police unit dedicated to fighting homosexuality. In that function, he sent many homosexuals to the stake. Later on, it became clear that Siciliano, who was a homosexual himself, and several of his men raped some of the people they arrested. The people in question were offered the possibility to be set free in exchange for sex.
Apart from this, it appeared that Siciliano had started an extensive smuggling network. He misused his position in the police force to protect his network from being discovered. He smuggled many kinds of products into the country that were forbidden according to the Solaris laws or were on a list of boycotted products, and smuggled lots of heroin and cocaine out of Solaren. Several farmers in Solaren were forced to grow these drugs. Unofficial sources claim that Siciliano is also wanted by the Eiffellandian authorities for drug trafficking, a crime that is punished severely in Eiffelland. However, an official request for the extradition of Siciliano was never issued by the Eiffellandian government.


Sunday 10 March 1953
Count Stefano di Perugia injured after assault attempt

As it became known today, Count Stefano di Perugia was injured during an attempt to assassinate him. His spokesperson explained that he just left the office of his barrister in Tegeata, when someone ran to him and started to shoot. Di Perugia’s body guard had the presence of mind to push the Count to the ground while the assassin was shooting, but could not prevent that the Count was hit in his shoulder. The body guard himself was hit several times. He did not survive the attack. The assasin himself was killed by a policeman. A suspected accomplice managed to escape to the Carentanian Occupied Zone of Solaren. The Eiffellandian Occupational Forces have requested the Carentanian Occupational Forces to extradite the suspected accomplice. The Carentanion Occupational Forces have not replied yet. The Count di Perugia has been admitted to a hospital in Tegeata. He is doing well.
Meanwhile, the Eiffellandian Armed Forces have announced that they will offer protection to all the important politicians of the political parties active in Solaren when they are in the Eiffellandian Occupational Zone.