National News Eiffelland (from 2009 until 31 July 2020)

[Serenierre]

Question from AP reporter to Eiffellander Govt. spokesman
"... in the war, what shall be the terms of engagement for the Trier Concord military forces? Can we expect the Trier Concord to fight while respecting the ideals and values that are vital for a democratic nation to uphold?"

 

[Rheinbund]

Answer by Chancellor Dr. Röpke
"Yes, you can expect the Trier Concord to fight while respecting the ideals and values inherent to a democratic nation. Please note, however, that Eiffelland is at war. Situations in which difficult decisions have to be taken may arise."

 

[Rheinbund]

Eiffelland in the war

The Air Force issued a press release in which it described the war actions in Trivodnia. According to that press release, the Air Force conducted an attack against the Rurikgrad Air Force and ground troops currently fighting in Trivodnia. Exact losses on the enemy's side were not mentioned, but were called "considerable". The Eiffellandian Air Force indicated that it suffered from considerable losses as well, however: 35 planes were indicated to be shot down by the Rurikgrad Pact army and air force. About half of the pilots were indicated to have managed to save themselves with the ejector seats, but some of the survivors would have landed in enemy-occupied territory. If that is the case, their fate may be uncertain. Both Kadikistan and Xinhai have a bad tracking record w.r.t. human rights; the Air Force doesn't have "any illusions about the Rurikgrad Pact respecting international law on how to treat prisoners of war".

Meanwhile, Chancellor Dr. Röpke held another radio and television speech to the nation: "... Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the pilots who deceased, and the pilots who landed in territory occupied by the Rurikgrad Pact. These pilots fought for the preservation of freedom against an alliance worshipping one of the most evil ideologies ever. An alliance consisting of countries that deliberately torture and kill people in the name of the interpretations of Communism each of those countries adhere to. Perverted interpretations of Communism where everybody not belonging to the party cadres are hungering while the people are forced to look at utopian future visions of everybody living like czars, and are told that those utopian future visions can only be achieved by turning the whole world Communist. In order to keep the resistance against their false teachings small, the governments of the Rurikgrad Pact countries and Serenierre give psychopathic sadists a free hand against people suspected of openly disagreeing with the system. Those pychopathic sadists torturing people in the name of a perverted interpretation of Communism use torturing methods from which even our medieval forefathers, even the ancient Tiburians and their ancestors would have shrinked. I call upon the people of Gallo-Germania, I call upon the people of the world, do not succumb to the false teachings and false promises of the Rurikgrad Pact and Serenierre. I also call upon the governments of countries considering to cooperate with the Rurikgrad Pact or Serenierre: Do not succumb to the offerings of Kadikistan, Xinhai or Serenierre. Do not forget that Kadikistan threatened to invade Elben when it decided to buy its oil somewhere else than in Kadikistan. Do not forget that Kadikistan invaded Trivodnia when President Lauterpacht and Chancellor Kahnemann decided to look somewhere else than East to find friends. Realise that Kadikistan will determine your foreign policies and whom you will trade with as soon as you sign a deal with Kadikistan. Realise that your country will loose a part of its freedom when it signs a deal with Kadikistan. Realise that you will have to discuss each decision you take with the Kadikistani ambassador as soon as you sign a deal with Kadikistan, and that the Kadikistani ambassador will have the final say. People of Gallogermania, listen to the refugees of Crotobaltislavonia, who suffered under the Marxist Leninovist president Farrago. Listen to all the people who fled from Kadikistan, Xinhai or Serenierre. They didn't flee their countries of birth without a reason."


Günther Ziesche: "Trivodnia is a Slavic problem"

At a gathering of the Volksunion, Günther Ziesche accused the Trier Concord of "fighting a war that is useless for us Germanics": "Look at Trivodnia. It is a failed combination of Jews and Slavics. The best thing to do is splitting the country into a Jewish part and several Slavic parts. Apart from that, which interests do we have in a country that we can't reach over land? Our armed forces can't get there without passing other countries. But most importantly, Trivodnia is a Slavic problem, not our problem. Let the Slavics solve the problem. And unlike during the Christmas Crisis, we must keep our borders closed for refugees. They are Slavics and Jews, not Germanics. This is a Germanic country; Slavics and Jews have nothing to find here. And finally, the Trier Concord has to understand the role of spheres of influence in this world. Trivodnia is in Kadikistan's sphere of influence, not in hour sphere of infuence. Likewise, Occitania is in Serenierre's sphere of influence, not in our sphere of influence."


Furious reactions on speech by Ziesche

Immediately after Ziesche's speech was aired, furious reactions from all over the political spectrum were heard. Chancellor Dr. Röpke said that "Ziesche makes himself guilty of complicity of murder with his statements": "Kadikistan is not only marxist-leninovist, but also antisemitic. The Jews in Trivodnia will have to fear for their lives under a Kadikistani regime." Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor Zimmermann indicated that "the world is not a cake to be sliced into pieces for the powerful countries in the world": "Trivodnia has the right to choose its friends freely. The fact that it chose us as friends against a neighbour indicates nothing else than how dangerous that neighbour seemed to be, and recently turned out to be." Maximilian Schrempf of the FDV said that "Kadikistan does not have the right to determine for its neighbourcountries whom they can choose as friends". Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor Fritschler indicated that "Kadikistan is creating yet another humanitary disaster for which we cannot turn a blind eye": "If we let this pass, we give Kadikistan and Serenierre the right to impose their agenda upon Gallo-Germania. Given how the secret services act in those countries, that agenda can't mean anything good." The political leader of Grün, Franziska Trittin, criticised the "racism in Ziesche's speech": "We cannot let the Kadikistani kill the Jews in Trivodnia, and we cannot close the border for oppressed Slavics." The political leader of the PCL, David Lehmann said that “Ziesche ignores the Divine duty we have in saving those people from being killed by a godless war machine”. The KPE did not react upon Ziesche’s speech.


KPE-members detained

It was a process that started immediately after the Rurikgrad Pact and Serenierre started the war. The police and Staatsschutz have arrested all members of the KPE, all people known to support or sympathise with the KPE, and all members of far-left groups. A spokesperson of the Government indicated during a press conference: "The KPE has a history of voicing open support for Kadikistan, a country forming a grave danger for the sovereignty all countries in Gallogermania. We cannot take the risk that the KPE starts to act as a fifth column in Eiffelland supporting Kadikistan. Therefore, under the power the Government has in the State of Emergency, we detained all members of the KPE. Furthermore, we will expell all people with the Kadikistani, Xinhese or Serenien nationality, except for the people having one or more of these nationalities together with the Eiffellandian nationality. Kadikistani, Xinhese and Serenien assets in Eiffelland will be frozen until further notice."

 

[Khemia]

President Zhao, when asked about Chancellor Dr. Ropke's comments:

"Ah, that matter. It seems obvious that doctors who are elected officials can still be 'quacks.' His speech ringed of that of a raving lunatic driven mad to destroy some, I think they call it 'white whale,' and not that of a calm, composed leader. I don't think we need to expose further the madness that we are trying to remove from Europe. They accuse us of civil rights abuses, and then they arrest members of a freely associated political organization! Hah! Next question."

 

[Rheinbund]

Weissenfelser Rundschau


Napalm and nerve gas
The atrocities of the Serenien army


The rumours were already there: The enormous fires burning the Occitanian city of Viasinde to ashes would have been the result of massive Napalm attacks by the Serenien armed forces. There were also rumours about Serenierre having used VX gas against Occitanian troops. These rumours have been denied by the Serenien government during the past days. Rightly?
We interviewed 200 survivors of the fires in Viasinde, had them translated into English by a group of certified translators in Engellex, had the translations translated back into Occitanian by another group of certified translators in Engellex to compare the Occitanian translations of the English translations with the original interviews in Occitanian, had the English translations corrected where necessary, and sent the English translations to three renowned explosives experts in Engellex. All three confirmed: The stories told by these 200 people point at the use of Napalm in Viasinde.
Furthermore, we managed to get hold of the clinical reports of several soldiers who died in the currently ongoing battle between the Aceni and Samart rivers in Occitania. Medical experts indicate that the anamnesic examination is sufficient to indicate that the soldiers died of nerve gas contamination.
This is strong evidence, but not proof yet, that Napalm was used in Viasinde and that Nerve Gas was used between the Aceni and Samart rivers. The proof will have to come from laboratory tests. It is doubtful whether thos laboratory tests will ever be conducted—the proof of the use of Napalm in Viasinde will be removed by the Serenien troops before the Trier Concord armed forces will be able to liberate the remnants of Viasinde, and it remains to be seen if any kind of laboratory sample will be rescued from the battle between the Aceni and Samart rivers. The evidence that Napalm and Nerve Gas were used is strong enough, however.
Now the question arises: Who used it? The first thought will be Serenierre. That country will gain the most with the use of these horrendous weapons. However, Serenierre will continue to deny the use of these substances, and will probably point at the Occitanian armed forces for propaganda purposes.
Would that be in the line of thinking of the Occitanian Government? That is highly doubtful. The Occitanian Government would never have chosen a big city like Viasinde for such a propaganda act. Furthermore, the fact that the Occitanian Government paid more attention to a mass evacuation of people in the first days of the battle than to taking defensive measures shows a high level of compassion of the Occitanian Government with its people. The Nerve Gas attack has the same problem: Its size is too big to serve as propaganda vehicle. The Occitanian Government will never sacrifice so many soldiers for propaganda purposes.
The Eiffellandian or Retalian armed forces then? Also here the same problem: Viasinde is too big to burn down for propaganda reasons, and the size of the Nerve Gas attack is too big for propaganda reasons as well. Furthermore, both the Eiffellandian Government and the Retalian Government know too little about media psychologics to exploit such a story. The knowledge on media psychologics is too little in Eiffelland and Retalia in general; otherwise the Trier Concord would have had a much better name in the world than it currently has. Apart from that, the Eiffellandian and Retalian Government will probably be too afraid that somebody would ucover that it were their armed forces who used Napalm and Nerve Gas. The same reason why Eiffelland is one of the least corrupt countries in the world: Eiffellandians are generally too afraid for loss of face to take the risk that fraud can be uncovered.
This leaves only one suspect: Serenierre. That country has the most to gain from this kind of actions, and using cruel weapons like Napalm and Nerve Gas is completely in the line of the Serenien regime. One more testification of the total disrespect for human live established by the Marxist-Sarazinist regime of Serenierre.

 

[Rheinbund]

Government issues complaint against Premier Martinique because of war crimes
Body of Public Prosecutors of Trier issues international arrest warrant for Serenien Prime-Minister

The press officer of the Body of Public Prosecutors of Trier announced in a press conference that the Government of Eiffelland issued a complaint against Premier Martinique for war crimes. She is charged with having given the order to use Napalm in Viasinde, and to use Nerve Gas against the Occitanian Armed Forces during the battle between the Aceni and the Sarmart rivers. The press officer indicated: “At this moment, Premier Martinique is a suspect. Of course it is possible that the Napalm and Nerve Gas attacks took place without her knowing it; and then the charges against her have to be lifted. At this moment, however, the suspicions against her justify an international arrest warrant. We also issued international arrest warrants for the highest military officers of Serenierre, as well as the generals currently commanding the Serenien troops around Viasinde and the Serenien troops fighting in the Aceni-Sarmart area.”
Upon a question about the punishment Premier Martinique would get, the press officer answered: “It will be up to the judges to determine the punishment. We will demand life imprisonment, however. Of course if it becomes evident that Prime Minister Martinique gave the order for the attacks.”

Upon a question about a possible extradition request by the Occitanian Government, the press officer indicated: “In that case, the Eiffellandian Government will drop the charge against Premier Martinique, so that she can be trialed in Occitania.”

Chancellor Dr. Röpke was asked for a reaction on the international arrest warrant. He said: “There is enough evidence that Serenierre used Napalm and Nerve Gas in Occitania. This justifies an accusation of war crimes. There is one thing I have to add though. The Xinhaiese President Zhao once called me a madman; but I’m afraid that the real madman, or madwoman, resides 1000 km northwest of me.”

 

[Rheinbund]

Hohe Staatsgericht rejects appeal by Schau! and Michael Vogel; conviction for libel confirmed

The Hohe Staatsgericht rejected all arguments of Schau! and the journalist Michael Vogel in their appeal case against the conviction for libel against Prince Ludwig and the Gunnish Queen Julian. The verdicts of the Kreisgericht Trier and the Provinzgericht Niedereiffel have been confirmed, and with that also the fines and the conditional imprisonment Schau! and Michael Vogel were sentenced to. Both were sentenced to a 10,000 Mark fine in June, and Michael Vogel was sentenced to a conditional imprisonment of six months as well.
A spokesperson of the Royal Family said that Prince Ludwig is very happy with the verdict by the Hohe Staatsgericht: "There is all room to criticise members of the Royal Family for their behaviour, but Schau! and Michael Vogel were deliberately damaging Prince Ludwig's reputation with lies. That is not allowed."
The verdict of the Hohe Staatsgericht opens the path to a civil lawsuit to demand a compensation for the reputational damage resulting from the libel. The spokesperson of the Royal Family indicated that Prince Ludwig will indeed start such a lawsuit: "The Prince experienced serious reputational damage because of the article in Schau!. This may also have consequences to his future career."
The Gunnish Queen Julian has not reacted to the verdict yet.

 

[Rheinbund]

Eiffelland recognises outcome of war in Trivodnia

During a press conference at Schloss Bellevue, Chancellor Dr. Röpke announced that the Eiffellandian Government will recognise whichever outcome of the war in Trivodnia. He offered his apologies to the Trivodnian people for "having made promises that the Trier Concord could not hold". "Under Chancellor Graf von Seydewitz, Eiffelland, Retalia and Bourgogne started to invest in Trivodnia in order to develop it. Our hope was that making Trivodnia more prosperous would reduce the ethnic tensions in the country. A stable Trivodnia would have been in the interest of the whole region, both in the interest of Gallo-Germania and in the interest of Kadikistan. It is with regret that we have to conclude that the Kadikistani Government did not understand our intentions. Now we have no alternative to facing the facts created by the Rurikgrad Pact. At this moment, the future of Trivodnia is unclear. The country may be split up into a Kranislavian part and a Yiddish part. Or the country may remain a unity. Or the country may become part of Kadikistan. But whichever outcome, Trivodnia will be ruled by Marxist-Leninovists. We will recognise whichever outcome in Trivodnia. Should the country become a part of Kadikistan, we will recognise that. Should Trivodnia be split up in a Kranislavian part and a Yiddish part, we will recognise the governments of both countries. Should Trivodnia remain united, we will recognise the new Government of Trivodnia. However, we still consider the Rurikgrad Pact invasion in Trivodnia an illegitimate deed. That has not changed, and chances are small that that will ever change," Chancellor Dr. Röpke said.
Upon a question from a journalist about the status of the Eiffellandian, Retalian and Burgundian investments in Trivodnia, the Chancellor indicated: "We probably have to consider those investments lost. I also have to indicate, however, that we did not invest there without coverage. The Governments of Eiffelland, Retalia and Bourgogne backed all the investments in Trivodnia conducted by Eiffellandian, Retalian and Burgundian companies. We could do so because of low national debts. Of course those debts will increase now, but will still remain sustainable."
About the seized Kadikistani and Xinhaiese assets, the Chancellor indicated that "a seizure is not the same as a confiscation": "We will lift the seizing, so that the Kadikistani and Xinhaiese have access to their assets in Eiffelland again."
About the detainment of the KPE-members, the Chancellor indicated that "the state of emergency will remain in effect as long as the war in Occitania continues" and that the KPE-members "will remain detained until the war in Occitania is over".

During another press conference, the polirical leader of Grün, Farnziska Trittin, indicated that "a parliamentary debate about the war, its causes and its outcome is needed". She also mentioned the possibility of a motion of distrust against the Government. Günther Ziesche of the Volksunion indicated that he would certainly issue a motion of distrust against Minister for Defence Ferdinand Jung, and probably also against the Government as a whole.

 

[Rheinbund]

Eiffelland and Justosia exchange ambassadors

After a century of isolation, the Kingdom of Justosia has opened its borders again. As a result, the Kingdom announced its intention to exchange ambassadors with other countries. Eiffelland and Gunnland are the first countries to start diplomatic relations with Justosia. This move may seem a bit strange, given the fact that both Eiffelland and Gunnland are Tiburan-Catholic countries (although Eiffelland may be an anachronistic one), and one of the first Justosian steps on the international stage was a dispute with Pope Iohannes XXIII. A spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated, however, that "even if Eiffelland is a Tiburan Catholic country, Church and State are separated here" and that "freedom of religion is also an Eiffellandian value". He also indicated that "we should not cast a shadow over this new diplomatic tie", but instead "welcome the beginning of the diplomatic relations between Justosia and Eiffelland as the beginning of a fruitful cooperation between our two countries".


Eiffellandian duo Rosenstolz re-issues its 1999 song "Ja, ich will"
LGBTQ community starts initiative for gay marriage in Eiffelland

In reaction to the introduction of gay marriage in Auraria, the LGBTQ community in Eiffelland has started an initiative to open the civil marriage in Eiffelland for gay couples as well. As a reaction, the Trierer duo Rosenstolz re-issued its 1999 song "Ja ich will", which at that time was already a song about gay marriage. Immediately after that, the song was adopted as the anthem for the initiative. A spokesperson of one of Eiffelland's gay rights organisations indicated that "Eiffelland has very good legislation against discrimination of minorities, but the fact that the civil marriage is only open for straight couples is an inequality". He also stated that "apart from problems around inheritance that need to be solved, apart from the fact that gay couples should also be able to fulfil their wishes to raise children, and apart from the fact that the gay partner of someone admitted to an intensive care unit does not have the automatic right to visit their beloved ones, it should simply be possible for a gay couple to symbolicly seal their relationship like straight couples can do".
Minister of Justice Prof. Dr. Böttcher personnally stated in response to the initiative: "Unfortunately, gay marriage is not as easy to introduce in Eiffelland as it is in Auraria. Mainland Eiffelland is ready for it, but please bear in mind that homosexual intercourse is still forbidden in Helgoland, and also still an issue in Rügen. Introducing gay marriage would mean imposing the legalisation of homosexual intercourse in Helgoland, and that is not possible under the constitution of the Kingdom of Eiffelland. Furthermore, I want to prevent that a marriage closed in Mainland Eiffelland has no value in Rügen or Helgoland." Upon the question about the recognition of an Aurarine gay marriage, the minister answered: "In principle, the marriages of foreigners are considered valid in Eiffelland, but that does not apply to marriages that are illegal under Eiffellandian law. The reason for that is that we don't want to recognise marriages in which minors are involved, for instance a 12 year old girl with a 40 year old man, or a 12 year old boy with a 40 year old woman. I'm afraid that Aurarine gay marriages are illegal under Eiffellandian law as well." Minister Prof. Dr. Böttcher indicated that the Government will investigate the issue, but that "gay marriage cannot be introduced in Eiffelland within a day, and I say that with regret".

OOC: The song:

You must be registered for see medias

 

[Rheinbund]

"Dance the war is over" reaches top position in charts as peace treaty between Serenierre and Trier Concord becomes effective
Eiffelland-Retalia mourns the dead after parties to celebrate peace end

The war has a positive outcome for the Retalian band Handsome Poets, whose 2010 hit single "Dance the war is over" reached the top of the charts in Former Eiffelland and Former Retalia again because people started to download it massively while the massive street parties that resulted from the news that a peace had been brokered between Serenierre and the Trier Concord being spread over the radio and over the internet. After the peace treaty between Serenierre and the Trier Concord became effective, the feeling of relief that spread over the Trier Concord nations led to these massive parties. Now that the parties are over, however, Eiffelland-Retalia looks around and mourns. It mourns for the dead soldiers, and it mourns for the times that ended with the outbreak of the war.
The toll of the war is large. The numbers aren't clear yet, but estimations go as far as 10 million dead due to the war, mostly Occitanian citizens. The armed forces of Eiffelland and Retalia lost 60,000 soldiers, 60 fighter planes, 200 helicopters and small planes, 500 tanks and 500 other vehicles. These numbers combine the losses in the war in Trivodnia and the war with Serenierre.
Apart from that, foreign trade diminished to a large extent. Shares and bonds from Gallogermanian companies were sold massively in Hymiar, and stock exchange brokers on other markets sold their Gallogermanian shares and bonds as well. On top of that, there was the message from the Warreic authorities that cars from Eiffelland, Retalia, Occitania and Serenierre would be banned from Warreic markets due to quality reasons.
Meanwhile, the Eiffellandian and Retalian car companies are discussing with the Warreic authorities. Rumours go that in the case of Eiffellandian and Retalian cars the problem was not related to quality or the environment, but to the fact that people buying Eiffellandian cars generally tend to drive faster than people buying cars from other brands. The Eiffellandian and Retalian car brands and the Ministries of Economic Affairs, of Transport and Public Works and of Justice are cooperating in this matter. Among others, they are preparing an advice on traffic law enforcement, trainings for notoriously aggressive motorists, media campaigns on acceptable motorist behaviour pointing at the responsibility that motorists have, how to setup the education of new motorists and where to look at during the driver's licence exams, and how to layout the roads so that motorists drive slower at the places where they really have to drive slow (a.o. residential quarters, near schools, near crossings etc.). However, the Government of Eiffelland-Retalia does have a serious issue with the way the Warreic authorities brought the problem to the news. The Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Habil Ariel Rubinstein said about it: "The Warreic authorities banned all cars from Eiffelland, Retalia, Occitania and Serenierre, and all car brands using parts of Eiffellandian, Retalian, Occitanian or Serenien companies. First of all, this looks more like a very brutal way to protect your own car industry against foreign imports than voicing a quality problem. But apart from that, the issue appears not to be related with the cars themselves, but with the way Warreic motorists use their cars. And then a remark about bad quality and bad environmental characteristics that is completely unjustified follows. This remark led to reputational damage to Eiffellandian, Retalian, Occitanian and Serenien car brands that was totally uncalled for. The government of Warre should at least apologise for this, in such a way that the reputational damage is repaired. We are more than willing to help making roads in Europe safer, but this problem could and should have been made public in a more sensible way than the Warreic government decided to do."
An analysis of the status of the Eiffellandian and Retalian companies leads to the following. The risks taken in Trivodnia were backed. The Eiffellandian and Retalian governments had enough financial space available to cover those risks. Before the war, the government debts of both countries were equal to 40% of the GDPs of both respective countries. That became 60% when the Eiffellandian and Retalian companies were compensated for the losses in Trivodnia. Then the Stonecastle crisis emerged. The Eiffellandian stringent banking laws prohibited Eiffellandian banks from buying and trading the kind of GDO bundles that Stonecastle created. Eiffellandian bankers looked at Retalian banks with gnashing teeth before the war, because Retalian banks were not subject to the stringent laws that Eiffellandian banks were bound to, because of which Retalian banks made more money than Eiffellandian banks when the markets went up. However, being forced to stay out of the madness of the day made the Eiffellandian banks survive the Stonecastle debacle, while Retalian banks were affected and needed to be bailed out. The need for a bailout of the Retalian banks emerged while Retalia was licking its wounds after the Altburger Meuterei. This bailout could effectively only be carried out by the Eiffellandian government. For Eiffelland, that led to a government debt of 100% of the GDP. This number became 80% after Eiffelland and Retalia were united. However, further consequences of the war are to be expected. First of all, the GDP of Eiffelland-Retalia is expected to diminish. Furthermore, the balances of the Eiffelloretalian banks may be affected due to value loss of Eiffelloretalian real estate as well as shares and bonds from Eiffelloretalian companies and the government of Eiffelland-Retalia. The national debt may rise to 100% of the GDP, or even more. Sources in the Ministry of Finance and the National Banks of Eiffelland and Retalia point at plans to reduce government expenses and pay off debts: "Financial stability and trust in the governmental institutions of Eiffelland-Retalia is the most important at this moment. The best way to feed that trust is to pay back debts." The Ministry of Finance indicated that effective immediately the Retalian banks are subject to the same stringent legislation as the Eiffellandian banks.
The government also announced that it will lower the salaries of the Chancellor, Ministers and State Secretaries with 20%, and that it will ask the members of Parliament to do the same with their own salaries. The Royal Family announced that it will accept a reduction of the allowances to the King, Queen, Crown-Prince and Crown-Princess with 20% as well.

OOC: The Altburger Meuterei is a mutiny among a small part of the Retalian armed forces. This led to a short but severe civil war. During that civil war, the Retalian Chancellor and Ministers were killed. Marschall Aliswiller and the Eiffellandian government temporarily filled the power vacuum, but after the Retalian banks had to be bailed out, the Eiffellandian government and Marschall Aliswiller decided to turn the personal union of Eiffelland and Retalia into a political union. This decision still has to be blessed off in a referendum.

 

[Pelasgia]

You must be registered for see images

Pelasgian Empire
Ministry of External Affairs​

Public statement - for immediate release.

To whom it may concern,

The Government of the Pelasgian Empire would like to congratulate our partners in Gallia and Germania for their successful negotiation of a peace treaty and for their return to a peaceful state. We hereby recognise the pertinent treaties as formal documents and part of customary international law, with full effect. Much blood has been shed and there is much work to be done in rebuilding this ravaged part of Europe, but we have faith that Gallo-Germania will emerge from this trial greater and stronger. We have declared an official week of mourning for the war's victims, and shall make appropriate arrangements for its observance, including the lowering of flags in our embassies and consulates at half a mast, and for daily vigils for the dead of Gallo-Germania. Whilst we have our own issues to deal with at home, we shall encourage the Pelasgian citizenry to donae to humanitarian causes for Gallo-Germania to the best of its ability. We shall look forward to reviewing our relations and strategic partnerships with all parties in Gallo-Germania, including our Eiffellander friends, in the near future.

Signed and sealed,

Emannouil Avgiros
Minister of External Affairs
Government of Pelasgia
Senator by Right of Office

 

[Rheinbund]

Aussenministerium
Trier, Eiffelland-Retalia

We thank the Pelasgian government for its comforting and wise words. Also we are in national mourning. We are convinced that Gallo-Germania will emerge its current crisis. We also thank for any donations to humanitary causes. We leave it to the Pelasgians to decide where to donate to. We look forward to a continuation of our fruitful relations.

Rüdiger Zimmermann, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor

 

[Rheinbund]

Plan for the new constitution of the Union State of Eiffelland-Retalia

During a press conference with Chancellor Dr. Stephan Röpke, General Siegfried Aliswiller of Retalia, Minister-President Godebald Modrow of Helgoland and Minister-President Martin Krenz of Rügen, Chancellor Dr. Röpke presented the new design of the Union Sate of Eiffelland-Retalia.

The main points are the following.

1. The official name of Eiffelland-Retalia will become “Unionsstaat Eiffellands und Retaliens” (“Union State of Eiffelland and Retalia”). It will consist of the Grand-Duchy of Retalia and the Kingdom of Eiffelland. Retalia will continue to be the Grand-Duchy of Retalia. Eiffelland, Rügen and Helgoland will continue to be the Kingdom of Eiffelland. This division of the country has only a ceremonial role, however.

2. The factual division of Eiffelland-Retalia is a quadruple one: Retalia, Eiffelland, Rügen and Helgoland are four distinct “Länder” within the Union State. Each Land has full autonomy except for foreign affairs, defence, the structure of the education system and finance. Furthermore, the education system will be the same in all four Länder, and marriages closed in one Land will also be valid in the other Länder. The Government of Eiffelland will represent Eiffelland-Retalia internationally.

3. The official languages of Eiffelland-Retalia will be German and Tiburan.

4. Eiffelland-Retalia will become a constitutional monarchy. The role of the King will not change. This means that he will continue to have a completely ceremonial role in Retalia, Rügen and Helgoland, and that he will continue to have his current role in Eiffelland, meaning that he will continue to appoint the Chancellor, the Ministers and the State Secretaries, and that he will continue to sign the laws. This means that the implicit veto rights he has will remain intact. So in theory, he can block a person from becoming Chancellor, Minister or State Secretary by refusing to receive him or her, and he can block a law by not signing it.

5. The Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Defence will become full members of the Government of Eiffelland, and will also vote on things applicable to Eiffelland only. However, they have to be approved by the parliaments of Eiffelland, Retalia, Helgoland and Rügen before they can be appointed by the King. The budgets of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence will have to be approved by all four parliaments as well.

6. The name of the Eiffellandian Staatstag will be changed into Landestag. This will also become the names of the parliaments of Retalia, Rügen and Helgoland.

7. Up to now, Eiffelland had a bicameral parliamentary system. This will become a unicameral parliamental system. The Staatsrat will become the Unionsrat, a senate-like parliament consisting of 50 representants of each Land, and only with voting rights for matters concerning the whole union (like defence, foreign affairs, the structure of the education system and finance). Declarations of war are only possible with a 2/3 majority of all Landestage and the Unionsrat.

8 The education system will be the system of Eiffelland, with one exception: The Gymnasium (the highest level of secondary education) will be reduced from seven to six years. This means that people will graduate from the Gymnasium at age 18 instead of 19.There were already plans in Eiffelland to do so, but these plans had not been carried out because of the recent reduction of civil service from three to two years. In the Retalian system, people already graduated from the highest level of secondary education at age 18, so that is a harmonisation with the Retalian system. The Retalian system also knows a division by capacities in the secondary education; now this division is formalised. There will also be a change for Retalia though: It has to increase the duration of the university curricula from four to five years.

9. The armed forces of Eiffelland-Retalia will be organised according to the current organisational structure of the Eiffellandian armed forces, where the level of Army Corps will be inserted between the level of Division and the level of Army. The Army Corpses will be led by Lieutenant-Generals.

The complete new constituation will be voted upon in Eiffelland in the coming week. Then the governments of Eiffelland as well as the provincial governments of Helgoland and Rügen will resign to facilitate elections on Sunday 16 December. After those elections, the Staatstag, Staatsrat and the parliaments of Rügen and Helgoland will vote on the new constitution again. In the second voting on the new constitution, a two-thirds majority is needed. A two-thirds majority is also needed in the Retalian parliament to approve the new constitution.

Chancellor Dr. Röpke indicated that he and Minister of Defence Ferdinand Jung will leave politics after the new government has been appointed. Chancellor Dr. Röpke will retire, Minister Jung will start to work for the Ministry of Defence. Minister of Transport and Public Works Roland Rheinfeld will become the new political leader of the CDV.

General Aliswiller also indicated that former Prime-Minister of Retalia Walther Grauholzer fully recovered from the injuries he got during the Retalian Mutiny earlier this year. He will run for Prime-Minister again in the upcoming elections.

 

[Imimoya]

A note on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Lars reads:

"The Government is happy that two nations geographically close to us have decided to begin a process of union. We are sure that the union will have positive feedback on the whole surrounding area."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Office​

​

 

[Rheinbund]

Governments of Eiffelland, Retalia, Helgoland and Rügen step down after approval of new constitution

The Eiffellandian Staatsrat was the last parliament that had to vote on the new constitution. After it had done so, Chancellor Dr. Röpke went to the King to offer the resignation of the Eiffellandian Government, which is needed to pave the way for early elections. Also the Governments of Retalia, Helgoland and Rügen resigned. All the governments will remain in power as demissionary governments to take care of all daily affairs until new governments have been formed.

 

[Serenierre]

Commissariat for External Relations

A dangerous attempt by the last vestiges of the Trier Concord to remain relevant.

 

[Justosia]

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Government Royale de Justosia
Office of His Excellency the Prime Minister
​

Secure Communique

To: His Majesty Albrecht III von Dietz-Hadamar, King of Eiffelland, Grand-Duke of Nichtstein

Greetings your Royal Majesty. We accept your terms visa ve lifting of all trade tariffs on territories pertaining to your nation.

Furthermore, I respectfully submit to you, on behalf of my sovereign King Carlos Francisco II, a meeting with you. He is keengly interested in deepening ties.

Be well. God bless you.

Jean Blount
Prime Minister of Justosia

 

[Rheinbund]

Commissariat for External Relations

A dangerous attempt by the last vestiges of the Trier Concord to remain relevant.

Aussenministerium
Trier, Eiffelland-Retalia

We can assure our neighbours on the other side of the Retalian Sea that we will do everything we can to show the peaceful intentions of the Union State of Eiffelland-Retalia.

Rüdiger Zimmermann, Demissionary Minister of Foreign Affairs and Demissionary Vice-Chancellor

 

[Rheinbund]

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Government Royale de Justosia
Office of His Excellency the Prime Minister
​

Secure Communique

To: His Majesty Albrecht III von Dietz-Hadamar, King of Eiffelland, Grand-Duke of Nichtstein

Greetings your Royal Majesty. We accept your terms visa ve lifting of all trade tariffs on territories pertaining to your nation.

Furthermore, I respectfully submit to you, on behalf of my sovereign King Carlos Francisco II, a meeting with you. He is keengly interested in deepening ties.

Be well. God bless you.

Jean Blount
Prime Minister of Justosia

Streng geheim — Top secret

Trierer Stadtschloss
Kanzleramt
Trier, Eiffelland-Retalia

We thank you for agreeing to mutually lifting trade tariffs. It is also the wish of His Majesty King Albrecht to meet His Majesty King Carlos Francisco. Let's agree to a date.

Albrecht von Dietz-Hadamar, King of Eiffelland, Grand-Duke of Retalia
Dr. Stephan Röpke, Demissionary Chancellor

 

[Justosia]

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Government Royale de Justosia
Office of His Excellency the Prime Minister
​

Secure Communique

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December 5, 2018. Is His Royal Majesty able to travel? Prompt response requested.

Jean Blount
Prime Minister