European Press Association

[Azraq]

Reports: dozens of Azraqi politicians and activists still imprisoned
EPA Jugol

While a number of high profile Azraqi politicians like Justice Party leader Mulatu Birru have been freed after being detained for alleged links to terrorism, at least 44 Azraqi lawmakers and activists remain in prison despite no clear intention to prosecute.

After the Nethian Revolutionary Association, a radical black nationalist group, declared "war" on most Himyari governments, Azraqi authorities arrested hundreds of people, mostly associated with left-wing parties, after a series of pre-dawn raids. Most have been released with no criminal charges brought against them, yet nearly 50 of the detained are still behind bars.

Virtually all are low level activists or just simply vocal supporters of parties like the Justice Party, Movement for the Poor and Dispossessed and Shamo People's Liberation Front. All three parties have demanded their immediate release, accusing the Imperial Genderamerie, Azraq's main law enforcement arm, of being "politically motivated" in its actions.

The raids occurred shortly before the Azraqi emperor announced he had overseen a deal to merge the Empire's long dominant Party of Principles with a number of smaller parties. The Imperial Gendarmerie denied its operations were driven by politics and said the timing was purely coincidental.

The Gendarmerie also said it was investing new evidence about those still currently detained.

Democracy activists inside and outside Azraq fear the detentions point towards a slide towards single party rule backed by the Emperor. The Voting Rights Index, which ranks countries based on their democratic practices, recently downgraded the Empire to an illberal democracy for example.

A heavy military presence in most major Azraqi cities has prevented any violent demonstrations and a number of peaceful rallies have been broken up.

In a statement, the Azraqi foreign affairs ministry insisted the Empire remained a constitutional monarchy and full parliamentary democracy.

 

[Eseria]

Grand Duke Charles of Ouistreham, an Unwelcome Guest in Eserland?
Article by Thomas Carter
EPA Banderfal

It has been less than a year since the Kingdom of Neustria fell to Pillau's forces, its wealthy and powerful fleeing to far-flung corners of the globe as the worker's revolt snuffed out the last bastion of monarchism in South-Central Gallia. One of those, its very King Charles (now the Grand Duke of Ouistreham), fled to Varlais and has become a lively socialite in Bryon's vibrant social scene. This begs the question, should Eserland really be welcoming such a high-profile monarchist into our nation with open arms? It is no secret that the Macony administration tacitly approved of the Grand Duke's exile in our country, if only because of worry over the sort of socialist state that would emerge to the south and the hope that eventually a democratic, if monarchist, state would be able to re-emerge from the ashes of Bourgogne-Neustria.

But we must ask ourselves if we should continue to betray our republican principles and allow Charles and his family to remain here, wining and dining with the wealthy and well-connected of Eserland's elite when it is clear that his people have rejected the idea of a monarchy as we did over 130 years ago. A majority of Eserians do not agree with the direction the new government to the South has taken, this journalist included, but surely we should not cling to the old forms of government that are outdated for the modern world? This is not the mention the fact that the clergy of Neustria had a disproportionate amount of power, something that is hard to reconcile with the separation of church and state we enjoy in Eserland partially because we have embraced a republican form of government. Are we to give refuge to those who do not share these beliefs, who led a government that empowered religious figures over secular leaders?

After all we do not have a favorable view of those who harbor the descendants of Jacob V and the House of Cornett, who still fancy themselves as the legitimate royal family of Eserland despite being driven out long ago. As a republic we ought to support other republics and scorn monarchists when we can, even if it means sacrificing our relationships with some of the more illiberal and autocratic monarchies in Europe. In addition, tensions are already high enough between Eserland and the Burgundian P.R. after its government decided to join the Rurikgrad Pact, are we to allow this to be yet another reason our nations will have to be hostile to each other? President Macony ought to send Grand Duke Charles and his family packing to Tyskonia or even Justosia, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to support him and his luxurious lifestyle in the company of other monarchists while we can live knowing the Revolution of 1889 still has a meaning even to this day.

This article expresses the views of the author and not the official stance of this publication.​

 

[Thozland]

President Alexi Smiznov sworn into office marks bright new era for Thozland.
Article by Dmitrski Nevsko
EPA Malsoko

Attendants reached unprecedented numbers yesterday as the unconventional Alexi Smiznov took office at his inauguration ceremony. Though the crowds were silent, save for queued applause, it was clear that within each eye of those who attended lay hope.

Few anticipated the candidate, an outsider by nearly all definition, and of wholly unremarkable origin, to take the election by storm. Contemporary political analysts instead anticipated a smooth victory of the former incumbent president Sashki Kecvhno over opposing retired general Josef Kuznets, with the former's policy revolving around a slight increase to welfare and the latter instead claiming to hold true to pure Kadiki Communism, and devote even more money to the sorely equipped Thozland Defense Force.

So radical, it seems, was Alexi's policies of top-down bureaucratic auditing and expansion of economic freedom, that the voter turnout reached an unprecedented 46% compared to the historical 20% average in a relatively narrow, but clear victory.

Long has Alexi been a member of the 'New Age Party', which, while has never openly spoken out against Kadiki Communism or the ideology's founder, has pushed for a far more liberal stance on the economy, as well as vitriolic anti-corruption policies. In anticipation for his 'New Age', he has, for the first time in decades, opened Thozland's borders and information, inviting organizations such as our very own EPA to report on the "great new changes" and "big things to come" for this nation.

For many years has Thozland apparently been trapped in a vicious self-defeating cycle. Though they hold proudly to their moral traditions and pride in their homeland, the destitute peoples have historically lost faith in their government. An estimated 60% of the spendable budget is devoted to the military, yet soldiers find themselves armed with equipment thirty years in the past. Unemployment rates have historically been at an obscene 15%, and it appears there is only ever just enough food to sustain its tiny population of a few million as-is.

Among the invitation of the EPA, Alexi promises to push Thozland to taking a more active role on the world stage, to "remind everyone [we] still exist."

This, along with many of his other ambitions, faces considerable opposition in the Parliament of Thozland. Though the New Age Party had taken control of the parliament just in time for Alexi's own victory, many of the so-called "true communists" have formed a coalition to oppose the New Age, those extremists even claiming the election results illegitimate, though both Shashki Kecvhno and Josef have accepted the election results.

 

[Khemia]

ODS Fails to Assuage Fears, Concerns in Remuria Growing
EPA Remuria

The growth of the Organization of Democratic States represents unique challenges for the future of Gallia, but as Serenien protests intensify, Villesen's allies in Remuria hesitantly raise their own concerns.

"The ODS Charter does not specify mutual security guarantees, and the OSCR's role as an operations room for such is opaque. With nations ostensibly joining the alliance for military reasons, we cannot be certain that the ODS is not militaristic in nature, nor can we determine whether or not it is an aggressive alliance. As such, it represents a serious security concern for both Sereniere and Asteria. ODS leadership has thus far failed to undertake any serious diplomatic effort to address these concerns. Without guarantees, I fear a security dilemma is unavoidable," stated a spokeswoman for the Asterian Ministry of State.

The Asterian Parliament yesterday amended its laws on Innocent Passage to include vessels operating covertly in its territorial waters as security risks. The Ministry of Defense remarked that patrol operations would be intensified in both its territorial and economic waters to monitor any attempts to aggressive posture forces in the Reman Sea.

"Simply put, the ODS is being treated as an alliance, when on paper it should not be. The Charter simply lays out non-aggression stipulations. The role of the OSCR, and each member states criteria for calling on each other, is not enumerated in the Charter. There is no transparency. We can consider this nothing less than a threat," said one official familiar with the President's office on condition of anonymity.

"The ODS has been likened to the DDI, an organization whose charter clearly lays out the terms for which its member states enter conflict. This likeness has even been repeated by its own members states. It should therefore be treated as such."

 

[Ostmark]

EPA Wien
"OLD LUDWIG" IS MADE GREAT, AGAIN.
Ostmark celebrates 320th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig I von Wien, also known as Ludwig the Great.

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WIEN (People's Republic of Ostmark) - Ludwig I von Wien "the Great", the Ostmarkian King hailed for decades by ostmarkian nationalists for his military exploits, is back in vogue in Ostmark, which is celebrating the 320th anniversary of his birth with a series of exhibitions, books and documentaries that mark the nation's growing self-confidence. Since the abolition of the monarchy in 1957, Ostmark shunned the memory of Ludwig the Great because of the militarism and authoritarianism it symbolised.

The south-eastern german Kingdom was officially abolished after the 1957 velvet revolution. But fascination with the Kingdom of Ostmark and especially with Ludwig the Great, an intellectual, cultured ruler who abolished torture and promoted religious tolerance, has revived here. Historians have said it was a sign that almost 70 years after the abolition of the monarchy, Ostmark is adopting a more relaxed, less conflicted view of itself and its history. Yesterday's anniversary was marked by a grand concert in Wien's Konzerthaus attended by the People's Chancellor, Horst Paul Grasser.

"The history of Ludwig was tainted for years because Ostmark didn't want to have anything to do with the monarchy anymore. These days people take a more relaxed view. He has no influence on current politics. It is a closed chapter that one can look back on neutrally without having to position oneself politically." said a historian who just finished to write a book about Ludwig's life "What makes him fascinating is his complexity. His life was full of drama. He corresponded with the most popular and famous figures of the enlightenment. He was an exceptional military leader, but he also had this religious tolerance. He once said: 'If catholics and muslims were to come to populate the land, we shall build mosques and churches.'" he added.

The country is being swept by a veritable craze about "Old Ludwig," as he is affectionately called. He transformed Ostmark from a barren backwater into a powerful Germanian state in the mid-18th century, securing the borders of the Kingdom with a well-trained and highly disciplined army and creating military traditions that inspired the famous Ostmarkian Grenadiers in the 19th century and are still observed by the Volkswehr, Ostmark's People's Defense Force. Unlike other monarchs at the time, he directed battles in person, which strengthened his reputation as a skilful commander in the field. Besides, a closer look at Ludwig the Great's character and his history shows that the fluent Frankish speaker had a peculiarly un-Ostmarkian streak of pragmatism and cynicism.

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[Armorica]

Migrants Intercepted and Held
EPA Pembroke

The Armorican government announced this afternoon that another boatload of migrants was intercepted on the high seas off the nation's west coast. The migrants were taken into custody by naval units. They will be processed and interned until they can be deported to their home nations.

The latest interception marks the fifth time in the last four weeks that migrants have intruded in Armorican territorial waters. No numbers have been released, but it is estimated that the Armorican government is holding over three dozen migrant men, women, and children in a tent city outside of Pembroke.

 

[Ostmark]

EPA Wien
EUROPEAN PRESS ASSOCIATION EXCLUSIVE
EPA journalist Martha Feld, author of the book "Horst Paul Grasser: The Untold Story", interviewed the People's Chancellor and discussed the current economic and political tensions in Germania.

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Martha Feld: Good morning Herr Grasser, or should call you Wise Leader?

Horst Grasser: Good morning Frau Feld, i think "Herr Grasser" would be more appropriate. Welcome to Wien, by the way.

Martha Feld: Thank you Herr Grasser. I do have many questions in my list, but i wonder if i am allowed to ask these questions or if i should expect to face consequences. Do you believe in freedom of speech, Herr Grasser?

Horst Grasser: I do, i do. In fact i am the one who authorized this interview and your VISA to the People's Republic of Ostmark. If i didn't believe in freedom of speech and opinion, you would not be sitting in the Office of the People's Chancellor here in the Palace of the People's Republic.

Martha Feld: That's true, and i really appreciate it. So, let's start with the first question regarding the current geopolitical tensions that are seemingly escalating in Germania. The People's Republic of Ostmark has so far abstained from interfering or even commenting the ongoing events in the former Free Canton of Crotobaltislavonia, quickly renamed People's Republic of Crotobaltislavonia after a violent Coup d'Etàt staged, promoted and carried out by the Kadikistani Union. Are you scared to irritate Ivar? Or, let me rephrase that, do you fear that Ostmark might one day follow the same fate of Crotobaltislavonia, and before Crotobaltislavonia, Trivodnia?

Horst Grasser: In my ideal world, Frau Feld, borders and political blocs do not exist. My ideal world is made of peoples and their representatives, of solidarity amongst workers, of equality and justice prevailing over avid grasping for money and resources. A world without blocs, without ideologies, without differences, without hostilities, without borders. Unfortunately, the world we live in has taken a completely different path, and wether i like it or not, the People's Republic of Ostmark must coexist with the current geopolitical balances and try to make the best out of them. Crotobaltislavonia has been in Ivar's sphere of influence for many years. Would the ODS tolerate a communist revolution in Eiffelland-Retalia? Would they stay silent if a National-Syndicalist takeover occured in Lars? They wouldn't. And the reason why they wouldn't is to preserve the status quo, to make sure those who exist and live on the other side of the Iron Curtain do not gain too much advantages. It is a battle of balance, of weights, weights made by military forces, economic forces, political, social and cultural forces. I don't know why the government of Crotobaltislavonia approached the West, but the Rurikgrad Pact can simply not afford to let the capitalist lobbies further extend their grip towards the east. We must defend our system and our ideals. We want to defend them as much as the West does. We are identical, in this specific matter.

Martha Feld: Interesting, but you - purposedly - avoided the second part of my question: do you fear that Ivar might reserve the same treatment for the People's Republic of Ostmark? Or is that one of those questions i shouldn't dare to ask?

Horst Grasser: The People's Republic of Ostmark does not need a guide or a tutor. We know what is best for the Ostmarkian Working class, and we know the Kadikistani Union knows what is best for the Kadikistani working class. The alliance, and genuine friendship between my country and our eastern neighbors was born out of a natural path drawn by common revolutionary, ideological grounds. To bond with other individuals who share and agree with most of your views and opinions, is a natural human instinct. It was therefor natural, for the People's Republic of Ostmark, to approach the Kadikistani Union and seek common grounds. And there were common grounds, there are common grounds which we are constantly trying to forge anew, finding even more common interests and issues to discuss.

The ultimate goal is the moral and material progress of our nations, this is what the Belgarsk Pact was, and what Ostmark's membership in the Rurikgrad Pact means today. It is a political, social, cultural and military alliance in the interest of the workers, in accordance with the principles and ideals expressed by our ideologies. Ostmark is not a Marxist-Leninovist nation. It is a National-Syndicalist nation. Are there practical differences between these two systems? Yes, there are many, because our countries, for a long time, followed different paths. But we share the same goals and we wish to reach the same achievements, namely: social equality, social justice, proletarian solidarity, the emancipation of the workers and the creation of a society in which workers are the masters of their destiny. Should internal rogue forces ever to attempt to deviate Ostmark from its current path, i would be the one asking Ivar to intervene in defense of my people and my nation.

Martha Feld: Is Ostmark's military ready to take part to the conflict that is looming over Germania?

Horst Grasser: We are ready to defend ourselves, as i've always said, against those who wish to impose an unjust economic and political system on a people, the Ostmarkian people, who democratically voted for a change, giving the alternative a chance to build a better society. But no military will ever be ready to fight a war that will result in millions of deaths and cause incommensurable suffering and pain to tens of millions of innocent civilians. You see, there is a sci-fi book in Ostmark that depicts an alternate universe in which nations have developed weapons capable of crossing the atmosphere and destroy entire cities, and countries, in a matter of seconds. I forgot the name of that book, but regardless.. the fact those weapons exist, in the alternate universe described by the author, serve as a huge deterrent that prevented wars between superpowers. But we must stick to the reality of our world: wars, in Europe, are fought by mechanized and armored divisions, artillery, bombers.

Firepower and mobility are the most common military doctrines in Europe. Neither side, in the current geopolitical scenario, has a real technological advantage on the other side, nor enough deterrent to discourage a full scale conflict. War is, therefor, not a logical and rational option, and as long as i will be alive i will do everything in my power to convince the international community that the only viable solution is diplomacy, or even reciprocal isolation. Even if it means building a wall that divides Germania in two halves. It would be a far better option. I do believe that countries with different political and economic systems can find common grounds for neutral, if not friendly relations, but if that is not possible, it's best to simply ignore each other.

Martha Feld: What makes you think that Ivar, or Trier, or any other ODS or Rurikgrad Pact member nation share your view?

Horst Grasser: It is not about sharing a view, it is about using logic and rationality. Logic and rationality suggest that a full scale continental war will not bring any benefit, and if there will be any benefit it will be nothing if compared to the damages and the suffering inflicted upon the civilian population. Is there any government, out there, that is eager to bomb cities inhabited mostly by civilians? And to conquer what? Apartments? Theme parks? Cinemas? We are in the 21st century, not in the 19th century. The cost in human lives and destruction of a modern war is too high to expect any real benefit afterward.

Martha Feld: So Ostmark would simply refuse to take part to the hostilities, should a war between the ODS and the Rurikgrad Pact erupt, out of the fact you hold a pacifist stance while others don't.

Horst Grasser: I have never implied that. Ostmark has obligations to the Rurikgrad Pact, and Ostmark does not betray its friends and allies or turn its back on them in times of need. This, however, should not automatically imply that i support the escalation of today's tensions in an armed conflict.

Martha Feld: What if you are wrong? What if the Rurikgrad Pact or the ODS declare war on each other and war breaks out?

Horst Grasser: We will destroy our children, and our children's children future and we will be held accountable for that one day. It is vital that we think of our children, our elders, our sick. They don't deserve to live a life of terror, of horror, of despair. We must strive for peace because the workers, their families and their sons and daughters deserve to live a life of happiness and prosperity. War cannot be a viable option.

Martha Feld: It seems to be that you are idealist and slightly detached from the reality of Germania's political balances.

Horst Grasser: I am an idealist. I've always been an idealist. And i will be an idealist as long as i will be alive. I strongly believe in my ideals, and i will always be very vocal about them. I did not become the People's Chancellor to passively accept everything that is presented to me as a permanent, unalterable reality. I was elected to bring changes, to offer an alternative for the Ostmarkian people, and if it is for a common, greater good, i will also express my concerns, and my perplexities, also offering possible solutions, to contribute to peace in Gallia, Germania and Europe. Ostmark does not seek to export its values, its political and economic systems. We have no demands other than the preservation of peace. I'm not the monster you depicted me as in your book, Frau Feld.

Martha Feld: It was an interesting chat, Herr Grasser.

Horst Grasser: Anytime, Frau Feld.

 

[Polesia]

Exclusive: Crotobaltislavonia to return Hartem and Olnitz to Polesia
EPA International

Multiple sources from the Crotobaltislavonian, Kadikistani and Polesian governments have all told Affiliated Press that an agreement between the People's Republics of Crotobaltoslavonia and Polesia over the future of Olnitz and Hartem is close, with a deal likely announced in the coming days.

The two cities, originally part of the former Free State of Trivodnia, were handed to Crotobaltislavonia as part of the Second Treaty of Amstov that ended the Seven Day War.

The then Crotobaltislavonian government claimed the settlements and surrounding areas had historically belonged to Crotobaltislavonia, despite both cities having been majority Jewish for centuries and frequently changing hands between the Kingdom of Elben, Principality of Krasnislavia and Tsardom of Kadikistan as well as Crotobaltislavonia's predecessors.

Yet while Polesia initially accepted the new ownership of the two cities, the continued anti-Semitic rhetoric from Crotobaltislavonian state media and public officials led the small communist country to formally complain to Ivar and publicly demand their return.

While Kadikistani authorities were initially hesitant to redraw the map of the Three Seas region, renewed instability in Crotobaltislavonia, which has a long history of coups and regime changes, eventually convinced many in Ivar that Hartem and Olnitz would be better under Polesian ownership.

"Despite Trivodnia proving to be a treacherous player in world affairs, Polesia has so far been a loyal dog. Crotobaltislavonia... Less so," explained one Kadikistani diplomat.

The final straw for Ivar was apparently Crotobaltislavonia's attempted rapprochement with Gunnland and Lars and agreement to host a 'super highway' that would link north and south Gallo-Germania.

Under Ivar's supervision, both Crotobaltislavonia and Polesia are negotiating the future of Hartem and Olnitz in Kretyn, the capital of the Krasnislavian Socialist People's Republic, a Kadikistani territory also carved out of former Trivodnia.

Polesia recently announced it would deploy personnel from its so called People's Peace Force, effectively a hybrid border guard and gendarmerie, to Crotobaltislavonia to help pacify the country's restless countryside, where drug gangs and Yiddish self-defence groups roam with impunity.

Regional analysts say this move, which would have been agreed with both Crotobaltislavonia and Kadikistan, is designed to show socialist solidarity after a number of public spats between Polesia and its western neighbour.

Meanwhile, brewing tensions around the Burgundian People's Republic and the Pelasgian Empire's descent into civil war, with Ivar-aligned rebels launching a violent uprising, also puts pressure on Kadikistan to resolve border disputes between its two puppet states.

"Whether Olnitz or Hartem belong to Amstov or Banja Luka is ultimately irrelevant to Ivar, Kadikistan in reality owns them both," says a Gunnish intelligence officer.

 

[Implaria]

National Guard evicts 'Hartville', clashes with protesters

New Tibur (Reuters): Violent clashes between law enforcement and protesters affiliated with the Social Democratic Party have shaken Tibur, leaving an unknown number of injured and property damage. The riots followed the eviction of a so called 'Hartville', one of the many slums comprised of tents and makeshift shacks that have sprung up within the last few years. The governor of the state of Kent, Henry Atwood, had called upon the National Guard to enforce the eviction of several thousand squatters from public land.

The land in question is designated as future site of a new prison, but negotiations between representatives from the 'Hartville' and the government had broken down months ago. While similiar conflicts in the past had been solved peacefully, governor Atwood claims that provocateurs from the Social Democratic Party had incited the conflict to prevent the creation of additional prison capacities. The Social Democrats, who have made the homelessness crisis one of their central election campaign issues, blamed Atwood for the escalation, stating it was an "unprecedented provocation" to bring in military force against homeless citizens.

 

[Ostmark]

EPA Wien
HORST GRASSER'S LEGACY POLARIZES PUBLIC OPINION
In Ostmark he is considered a hero, a dictator, a madman, a savior, a psychopath, a statesman. Ostmarkians are divided on the legacy of the "Wise Leader" as the nation transitions to democracy.

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By Alexander Besselman

WIEN (Ostmark) - As dust settles in the Republic of Ostmark after a failed state coup and the dissolution of the National-Syndicalist State, many are starting to analyze the past two years with a whole different perspective. When speaking of Horst Grasser in Ostmark, the responses vary from nostalgic and unconditional loyalty, to utter hostility and pure hatred. After his death, Horst Paul Grasser has become a polaziring subject among Ostmarkians who now feel free to express their opinion about the man who has permanently influenced and changed, according to some for the best, while to others for the worst, the social, political, economic and cultural tissue of the small eastern nation.

"He was a simple man, of humble and poor origins." says writer and author of the book 'The Wise Leader', Erich Rosenbaum "Ostmarkians quickly identified themselves in his ideals and his struggle because they truly viewed him as a man of the people, who suffered and cried and lived a life of deprivations, in poverty, just like them. Most Ostmarkians between 2014 and 2018 were hopeless, desperate for someone to come and save them and drag them out of their misery. That man was Horst Grasser, who offered solutions to real issues that previous governments had failed to address for too long".

While drinking a beer in one of Wien's biggest beerhalls, i overheard a conversation between young men and women in their thirties. When asked what they think about Horst Grasser, their responses varied "Me, my wife and my two children lived in an abandoned factory for almost two years after i lost my job in 2016" says Rupert, 32 "One night in November 2018 a patrol car of the Volkspolizei pulled over infront of the factory - i feared for the worst. Surprisingly, two police officers approached us and said, will always remember it: 'Comrades, the days of sorrow are over'. And i didn't trust them initially but.." he said, while visibly becoming emotional "They took us to a homeless shelter managed by the National-Syndicalist People's Party. They donated new clothes for my children, they provided medicine for my wife who was affected by pneumonia. She received free medical care and they saved her. After a few weeks the People's Labor Service offered me a job, as garbage man. I have a degree in Economy and Finance but.. you know.. you've got to provide for your family so i did not, of course, refuse the position. Few months later we were contacted, again, by the People's Labor Service and we were told we were entitled to an apartment in one of the pre-fabricated flats built in the outskirts of Wien." continued Rupert "It was so small and uncomfortable we had to put the bed in the living room, which also served as kitchen, and then we had a tiny bathroom in which i could barely fit in but i was happy nonetheless, considering the terrible experience we had at the factory, with criminals and drug dealers threatening and assaulting the homeless" when asked what his overall opinion of Horst Grasser is, Rupert has no doubt "He saved my wife's and children's life. He offered us a second chance. I don't care what people say. What i know is that without him, my love would be dead by now, and i'd still be living in that factory. Horst Grasser was, and will always be, the greatest man to have ever lived in Europe. I was a Grasserist, i am a Grasserirst, and i will die a Grasserist. He wasn't just a leader, to me he was a father, a guide, a light in times of darkness and despair" he concluded.

Andrea, 28 years old woman from Wilhelmstadt, says she worked at the Palace of the People's Republic as cleaning lady "I had the chance to talk with the Wise Leader a couple times. I was unemployed before i found that job at the government building. The People's Labour Service called me and said a position was available ad cleaning lady and, of course, i accepted. I have a 4 years old son. My husband is disabled, and we were provided an apartment in the outskirts of wien, on the ground floor. The volunteers of the Youth League of the National-Syndicalist People's Party took my husband to the Community Hall, where they hosted games and shows for the elders and people affected by disabilities, while my son was at kindergarten. At least my husband didn't feel alone when i was working. Anyway, i used to clean Horst Grasser's rooms at the Palace. I have to admit it was a very humble and modest apartment, there were no luxuries displayed. I think the most valuable piece was a painting of King Frederick dated back to the 18th century, but other than that it looked like an ordinary apartment. He was always busy with someone but he always found time to ask me if i was doing ok, if everything was ok in the outskirts and if the locals were in need of some service. How can i hate him? I cried when i found out about his death. He was one of the greatest leaders in the history of this nation, and possibly of Europe."

"He saved this nation and its people from the abyss of misery!" adds Karl, 30, from Wien "We were lost, hopeless, at the mercy of mass unemployment, endemic poverty, street violence. How can anyone miss those times? I remember them, and they were over a few months after the victory of Horst Grasser and the NSVP. He cleaned up the streets from crime and violence, he helped everybody. He cared, he actually cared about us" he continued "I voted for the NSVP of course, most people did in October 2018. And now, all of a sudden, they discover themselves to be opposers of Horst Grasser? I don't know what will be of this 'new democratic Ostmark' everyone talks about. You can be as free as you want but if you have no food and no place to sleep at, your freedom is worth nothing" he added, with a tone of resentment "I hope the next government will care about us workers and ordinary citizens as much as Horst Grasser did, in that case we'll be ok. Horst Grasser was a great man, with his flaws of course.. just like everybody, but a great man nonetheless. A true hero of the working class. Under his rule, we were all equals. Nobody had privileges, luxury and appearance did not matter. All that mattered to him was that everyone had food, healthcare, education, welfare. That's what true leaders do: they love the people as if they are their own children. Nobody can dispute the good things the regime has done for this country. We will never forget him, and we will always remember his genuine love for the people. He wasn't just a Wise Leader: to me, Horst Grasser is the Eternal Leader".

Lukas, 33, told me a completely different story. He silently listened to his friends talking about their experiences. Sometimes, he appeared to be exploding in anger "And what about the people who disappeared? What about the illegal arrests and raids of the Volkspolizei and the State Security Service? I live in the outskirts too. Anyone who dared to express a negative comment went in trouble in the blink of an eye. Everyone was an informant. Everyone was compliant with the oppression and surveillance by authorities. Has anyone ever wondered where all those people went to after their disappearance? They have never returned! Well.. some have returned, and they always refused to talk about it. I've heard rumors of borderline tortures in the undergrounds of the Ministry for State Security, with dissidents chained to their beds, or left starving for two-three days in a row.. ON PURPOSE! How can we excuse that simply because we were offered apartments and jobs? Human rights is a word Horst Grasser has never heard about. The thousands and thousands of people who were arrested, and many of them never returned. Apartments.. and jobs.. is that the all it takes to throw freedom ni a dumpster??" said Lukas, who was quickly becoming aggressive.

The conversation continued for a few minutes. When more people joined into the conversation, it seemed the situation was about to escalate into a brawl, with Grasserists on one side, and detractors on the opposite side of the table. Only the quick and swift intervention of the beerhall owner restored calm and peace in the room "Enough!" he shouted "The dead will stay dead, but those who are alive must make the best out of their life! We must stop looking behind. We must move forward and rebuild this country, we owe it to our children! Now if you have nothing better to do and are done drinking your beer, you can leave!". I left the beerhall with one one fact: Ostmark will hardly forget Horst Grasser and the two years he ruled over the nation.

 

[Tianlong]

ResPublica Esteri
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THE REMION ISSUE
Live, speak and eat like a Remionese in foreign lands.
A curse to be eradicated with forced Germanification.

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by Giova Fermi

TIBUR (Remion) - The Remion question is the name chosen by university professors and scholars for for describe the cultural slaughter that takes place every day abroad. A forced Germanification of the people of Remion. Many citizens, in order not to leave their homes, accept to change their surname for a more German-speaking one and hope to have a simpler life in the countries where there is a passive form of intolerance towards the Remionese. Exclusively German-speaking schools, documents in German language, German signage and German representation for non-German peoples, have over the years eroded the presence of citizens who identified themselves as a Remion social and cultural group.

@Bajorország
In the Republic of Bajorország, the situation is one of the rosiest for the Remion minority. Officially, the government recognizes the New Tiburan language as a Major minority languages. But we still feel the weight of a profoundly Catholic society that rejects the "jailers of the pope" with reports of daily forms of intolerance again the remion cultural group. Even in this country, however, there is no form of regional self-government, consequently New Tiburan is not an official language and there are no signs in bilingual. Indeed, the recent "liberticide" laws promoted by the national government were only see as the objective to upset the local community of Remion.

@Eiffelland
Al-Magrab, officially the colony of Remion, for behest of the European Forum has been under the administration of the Kingdom of Eiffelland for 100 years since 1915, afther defeat of Remion during the Great War. When the Governor of Remion handed over the administration of the colony to the Eiffelland authorities in 1915, 220,000 Remion citizens resided in the country. Today, just over 100 years after that day, officially, Remion's residents number is -20,000. Over the years 50,000 residents returned to Remion, but the rest of those who remained were Germanized with systematic cruelty. Obligations were imposed on the local indigenous population that were never enforced under Remion's control. Many citizens of Remion were implicitly asked to Germanify in order to be able to lead a normal life. The schools, local administration, doctors and all state and buttercratic apparatuses were quickly transformed and made operational with the exclusive German language. If you wanted to be treated in the hospital or to find a job, you had to speak German.

Guten Abend liebe Leser

 

[Rheinbund]

Auswärtiges Amt
Trier, Eiffelland

We are awfully sorry, but we do not recognise the actual situation in the description of Al-Magrab put forward by Respublica Esteri. This article has not been based on research conducted in Al-Magrab.
The accusation that you can't get medical help in Al-Magrab without knowing German, which is a very grave accusation, has no base in the actual situation. Healthcare is provided at the same standard of quality as in Eiffelland, regardless of the language the patient can speak. All doctors and nurses speak Arab, Ivrite, German and English as a minimum; some also speak other languages.
Furthermore, Arab and Ivrite are official languages in Al-Magrab, next to German and English. This means that every Magrabine can apply to the authorities in his or her own language, and get education in his or her own language.
I also want to mention that we invested a lot in Al-Magrab. We paved the roads there, we built 90% of the railways there, we made agriculture in the north of Al-Magrab more efficient, we took industry there, and we set up the educational system there. Education is given in Arab, Ivrite and German, and English is taught from age 10 onwards. As a result of the obligatory school age, the literacy rate in Al-Magrab is close to 100%. Education is free in Al-Magrab, also higher education.
We regret that so many Remionese left Al-Magrab, but that has always been their own decision; there was no active policy to put Remionese under pressure to leave A-Magrab.

Dr. Norbert Schmelzer, Minister of Foreign Affairs

 

[Vrijpoort]

Serbovian Moneychangers Arrested and Charged with Money Laundering; Operating without a Permit
EPA Vrijpoort

Four Serbovian nationals were arrested by the Financiële Garde (Financial Guard) on Thursday afternoon and were charged with money laundering and operating a foreign currency exchange without a valid permit. The four men, ranging in age from 26 to 37, had been working in Vrijpoort as street vendor moneychangers but had originally been granted extended stay in Vrijpoort on a Temporary Pass to work in the construction industry at a cement factory. Their registered employer, Standard Cement, part of the Standard Group, reported the four men as having absconded after just two weeks on the job.

Informal moneychangers are a common sight in Vrijpoort, especially in less prosperous neighbourhoods and the districts located near the land border with Pannonia. The Financiële Garde typically turns a blind eye but had been monitoring the alleged criminals for months after following a money trail back to them. According to initial reports the profits made by the moneychangers, all in cash in various currencies, were regularly transported over the border in duffel bags for onward transport to Serbovia. The cash was smuggled, undeclared and reportedly used to fund illicit organisations such as the 24th of May Revolutionary Brigades, which was recently placed on Vrijpoort's sanctions and embargo list.

Warrants were obtained to order the Vrijpoort Signals Directorate to monitor the mobile phone and internet usage of the four men, which apparently led to incriminating evidence. The accused will be arraigned tomorrow morning at Woodlands Magistrate Court where the official counts will be read aloud and the suspects will provide their plea. All four have been provided with legal counsel from the Bureau of Public Legal Defence. The minimum sentence for money laundering is 3 years imprisonment, a 500,000ƒ (approx. 65k€M) fine and 30 strokes of the cane while the maximum is ten times that. The minimum sentence for operating a foreign currency exchange is 1 month imprisonment, a 100,000ƒ fine and 10 strokes of the cane while the maximum is also ten times that. As the suspects are neither Vrijpoort citizens nor permanent residents, a guilty verdict would also mean deportation at the end of their served sentence.

Vrijpoort is known for a fair and highly efficient judicial system but is notorious and sometimes criticised for its harsh sentencing and use of corporal punishment. The government claims its sentences deter crime and keep convicted criminals from reoffending.

EPA has confirmation that the Crown Prosecution Service is currently negotiating with all four suspects to significantly reduce or completely remove the charges in exchange for full cooperation to go after the masterminds behind the operation. The Crown Prosecution Service and Law Vrijpoort, the judicial ministry, refused to comment.

The Financiële Garde stated that 'all financial crimes, small and large, have an impact on people's lives either here or overseas. Financial crime funds human and sex trafficking, terrorism, financial scams robbing pensioners, the working class and others of their hard-earned salaries and more. These crimes fund violent groups of outlaws. We will never cease to find, disrupt and end such criminal endeavours using all the considerable resources and tools at our disposal'.

Further developments on this case are expected in the coming days.

 

[Ostmark]

HAS OSTMARK BROKEN ITS INNER-ORIENTED STANCE?
An interview with Steven Garcia, political analyst and intelligence expert.
EPA Wien

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By Alexander Besselman (Die Republik)

Alexander Besselman: Hello Steven and welcome to this interview. Chancellor Eidman has announced that thirty urban planning experts will fly from Wien to Saint Joseph to help the Josepanian government, currently presided by President Konstantinos, to build affordable housing projects with the intent of alleviating the housing and homeless crisis in the Archipelago of Saint Joseph. It is the first time the Ostmarkian government announces an 'intervention' in a foreign country, without consulting other regional powers first. What does this mean, in your opinion?

Steven Garcia: Hi Alexander, it's nice to see you again. Well, let's start by saying that this is not actually the first time Ostmark decides to 'get involved' in the internal issues of a foreign nation. As we all know Ostmark was a fully fledged member, and a very influencial one in many occasions, of the Socialist Bloc between late 2018 and late 2020. When Horst Grasser was in power, Ostmark had often proactively stepped into international disputes as a mediator. Ostmark has more then once tried to bring togheter Germanian nations in the fight against piracy and in form a diplomatic front against the Anti State. And let's not forget that the CONPROFOR, the Continental Protection Force, was proposed by Grasser himself and Ostmark, of course, participated by deploying a contingent of peacekeepers of the People's Defense Force in a warzone, with questionable results. The difference between the past and today is that the current government lacks any sort of diplomatic weight when it comes to international politics. Chancellor Eidman lacks the charisma and the initiative to step into disputes such as the ongoing crisis in Pannonia. Judging by the reluctancy to get involved, even on a diplomatic level, it seems to me that it is a clear symptom of the lack of strenght of the Republic of Ostmark to project itself as a 'key player' in the regional politics of Germania.

Alexander Besselman: Do you think this reluctancy to get involved will have positive effects for Ostmark in the long term? Or will Eidman's lack of influence on the international stage eventually lead to further isolation, basically limiting Ostmark's interaction to the Kingdom of Eiffelland, considering the cold relations between Ostmark and the Tarusan Tsardom?

Steven Garcia: I think that given the current situation in the region, which i consider to be extremely volatile and potentially disastrous for the future of Germania, Ostmark might aswell benefit from its inner-oriented stance. Foreign investors interested in opening new markets and take advantage of new opportunities must take into account political stability and the stability of the socio-economic tissue of the recepient of the investments and Ostmark has proven to be more stable, at least in the past five months, than many other countries in the region. Ostmark has already attracted large investments from multinational companies, including banks. It will probably take years but if Chancellor Eidman will be able to keep the post national-syndicalists at bay and find a good balance between the free market economic system and the social democratic policies he supports, i think the results will lead to a higher quality of life, and of course a consistent growth of the gross domestic product.

Alexander Besselman: Considering the fact that Ostmark and Josepania barely had any diplomatic contact in the past, probably due to geographical reasons, how do you explain the sudden and totally unexpected initiative promoted by Chancellor Eidman to assist President Konstantinos, who literally stands on the other side of the planet?

Steven Garcia: Displaying solidarity and altruism can only improve Ostmark's reputation on the international political stage, and there is no risk of getting involved in a civil conflict or stepping in another great power's sphere of influence. At the same time, Ostmark and Saint Joseph's mutual diplomatic relations will greatly improve, paving the way for future cooperation. It's a win-win, politically speaking. That's also the reason why Ostmark has never directly intervened in the Pannonian crisis, and the reason must be found in the fact that many nations are trying to project their influence and economic, political, military strenght on the central germanian nation. Ostmark's involvement could seriously put the country at danger, simply by stepping over someone else's shadow. Ostmark has no chance to compete anyway, even if it wanted to. But when it comes to Saint Joseph, the situation is completely different. We are talking about a politically stable nation trying to implement social-democratic policies the Ostmarkians are very sympathetic with: the pursue of equality and happiness and emancipation of the poor. We can safely assume that this is just Ostmark being Ostmark after all. Solidarity is a very important cultural value over there as it is embodied in the ethics commonly promoted in Ostmarkian families, in the educational system. We are talking about a very small country, and peaceful for almost all of its modern history. It must be noted that this altruistic stance has been enhanced by the economic crisis, the default, and the fall of the dictatorships. Ostmarkians tend to 'stick togheter' during times of crisis. Strenght in numbers, that's how they try to overcome challenges and difficulties. Let's be honest: Ostmark is not a strategic location, neither it is rich in resources. There is nothing in Ostmark that cannot be found in better quality, and quantity, in any other nation in Germania or on the shores of the Gothic Sea. It's possible, in my opinion, that Ostmark sometimes simply feels alone, sorrounded by huge issues, that involve very big and powerful countries, that have no reason to get Ostmark involved at all.

Alexander Besselman: Thank you for sharing your opinion Steven, this was an interesting talk.

Steven Garcia: Your welcome.

 

[Pelasgia]

BREAKING: Interview with a Pelasgian mercenary in Pannonia?
Interview by Ourania Alexandropoulou
EPA Propontis (special mission with EPA Kipest)

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The soldier with whom we spoke, who identified himself only as Goblin ("Kallikantzaros"). Another soldier, with whom we briefly interacted, stands behind him.

​

(The camera zooms into a group of soldiers from behind a ledge)​

Reporter 1 (EPA Kipest): What is that vehicle? I've never seen one like it before.​

Reporter 2 (EPA Propontis): That's a TOM-3! It's Pelasgian.​

Reporter 1: What the hell is it doing here? Maybe it's Tarusan?​

Reporter 2: No, the Tarusans use a similar model, but look at the paint covering where the markings used to be. You can make out some letters; it's Pelasgian, the Tarusans use a different script.​

(Sound of soldiers moving; someone shouts)​

Unknown soldier 1 (in broken Pannonian): Who there? Stop! Out now!​

(Reporters 1 & 2 trade glances; Reporter 2 leaves Reporter 1 behind to observe, leaves ledge and approaches.)​

Soldier 1: Who you?​

Reporter 2 (in Pelasgian): Are you Pelasgian? I'm a journalist from Propontis; I'm doing a special report!​

Soldier 1: Oh, you're from Propontis? My sister goes to university there; my pay from here will help her pay for her medical school.​

Reporter 2: I didn't know that Pelasgia had sent soldiers here.​

Soldier 1: Soldiers? Haha, no. We're advisors--advising the Pannonians how to put down bandits, Tyrasia-style.​

Reporter 2: Why do you have an AT-74 then?​

Soldier 1: Safety. Advising can be a dangerous job. Sometimes, I also need to demonstrate more directly. (laughs)​

(Another man walks up, wearing very different gear but with the same badge and armband)​

Soldier 2: Who's this?​

Soldier 1: Some reporter from Propontis.​

Soldier 2: Ah, OK. What's your name? Are you with PERT?​

Reporter 2 (Ourania): My name's Ourania Alexandropoulou. I'm with PERT's international partner from Propontis.​

Soldier 2: Oh, PERT Worldwide or whatever. (to Soldier 1) After, come meet me and Nikos by the thing; we gotta show the Pannonians how to use it.​

Soldier 1: (nods)​

(Soldier 1 raises his hand,

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; Soldier 2 reciprocates)​

Ourania: What's your name? You know mine.​

Soldier 1 (Goblin): They call me Goblin ("Kallikantzaros"). Can't say more than that.​

Ourania: Government doesn't let you?​

Goblin: Government? Pfft. I don't work for them; I work for GenSec*. I'm a professional. The pay's better, even after paying for all my shit. Check out my helmet--it's brand new! These liners too--Eiffellandian, I think. Eiffellandians make the best gear, as everyone knows.​

Ourania: (nods nervously) So who's paying GenSec? I hear their fees are expensive.​

Goblin: (shrugs) The Pannonians, of course. Why would the Pelasgians pay me to help the Pannonians?​

Ourania: But Pelasgia supports Pannonia. Unlike those Populists, right?​

Goblin: What is a Populist? Is that some kind of political party? Sounds radical.​

Soldier 2: (shouting from afar) Hey, quit talking to her! (turns to reporter) You, you said you work for PERT World, right?​

Ourania: Yes, why?​

Soldier 2: I wanna say hi to my mom! This is going to be shown in Pelasgia, no?​

Ourania: Well, it's mainly for international audiences, but also for Pelasgians.​

Soldier 2: Alright. (waves at camera) Hi mom! (turns to Goblin) Come on, Nikos is waiting. The Pannonians aren't paying us wartime fees for nothing.​

Goblin: (nods) Aye, I'm coming. (waves Ourania goodbye) Take care! It's pretty dangerous out here, what with all these bandits running around. Sometimes, I have a hard time telling them apart from the normal Pannonians myself.​

*GenSec is the acronym of General Security S.A., a private security company closely affiliated with the Pelasgian business sector and national security apparatus.​

​

NOTICE: Our journalist does not work for PERT S.A., PERT World S.A., or any of their affiliates; however, she merely said that she did out of fear for her personal well-being. EPA Propontis regularly works with PERT and respects its commitment to journalistic integrity. This message is not meant to assert that EPA has any control over the branding, personnel, staff, image, or other copyrighted and owned aspects of PERT S.A., PERT World S.A., or any of their affiliates.​

 

[Tianlong]

ResPublica Esteri
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC
Press Office of the Presidency of the Republic.
Public conference in the presence of journalists on the events in Pannonia.

TIBUR (Remion) - *Takes the word spokesman for the Presidency* The President of Repulica, Franco Hulm, expresses his particular appreciation to our armed forces and those of the Federation and Natal for having put a stop to the violence that began in Pannonia, since the beginning of the crisis. All of Remion's strategic partners have created a common direction to promote peace in such a delicate theater. The operational units deployed as part of the 'Wings of Freedom' operation have strengthened the device to provide security and stop any violent activities in sensitive areas of Pannonia with an NFZ, other units at the request of the same authorities of Bajorország, disarmed, are used to monitor the respect of the rights of populations within Pannonia border. The citizens of Remion appreciate the heavy commitment of the Armed Forces as part of the joint effort to address the crisis on the national territory of Bajorország.

Reporter 1: *A reporter gets up, announces his credentials and asks his question* With the now established presence of well-armed mercenary troops in the service of Prime Minister Kovács within the Republic of Bajororzság, what does the Republic of Remion intend to do?

Spokesman: The Republic of Remion respects the natural right of defense of the people of Pannonia and therefore recognizes the right of the government to provide itself with its own army. We condemn the use of private military forces, known as mercenaries, as they operate in gray legal contests and are often exempt from officially recognized obligations and duties to a professional army.

Reporter 2: *A reporter gets up, announces his credentials and asks his question* Is the recall of the battle group with the respective aircraft carrier in the operational context of the Meridian Sea related to the operations underway in the NFZ?

Spokesman: Yes, the aircraft carrier and its respective escort have been deployed to the area to assist with ongoing operations. They are joined by the Naval units of the Federation, to ensure a monitoring of the situation 24/7.

Reporter 3: *A reporter gets up, announces his credentials and asks his question* Is there planned a deployment of ground troops within the Zadar regions?

Spokesman: No, at the moment, there is no reason to start a land campaign within Pannonia. The NFZ is functioning and the armed forces in the area have stopped any offensive activity or violation of the terms indicated at the beginning of the NFZ. Tibur is a promoter of dialogue and diplomacy, we are not in Pannonia as an occupying force.

Reporter 1: How does Tibur respond to accusations that you would organize a military raid to capture Prime Minister Kovács?

Spokesman: Accusations without sense and without any foundation. The Republic of Remion does not operate this way. We consider Prime Minister Kovács an important author for the realization of the peace table between the central government and the regions in open rebelion, but not the only one or irreplaceable. The prime minister's office does not seem to be intent on promoting peace talks, for this reason, we believe that the time has come to turn to someone higher than Kovàcs himself. The President of the Republic of Bajororzság, Paul Edgar von Löwenthal, should comment on this constitutional crisis.

 

[Vrijpoort]

Thousands of Financial Transactions From and to Bourdignie and Eugenia Blocked in Last Months
EPA Vrijpoort

In the weeks and months since Bourdignie and Eugenia unilaterally declared independence from Pannonia, thousands of routine financial transactions have been blocked by banks worldwide. Payroll, insurance premiums, invoices, personal gifts, etc. have bounced back to the senders or, if originating from the breakaway states, were cancelled before funds were cleared to leave accounts.

Bank hotlines the world over have been flooded with questions and complaints. Many people assume that the cancelled transactions are due to Vrijpoorter sanctions on these new countries as the principality and global financial centre acts as the de facto clearing house for many global transactions or because many global cross-border payments are made in Vrijpoort Florins.

But while Vrijpoort does not recognise Bourdignie or Eugenia, the cancelled transactions are not due to sanctions. At the moment, only the Zaran Liberation Army is officially sanctioned and embargoed by Vrijpoort, meaning all banks and companies worldwide are prohibited from dealing with them if they also want to have any connection to Vrijpoort or its companies and citizens.

Rather, because Bourdignie and Eugenia are not recognised as independent and sovereign entities, the global financial system does not have banks from these two jurisdictions properly registered and licensed. The Reserve Bank of Vrijpoort will not allow florins to flow to or from Bourdignie or Eugenia banks as they are not licensed and many Vrijpoorter banks and their subsidiaries around the world are unable to process these types of transactions.

More expensive options exist, such as using money sending services and using Eiffellander Marks, for example. But these levy heavy fees on the sender. Some individuals and companies have tried to use different banks and with non-florin denominated accounts. This tactic has seemed to be more successful, but is still not without its woes.

A banker with Zilverman and Kims, a private bank in Vrijpoort, said that 'A bank in Eiffelland on paper doesn't have a legal issue facilitating the transfer of Marks from, say, Vistarika to Bourdignie. But in reality this could pose potential problems to the bank in the future if Vrijpoort does place restrictions, sanctions or onerous reporting requirements on banks that conduct any sort of business in or with Bourdignie. Because these banks inevitably make a lot of money in Vrijpoort, both with normal trade and on the stock exchange, the trouble might not be worth their while just to service transactions for two relatively small markets.'

 

[Tarusa]

Ostmark: Can It Survive Imperial Invasion?
EPA Special Report
​

Many in the world have been left pondering the question since the fall of the Grasser regime, if not even before then, could the nation of Ostmark stand up to, and survive as a nation against an invasion from its neighbor the Empire of Tarusa? It is a question that gets brought up more and more as the larger neighbor constantly makes an issue of exploiting its significantly smaller Germanic neighbor and the seriousness of this question is raised now that it seems central part of the continent has fallen under the sphere of influence of Tsar Kiselev VI. So we decided to reach out to those who theorize on such matters, and reporters from across the globe to come to the following conclusions and a special statement from the General Staff of the Empire and its views on the matter.

First we analyzed the information we had on the military capacity of the Ostmarkians. They have been transitioning from a larger military force under the Grassers to a much smaller but more modern and professional military. We are told that the standing army itself is in the neighborhood of fifteen thousand personnel with about four times that capable of being called back to duty in the event of a crisis arising. The Air Force only operates roughly a dozen fixed wing aircraft and an unknown amount of rotary craft. The Navy is about as small with mostly patrol boats and two frigates. With these types of numbers, we can see that you yourself are already coming to conclusions of the odds being stacked against this tiny Germanic state. What you don't yet know is the mountain range that has for centuries kept the Germanic and slavic states largely separated and that has staved off historical invasions of this nature. It would yet again even in this modern day of warfare act to an extent as a barrier between these two states as mountainous warfare is still one of the most challenging forms of warfare known to man. But now lets get to the other side of this coin before we jump to any conclusions.

Gathering information about the Imperial Armed Forces is in itself a daunting task between the secrecy, misinformation, and the general unwillingness to provide a full truth of its capabilities has made this slightly more difficult. On the opposite side of this mountain range stands the Germanic Command, the military district in charge of a large swath of border area with Ostmark and Eiffelland. The strength stands officially at four armies and two divisions of the separate airborne troops, unofficially we are not sure of the true strength but unofficially can guess that puts the strength at roughly one-hundred thousand troops. The Germanic Command also appears to have the most airfields operational, so the amount of air power is unquestionably significantly greater than that opposing it. If these numbers have not yet given you the idea of the insurmountable odds the Ostmarkian people face, they also have Tarusan controlled Islands to the North-West, which also house large military bases and air fields, and would undoubtedly also be carrying out operations as it is rumored there is also a marine division on the island not including the army personnel stationed on these islands. Now we must get to the Imperial Navy, out of its main base in Kremlyov and several smaller ports it operates carriers, battlecruisers (which are essentially floating Anti-aircraft batteries), cruisers, frigates, conventional and nuclear powered submarines, and a large number of patrol vessels.

So now we have the numbers in front of us, do these look like the two opponents are evenly matched? We don't think so either so with the facts in front of us what do our theorists have to say about the matter at hand? Several claim that Ostmark would last anywhere from seventy-two to ninety-six hours in a conflict with the Tarusan Empire before capitulating. While the mountain range that has long divided them acts as a barrier, it does not prevent the capability for airborne and seaborne forces from taking large swaths of the country and occupying major cities while the Alpenjaegers fight a delaying action in the mountainous border region before being overwhelmed by the firepower brought against them. Whether the entire country collapses or a part of it remains "free Ostmark" depends largely upon Eiffellander response to the crisis and how fast it can move troops into Ostmark to counter the Tarusans. Also a factor of where the Tarusans may deploy forces changes the scenarios vastly, but in every scenario Wien ends up in the hands of the Tarusans within four days of hostilities commencing. The Airforce and Navy of Ostmark play no significant role in any scenario, essentially being targeted and eliminated in the opening hours if not minutes of the start of operations.

While this sounds grim and we have the theory from our experts, we were contacted by officials from the Ministry of Defense for the Tarusan Empire who wanted to give us their ''corrected version'' for our story as we were allowed to talk to a one General Sergei Biryuzov.

"The assessment by your experts does not take into account the true strength of the Imperial Armed Forces. Our own officers who spend their time and careers planning for scenarios such as that which you are writing this article about and any other scenario that they believe we may potentially face disagree with these experts. We have troops specially trained in alpine warfare, our air force outnumbers the Ostmarkian by over one-hundred to one odds just in aircraft numbers, not including capability. Our navy has shown how capable it is, we destroyed the amphibious operations capability for the Republican Navy of Remion for years to come, without a single loss of a naval vessel. We would completely occupy Wien within six hours and the entire country would be in the hands of the Empire within forty-eight hours. This isn't a story of David versus Goliath, this is a story of an ant versus an automobile."

While we think the General Staff might be a little confident themselves in the outcome of a conflict or if they are completely correct in their capabilities and our own experts are wrong, or anything between, what we do know is the numbers and the odds consistently point to the fall of Wien and the occupation by Tarusa as the most likely outcome in the event of any conflict in the region.

 

[Tianlong]

ResPublica Esteri
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

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THE REMION ISSUE
Government in exile, the courage to stand up to the giants with feet of clay.

by Giova Fermi​

TIBUR [Remion] Karl Friedrich Schönbrunn a name that is certainly not new to our most attentive readers. He was the former minister of the government of Kovacs, who in an attempt to end the destruction of his country, deliberately chose to take the life of a man, not just any man, but of Prime Minister Zoltan Kovács himself. Extracted by Remion's special forces in a larger anti-terrorist operation against the ZLA group, he now resides on the outskirts of Tibur in a country residence. Whole books could be written about the actions of Karl Friedrich Schönbrunn, but we are not here to talk about his legal adventures, or his favorite sport. Let's talk about how, all of a sudden, he has in fact remained the only legitimate figure in the last democratically elected government of the Csgenia area.

At one time, his expulsion by Remion to stand trial for the murder of Kovács might have been a possibility, but following Csgenia's announcement of the start of the removal of dissidents through the inquisition, no court in Remion would allow it. Consequently, Schönbrunn and others who fled Csgenia, decided to organize within the former minister's residence outside Tibura, the government in exile of Csgenia, in agreement with that of the Kingdom of Csgenia. Officially called, Csgenia's Government in Exile, it has already had the recognition of the new President Colombo.

It is clear that Remion, while not wishing a complete union with Eugenia, aims to maintain a certain diplomatic presence by projecting the non-recognition of the new Kingdom of Csgenia as a first action. The program promoted by the PRR party in office now will have to aim at finding a new international partner who wants to get involved in the Pannonian problem. Eugenia will have to start pedaling alone for the first part of the road, but with the latest political moves, Remion remembers to be there and to observe the situation. Will the new republic of Eugenia be able to prove that it is worthy of the interest of the older brother Remion?

 

[Tarusa]

Pressburg Pact Declared
​

In the city of Pressburg within the Kingdom of Pojazerná a gathering had taken place between leadership of three nations. The meeting had not been made public, nor any knowledge of what was happening within the halls of a simple hotel that had been bought out for several days with the only guests being security and the high profile individuals that were there for the discussions. It was not until after the signing of the agreement that we were notified and allowed access to cover the story. In this small slavic kingdom, the balance of power has taken a dramatic shift, at least officially, while unofficially the world has known of this shift for some time after the collapse of Pannonia and the ensuing conflict.

The Treaty, officially known as the Treaty of Cooperation, Friendship, and Mutual Assistance, but nicknamed by those present as the Pressburg Pact, has drawn the nations of Serbovia, Csengia (and with it Pojazerna), and Tarusa into an official agreement and alliance on strengthening economic, political, and military bonds between their respective governments. Industry and Development Minister Evgeniy Makarov was in attendance with Luka Volkov the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Tarusan Empire with the Serbovian government being represented by Prime Minister Aleksandar Plesic.

Details of the pact were not openly revealed to ourselves shrouding exactly what commitments the governments have made to each other under this agreement but one can speculate that it serves to further their national interests. It is believed it contains clauses for economic cooperation, industrial cooperation, intelligence sharing, and obviously military assistance and cooperation on programs as this comes within weeks after the Pannonian crisis has begun to simmer but tensions remain high as the countries that have developed from the collapse of Pannonia begin attempting to strengthen their position and gain international recognition.