President Costava

ARSTOTZKA - The President of the Arstotzkan Republic, Jorji Costava called for a ceasefire in the Caucasus and negotiations between the parts in a live speech on state TV early this afternoon, while a few miles on the other side of the Strait of Kerch the forces of Tianxia and Pure Lands attacked the Caucasian Union. In his calm but worried pre-afternoon speech, the Arstotzkan leader appeared subdued but defiant, repeatedly pausing as he flipped through handwritten notes. "This is the only way to overcome differences. I call urgently on all institutional and political actors and on civil society in Asia and the Caucasus to promote peace and stability by both word and deed", the President said during the TV speech. "I am deeply concerned over the consequences towards the civilian population which will be the first one to pay for this conflict. The Arstotzkan Republic will carefully monitor the situation on the other side of the Strait of Kerch and offers to host a neutral diplomatic table where all the parts in the conflict can hopefully reach an agreement and prevent this conflict to escalate, with unpredictable and terrifying consequences for the population of the Caucasus." "The Arstotzkan Republic also encourages Greater Russia, a key player in Asia, to support the negotiations table." he added.

ARSTOTZKA - Arstotzka exports rose today at the fastest pace since the declaration of independence, Ministry of Trade and Technology data released today showed, as the benefits of a weak Rouble started to take hold and brisk sales of electronics to developed nations. Analysts expect Arstotzka to maintain a steady recovery, although some warn of risks like the balanced budget limiting national investments on infrastructures and technology. “As a trend, exports are recovering and will keep growing because the positive effect of the weak Rouble will strengthen in coming months,” said President Jorji Costava. Exports all over the world all accelerated. Export volume also rose for the first time, offering more evidence that foreign demand could strengthen further. “So we expect exports to continue to recover. The details are encouraging because you can see that exports to Arstotzka’s main markets are bouncing back.” he added.

ARSTOTZKA - The President of the Republic of Arstotzka, Jorji Costava, announced this morning that he was lifting the temporary ban on political activities and the state of emergency declared on all the national territory, hoping to reduce the influence of extremist autonomists militancy in the areas. All the country's districts have been fully incorporated into the country’s legal and political system. Rights groups have long denounced the rules as draconian and Arstotzka’s political parties have urged the government to do away with them, calling them a dark legacy of of the totalitarian past of Arstotzka. “Today, I am announcing the permission of political activities in Arstotzka to bring them into the main political stream,” President Costava said in a live radio broadcast, referring to the temporary ban issued a week ago. President Costava chose a symbolic moment to make the announcement: the eve of the national holiday marking the first week of independence of the Arstotzkan Republic. But analysts here said the announcement also seemed timed to coincide with the new diplomatic relations with Paraguay and undergoing discussions with Slavorussia to fully recognize the Arstotzkan Republic as an independent nation in eastern Crimea. "Lifting the state of emergency and the ban on political activities we will raise ourself to the ranks of the democratic and free nations of the world, and ensure the most serene and friendly relations with our future economic partners. I guarantee Arstotzka will become a shining diamond of equality and democracy on the Black Sea". The ban on political activities and parties had created a vacuum that was increasingly exploited by militants and extremists, allowing them to tighten their hold on the region as they mounted a suicide attack in the center of Grestin City, the country's political and economic capital. “Now, political parties can organize themselves in Arstotzka and political process can start, in respect of the Law Code of Arstotzka” said President Costava “It was a longstanding demand.” Under the reforms, arbitrary arrest of men and women would be curtailed; a special judicial commission similar to a high court would be set up; and the finances of the administrative districts would be audited. Still, the announcement was not welcomed uniformly. Some of the district governors sharply distanced themselves from it. “We were not consulted,” the Governor of the District of Fardesto. “Whatever good or bad comes out of this decision, we do not own it,” he said. Rights groups and analysts expressed concern over the lack of accord between the Central Government and the local authorities. “The lack of agreement between the parts would mean that the changes would become controversial and the whole process would not remain smooth,” said the director of Human Rights Commission of Arstotzka, a private group. “So far, as permission for political activities is concerned, it is a very healthy development,” he said. “It is an advance and would enable the people to gradually come out of the stagnant separatist relations.” But he warned that there were still some vested interest groups in the autonomous regions “that do not want complete democratization of the areas.” “It is a good move,” he added, “but I wish it had been done since the beginning.”

From: Ministry of Admission of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka To: Department of State of the Republica de Paraguay Subject: Diplomatic Authorization No. DLB6S-M053J - Antonio Salaz Please present this Authorization upon reaching the Customs checkpoint at the Grestin City International Airport, Signed, Ministry of Admission of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka

To: Department of State of the Republica de Paraguay From: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka Subject: Establishing Diplomatic Relations To the attention of the Department of State of the Republica de Paraguay, The Ministry of Foreign Affrais of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka on behalf of the Government of Arstotzka, the People's Assembly on behalf the Arstotzkan people as whole, His Excellency President Jorji Costava on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Assembly and the Arstotzkan people as a whole, would like to extend official recognition of sovereignty to the Republica de Paraguay. While extending our Official Recognition of the independent nation state of Paraguay, and promoting the self-determination of Peoples of planet Bob, the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka offers to send a diplomatic staff and open a Consulate headed by Consul Ambassador His Excellency Aleksander Bondarenko. Please mark this document with an Official stamp of the Department of State and the head of the Diplomatic Staff of the Republica de Paraguay in order to confirm you have received this message. This document is signed, stamped and approved by the "Department of Stamps and Seals of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka" for the following institutions: The President of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka, Jorji Costava The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka, The People's Assembly of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka, The People of Arstotzka and the Unity of the Nation represented by the President and the People's Assembly, The Department of Stamps and Seals of the Glorious Republic of Arstotzka on behalf of the Approval Stamp below, Glory to Arstotzka, Glory to the Republica de Paraguay,

ARSTOTZKA - Arstotzka’s government is pressing ahead with a proposed constitutional amendment calling for a balanced budget, a few days after the People's Assembly approved a much-discussed growth plan to fight unemployment and to provide aid to the poor and the decayed country's infrastructures. The Council of Ministers of the Arstotzkan Republic signed off on the proposed amendment. It must be approved by a two-thirds majority in the People's Assembly. President Jorji Costava called for a “constructive and quick” parliamentary discussion and predicted it would ultimately pass. The Council met a few day safter the People's Assembly approved a separate aid package aimed at reducing unemployment and rebuild the country's infrastructures over two months through foreign investments, social assistance and cooperation with future economic partners.

Justinian the Mighty gave me permission to claim that part of Crimea (after Centurius asked me to ask Justinian as Ukraine has been promised to him)

ARSTOTZKA - Customers heading for a Grestin branch of the National Bank of Arstotzka know the drill. You walk through the entrance and heavily armed guards stop you. You get body-searched at least twice. And your phone is taken away before you reach a teller. Mobile phones, of course, can trigger bombs or send a signal to armed accomplices. The National Bank of Arstotzka is thriving as Arstotzka begins to show signs of life. Profits have grown from about 3000 to more than 125000 roubles. “We think the timing is right,” says Aleksander Astafurov, chief executive officer of the National Bank of Arstotzka. “Arstotzkans are starting to reconnect to the outside world.” After the recent unemployment and drought crisis, Arstotzka has changed. Yes, convoys packed with heavily armed security personnel still roar down Grestins’s damaged streets. Armed gangs still prey on truckers in the countryside and highjack residential buildings in the outskirts. Arstotzka’s government struggles to control the area outside the Capital City and is debating wether to ask a neighboring and trustful country for a peacekeeping force or increasing funds on defense, at the expenses of welfare and growth policies. Ordinary Arstotzkans, however, after the humanitarian organizations offered aid to the population, are finally receiving the much needed support from the Governnment. Shops in October Revolution street are filled with outdated black and white TVs, radios, and poor quality clothes made by Arstotzkans in state owned factories, recently opened to fight unemployment and give a hope for young arstotzkans. Pedestrians have to step around the rubbles and barbed wire deployed outside. At night, however, the curfew forces all arstotzkans to stay indoors. On the other hand, recent oil production is powering growth, as is pent-up demand for housing and better infrastructure. Now that the government has financed new drillings and the construction of several oil fields in the country, the Ministry of Economy and Oil figures the economy could grow by 50% in the next 2 months. Only few days ago the economy had no pulse. Meanwhile, the central bank has stabilized the arstotzkan rouble and has lowered inflation to single digits. “This definitely gives predictability,” says President Costava in one of his rare public statements. While corruption, organized crime, unemployment, damaged and decaying cities and infrastructure are still major issues in Arstotzka, the most encouraging thing about this country is that outside investors press on. The Arstotzkan people are ready.

ARSTOTZKA - At least three soldiers and 15 civilians were killed and several more wounded in two explosions near Grestin, the capital of Arstotzka. Remains from a suicide bomb-belt were found at the scene. The two explosions near a humanitarian aid camp adjacent to Grestin, were carried out by two unknown individuals. The blast allegedly killed eighteen three and injured twenty, both military members and civilians. One of the bodies is believed to be the remains of one of the suicide bombers, Arstotzkan police reported. The wounded were immediately taken to a local aid camp, and are reportedly seriously injured. The blast zone was cordoned off, and investigators are attempting to identify the suicide bombers and any possible accomplices. According to different report, the bomb went off under an armored vehicle as it left a police checkpoint near the camp. The car was severely damaged in the blast, though it was unclear what kind of explosive was used and who carried out the attack, an Arstotzkan police spokesperson said. [center][/center]

ARSTOTZKA - Arstotzka received a 6.000.000 dollars package in foreign aid to help stabilize the impoverished country as it goes through a shaky political transition and faces rising extremism amidst widespread food and water shortages. Arstotzka's Government has said it will ultimately invest the aid package in infrastructures and fight on unemployment to support the country's economic recovery over a 2 months period. Therefor the Arstotzkan government has outlined a recovery plan aimed at creating jobs as unemployment rates reach 70% percent among young people, and to provide sorely needed services such as education, health care, access to sanitation and food aid with hundreds under the age of 15 suffering from acute malnutrition, according to Humanitarian workers and the desperate outcries of Father Konstantin, a young Orthodox priest in Grestin City. "Arstotzka will need predictable and regular sources of funding to keep up the momentum on reforms and to keep the hopes of all Arstotzkans alive," said a spokeperson of a Humanitarian organization involved in Arstotzka.

ARSTOTZKA - The Arstotzkan authorities have arrested an investigative journalist on suspicion of taking bribes to discredit the Glorious Republic of Arstoztka and its neighboring country, the Caucasian Union, according to state media. Alexander Rashenko who works for the Truth of Arstotzka newspaper and made his name exposing corruption, was allegedly caught taking cash from an opposition leader in Grestin City. Rashenko, who has recently worked on investigative stories related to the conditions of the economy of Arstotzka, was detained by police who confiscated “an illegally owned pistol, computers, cameras and documents.” Reports added that two of the journalist’s stringers who had worked with him were also arrested. The Truth of Arstotzka newspaper confirmed its reporter had been held in a brief news item, but did not provide any further details. "We send our apologies for the infamous and defamating words said by our journalist against the Glorious Soviet Union. Arstotzka will not tolerate further pathetic attempts to discredit its history and its glorious present, or insult our neighbors in order to destabilize our relations and trigger diplomatic accidents in times when Arstotzka needs international support most." said President Costava during a public conference.

ARSTOTZKA - EVERYTHING IS FINE IN GLORIOUS ARSTOTZKA The name conjures up visions of a former soviet satellite country, riches of gold and oil, extremely low unemployment, hard working people, rich farmlands and technical innovation. A strong and vibrant country with a modern army and air force and an air of expectancy, handed down from father to son, that their land would be the greatest in the whole continent. Grestin was a thriving metropolis of great buildings and the frenzied rush of people going about their affairs much like any other major city in the world. It was such a powerhouse of people, ideas and innovations and the strong arstotzkan mentality over rode all... Today, Grestin appears to be a run down shanty town with decrepit buildings, boarded up windows, filthy garbage riddled streets and squalor everywhere. So, what happened? The Soviet Union collapsed, and then the economy and infrastructures of Arstotzka followed the fate of its motherland. This utopia, this land of riches, this gemstone of order and equality, is now like so many other third world nations, a struggling mix of corruption and backward mentality coming to terms with life in the 21st century. Unfortunately, Arstotzkans have not been able to rise above the ruins of their country and are cursed with a background that has not reached the stage which would enable them to mentally grasp all the requirements that are needed to administer a complex and busy country. From being the underdog of the Soviet Union, to being an independent country today, has created major economic and social problems. There is an ongoing payback mentality that encourages Arstotzkans to ignore the law. In one way apartment blocks are regularly burgled and highjacked and effects stolen. This is not done covertly, and gangs of the organized crime regularly threaten households... Apart from the trashing of cities which have become sleazy rubbish dumps the hospital services are almost non existent. Indeed, apathy is probably the correct word to describe how the rest of the world views this cursed nation.

GRESTIN CITY - The situation in Arstotzka is deteriorating. Corruption and organized crime is plunging the country and its people to unprecedented levels of poverty and decay. There is no work and no money. Corrupted bureaucrats pull out all of the last juices from the people. The official rate of unemployment is at 40%, but unofficial data is magnitudes higher, as high as 70%. Last morning a kindergarten teacher in Grestin found a note about one of her four-year-old pupils. "I will not be coming to pick up Boris today because I cannot afford to look after him," it read. "Please take good care of him. Sorry. his mother." In the last two months Father Konstantin, a young Orthodox priest who runs a youth centre for the city's poor, has found four children on his doorstep - including a baby just days old. Another charity was approached by a couple whose twin babies were in hospital being treated for malnutrition, because the mother herself was malnourished and unable to breastfeed. Cases like this are shocking a country where family ties are strong, and failure to look after children is socially unacceptable - and it's not happening in the countryside or in a war torn region, but in their capital city. One of the children cared for by Father Konstantin is Natasha, a bright two-year-old brought to his centre by her mother a few days ago. The woman said she was unemployed and homeless and needed help - but before staff could offer her support she had vanished, leaving her daughter behind. "We have hundreds of cases of parents who want to leave their children with us - they know us and trust us," Father Konstantin says. "They say they do not have any money or shelter or food for their kids, so they hope we might be able to provide them with what they need." Most of Arstotzkans, even those who have higher education and qualifications are forced to perform "dirty work" as underpaid carpenters, laying the tile, etc. However, even to find this work in Arstotzka today is almost impossible. Arstotzka's poverty and unemployment have made some families so desperate they are giving up the most precious thing of all - their children. The People's Assembly is currently debating an emergency plan to assist the population.

GRESTIN CITY - Arstotzka is a step closer to mandatory water rationing today as President Jorji Costava proclaimed a state of emergency and ordered all government agencies to implement the state's emergency plan and provide help for people, communities and businesses impacted by the drought. "This drought is having a devastating impact on our people, our communities, our economy and most importantly on my personal 300 square meters large swimming pool - making today's action absolutely necessary." President Costava said. "This is a crisis, just as severe as an earthquake or raging wildfire, and we must treat it with the same urgency by upgrading Arstotzka's water infrastructure to ensure a clean and reliable water supply" he added. The President's order directs that by August 12, the Department of Water Resources will provide an updated report on the state's drought conditions and water availability. If the emergency conditions have not eased, the President said he could start mandatory water rationing and mandatory reductions in water use. Costava said he could order reoperation of major reservoirs in the state to minimize impacts of the drought. The President called for a nationwide water conservation campaign and asked all urban water users to immediately reduce their individual water use by 50 percent. He asked all Arstozkans to reduce their water use as much as possible, OR ELSE!!!

"The most colourful and joyful country i have ever seen." - Nobody "The Glorious Republic of Arstotzka is the best country in the world." - A bribed pedestrian "President Jorji Costava is an oppressive cleptomaniac" - Someone's last words "The point is: unless you show me an ID card i can't verify your identity and give you another ID card to replace the one you lost during a hunting trip." - An official of the Register Office of Grestin City "As long as trees will not be able to provide a passport, an entry permit, a work pass and an identification card, we will incinerate any sort of vegetation to pave the way for the construction of grey residential complexes. Altough in different scales of grey. And i'm not saying this just because my sister's husband is the Chief Executive Officer of the biggest building company in Arstotzka." - the Minister of Environment The Arstotzkan Republic (officially: Glorious Republic of Arstotzka) is a self proclaimed "ultra-bureaucratic state", and is considered to be the country with the most strict immigration laws. The government is autocratic, and the strict isolation imposed by eccentric President Jorji Costava is enforced by the border guards and the police. Despite the autorities efforts to distribute what's left of the wealth after they shared it amongst themself, Arstotzka's population is still impoverished. The authorities exercise tight control over the media. Many outlets are owned either directly by the country's government or by business groups with close links to the authorities. Television is the most-influential medium. There are two television channels: one government-run and the other one plagued by unexplained electromagnetic interferences. The press provides a spread of political opinion. Two opposition papers publish as often as their government-controlled counterparts, but for one reason or another the van transporting the copies of the newspapers always disappears in the early hours of the morning. The small media market provides content in the region's main languages - Arstotzkan and Russian. The government TV broadcasts in each. However, Arstotzkan-language outlets predominate.

Hello i would like to claim the eastern tip (inside the red area) of the peninsula of Crimea as "Glorious Republic of Arstotzka". Thank you :)