Imperator Azenquor

[b][u]Voting ends as high turnout is predicted[/b][/u] [i]“Voting has now concluded at polling stations across Russia as citizens cast their ballots to elect the members of the seventh Federal Duma of the Greater Russian Empire. Most voting locations are reporting above average voter turnout with a handful of locations reporting estimated turnouts of 84% or higher. Unlike in some of the previous Duma elections, the government has announced that no exit polls will be issued prior to the announcement of the final results. There will also be no reporting of partial results as the vote counting process is underway. In light of these changes, Election officials have asked the public to be patient and to be prepared to wait for several hours while the results are calculated and verified. While some members of United Russia (UR) have claimed to have witnessed electoral fraud during the elections, no official complaints have been filed. Additionally there have been no complaints made by observers from the various political parties who are witnessing the vote counting process. Despite the absence of exit polls during this election, the leadership of the Communist Party has already announced that it’s ‘reliable sources’ have information suggesting that the party has won 28% of the vote with the Socialists winning 31%. Communist Party leader Radislav Berdymuhamedov has all but declared victory. Electoral officials have refused to comment on Mr. Berdymuhamedov’s claim but have labelled his statement ‘irresponsible’. Russian Fatherland Party Leader Rinald Kanic refused to speculate about the electoral results, but described Mr. Berymuhamedov’s public comments as the ‘deluded rambling of an old man whose ideology is long past its expiration date’.[/i]

[b][u]VNN News: Agreement reached in East Ingushetia[/b][/u] [i]“After more than a year of quiet and tense negotiations, the Imperial Representative to the East Ingushetia Autonomous Community (EIAC) announced a massive breakthrough this morning. In a short statement, the representative announced that an agreement resolving all outstanding issues between both communities had been agreed to and endorsed by the leaders of both factions. According to the statement, the agreement resolves issues of representation, policing and even the powers granted to the Regional Governor. The agreement, referred to as the [b]Sakha All-Party Agreement[/b] will be reviewed by His Most Orthodox Royal Highness, the Imperator and will be enacted into law once the relevant decree is issued by the Imperator. This process is expected to take no more than five days. The new agreement will replace the previously signed framework agreement, though it contains some of the articles agreed upon in the first framework agreement. Under the Sakha Agreement, all political parties in the East Ingushetia Autonomous Community (EIAC) are required to declare themselves either ‘Ingush Bloc’, ‘Patriotic Bloc’ or ‘Unaligned’. Elections will be held for the East Ingushetia Regional Parliament once all relevant parties have made the necessary declarations. Instead of the simple majority voting which has seen the Regional Parliament dominated by the majority party, the Sakha Agreement will grant the minority party significant blocking powers in the next Regional Parliament. Under the agreement, all laws with the exception of the regional budget, must have the support of the majority of the Regional Parliament and the support of both ‘Ingush Bloc’ and ‘Patriotic Bloc’ members in order to be enacted. The agreement refers to this as 'Governing by Consensus'. Changes to the Regional Charter, would require the approval of a two-thirds majority of the Regional Parliament as well as the majority of both ‘Ingush Bloc’ and ‘Patriotic Bloc’ MRPs. According to the agreement, these changes will seek to give both communities a voice in local decision making and a stake in the political process. The Sakha Agreement, while rejecting the direct election of the Regional Governor as demanded by the Ingush party, creates the position of Deputy Regional Governor and specifies that the Governor and Deputy governor may not be from the same bloc or the same political party. The agreement will also see some of the Regional Governor’s powers transferred to an East Ingushetia Provincial Executive whose members will be appointed by the Regional Parliament. On the contentious issue of policing, the Sakha Agreement will order the dissolution of the East Ingushetia Police Force and will see the deployment of Guardians of the Peace of the Serene Republic (G.P.S.R.) personnel from the Yuktobania and Central Autonomous Communities to East Ingushetia. These personnel will take charge of policing in the province until the creation of a new regional police force that recruits its members from both communities. According to the agreement, the separatists within the Ingush political parties are required to clearly and unambiguously accept that East Ingushetia ‘is, and shall continue to be’ a fundamental part of the Serene Republic of Vaule. The agreement also states clearly, that if any party to the agreement seeks the separation of the East Ingushetia Autonomous Community from the Serene Republic, the entire agreement will be voided. In a concession to the Ingush bloc, the government has agreed that it will not rejoin the former Marscurian territory to East Ingushetia. Some pro-government factions, including the governing Vaule National Movement (VNM) hoped that the former Marscurian territory would be added to East Ingushetia and would help strengthen the nationalist majority in the province. The full text of the Sakha Agreement will be published tomorrow and the document is expected to be debated by the Vaulian Parliament later this week. Despite these achievements, some individuals feel that the agreement will not take steps towards resolving the long-running inter-community tensions in the province, while others feel that a major step forward has been made.”[/i]-R. Porter

SNN: Dragomirov government declares war on the poor “While many citizens quietly hoped that the election of the Justice and Development Party (JDP) would bring about positive change in the country, those hopes have been thoroughly and harshly dashed. In a callous opening salvo against the poor and disadvantaged, the Prime Minister has brought to Parliament a bill that will destroy public housing in Zapadnaya. The public housing system, which was credited with helping the nation to pick up the ruined infrastructure left after the civil war, is now under attack. In the aftermath of Zapadnaya’s brutal civil war, which saw almost 68.2% of all infrastructure in the country destroyed, the government of the day undertook a massive public housing project to provide shelter to the war ravaged population. The government’s decision to invest in the people helped to bring about renewed economic growth and confidence in the future. The government today now argues that it is unsustainable for public housing to remain as it has before, despite the fact that the government has collected significant revenues from public housing tenants over the past decade. In a move that will affect as much as 80% of the nation’s citizens, the government is now seeking to privatize public housing and has created the agency that will serve as the assassin of the poor in Zapadnaya. The National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) will seize administration of public housing from provincial officials and will begin the process of forced privatization. For those fortunate individuals whose homes are not privatized under this scheme, they will face a dire threat. In addition to the powers of privatization, the government has given the NPLA the right to eject tenants who fail to pay their rents on time and has gutted the law that saw public housing rents set based on consultations between provincial authorities and tenants. In a clear violation of the social contract which brought about Zapadnaya’s public housing, the government has granted the NPLA the right to set rent rates unilaterally and without consultation or review. The government of President Dragomirov is sending one clear message to the poor in Zapadnaya: if you can’t pay sharp increases in rent, we’ll kick you out of the only home you have ever known.”

National Housing Centralization & Privatization Act (20XX) Recognizing the current housing situation in Zapadnaya as being increasingly unsustainable and untenable in the long term, and recognizing the fact that 79.6% of residences are owned (directly or indirectly) by the state, the government hereby undertakes the following reforms to the housing system: -All public housing which is currently under the administration of provincial and regional authorities shall be placed under the direct administration of the central government. -To facilitate the effective management and administration of public housing, the government creates the National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) and devolves to said agency all powers of administration transferred from the provincial and regional authorities. -The National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) shall be granted the authority to eject from any property under its administration any tenant who for any reason fails to pay his or her rent in full. -The National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) shall be granted the sole authority to sell any property under its administration to a private purchaser or commercial entity provided that the purchaser or entity is a local individual or entity. -The National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) shall be given the legal protection to exercise the aforementioned right of sale regardless of the objection of the tenant(s) or any legal action taken by said tenant(s). -The Rent Limitation Act (2003) is hereby repealed in its entirety. The National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) is therefore able to independently adjust public housing rent charges to sustainable levels. -Where housing under administration of the National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) is found to be below standard, it shall be the obligation of the NPLA to undertake the demolition of said property without delay. -It shall be the mandate of the National Property and Land Agency (NPLA) to undertake the privatization of at least 8.2% of the properties under its administration over the next four years. === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 342 Yea, 158 Nay, 0 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 51 Yea, 38 Nay, 11 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

[b][u]SNN – Government interferes in the naming of children with ridiculous new law[/b][/u] [i]“The government is currently debating a strange new law that would allow a state appointed commission to prevent parents from giving certain names to their children. This commission will even be empowered to overrule the wishes of the parents of the child in certain circumstances. The law was drafted in response to an incident where a parent attempted to name their newborn son ‘Satan Lord of Darkness’. After a series of objections by hospital staff, the parent attempted to mount a legal challenge in order to name her son Satan. The legal challenge was dismissed after a court found that giving the child that name would be ‘detrimental to the child’s overall wellbeing’. In its ruling, the court asked that the government ‘identify loopholes in the existing child naming law in order to avert similar cases’. In response to the request, the government drafted the law now before Parliament. The solution, in the eyes of the government, is to grant the National Council for the Naming of Offspring (NCNO) the right to prevent registration of a child under a particular name if the Council concludes that the name is inappropriate or may have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of the child. Should the NCNO object to the name, and the parents refuse to select a name approved by the NCNO, the new law empowers the NCNO to issue a name to the child and compel the relevant government agency to register the child under that name. While some are welcoming the move by the government, others are expressing concerns that it is an unfair infringement on the rights of parents to name their children. There are also concerns that the law, which allows the NCNO to fine parents for non-compliance, may create an environment where the NCNO could simply make arbitrary decisions about which names are blocked and which names are permitted. Regardless of these concerns, the new law is likely to be approved by the Senate and signed by President Dragomirov in the next few days. So for any parents wishing to give their children potentially illegal names, we urge those parents to ensure that their child is born before the new law enters force.”[/i]

The following private message would be sent to France:

Seventh Duma Elections to be held this week Once again, citizens across the Greater Russian Empire will head to the polls to elect the 701 members of the Russian Federal Duma. This election marks the seventh vote for the Federal Duma since the creation of the Greater Russian Empire and is likely to be watched closely by individuals across the political spectrum. Given the controversy surrounding the sixth Duma elections and their results, most political parties are seeking to avoid a repeat of those elections. Many political analysts believe that the elections present an opportunity to strengthen confidence in the Federal institutions of the Russian state and are expressing the hope that the elections result in a strong mandate to a single political party. With security concerns abroad and economic issues at home, the next government needs a clear mandate and strong support to tackle the various issues facing Russia today. Will the Russian Fatherland Party (RFP) manage to win a second term, or has the election controversy dented their chances? Is United Russia (UR) surging back to triumph, or heading for disaster?

The ‘Religious Cult & Loyalty to Foreign Entity Act (20XX)’ and the ‘National Gendarmerie Act (20XX) have been approved by the Parliament and the Senate and have been signed into law by H.E. the President.

Proposal to Amend the Child Naming Law (1946) (Child Naming Law Amendment) Whereas the registration of names of children born in Zapadnaya to Zapadnayan citizens has thus far been at the discretion of hospital staff working in conjunction with the wishes of the parents of said child, the government hereby amends the Child Naming Law as follows: -Section 2.4 which states that ‘the name of a child shall be determined by his or her parents though hospital staff have discretion in the refusal to register a child with a name that they believe to be deliberately spiteful. In such cases the parent may register the child under his/her chosen name at the relevant government ministry’ shall be removed. -Section 2.4 shall be amended to read as follows: ‘the name of a child shall be determined by his or her parents. Should the parents decide to select an eccentric or unusual name for their child the National Council for the Naming of Offspring (NCNO) shall reserve the right to block registration of the child under that name pending an investigation. Should the NCNO deem the name to be inappropriate or suggest that the name will have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of the child, the NCNO has the right to insist that the parents choose another name’ -Section 2.4 b) shall be added to the Child Naming Law as follows: ‘Should a parent whose chosen name run afoul of the NCNO and should that parent refuse to select a more appropriate name for their child, the NCNO reserves the right to select a name from an approved list and assign the name to said child and to register him/her under that name. In such cases the NCNO shall levy a fine on the parents equal to not less than 2% of their annual salary after taxes. === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 451 Yea, 49 Nay, 0 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 58 Yea, 2 Nay, 40 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

Proposal to amend the Treason, Secession and Sedition Act (The New Treason Act) In light of developments in Europe, particularly the attempted Bohemian unilateral secession from Alvonia, we hereby propose to repeal the Treason, Secession and Sedition Act (1952) and to replace the said act with the following law: -Zapadnaya is a unitary, united, and indivisible state and shall remain so. -This Act defines an act of sedition as any of the following: · Any act which aims to excite disaffection, hatred or contempt for the legitimate government of Zapadnaya or any official thereof · Any act which aims to excite disaffection, hatred or contempt for the legitimate government of Zapadnaya among the population of Zapadnaya or any part thereof. · Any act which aims to promote, expand or incite hatred, ill-will or hostility between different ethnic groups in Zapadnaya · Any act which seeks to call into question the legitimacy of the legitimately constituted government of Zapadnaya or the Constitution of Zapadnaya as the document from which the Zapadnayan government draws its authority. · Any act which aims to promote the separation of a part of the sovereign territory of Zapadnaya in a unilateral and unconstitutional manner. · Seeking to constitute or cause to be constituted an authority which seeks to replace the legitimate government of Zapadnaya or to coopt the authority of the legitimate government. -The following acts are not to be deemed as seditious under the terms of this act: · To question the actions of the government of Zapadnaya or to state the belief that an action (or actions) of any agent of the government of Zapadnaya were mistaken or illegal. · To point out errors or deficiencies in the Constitution of Zapadnaya as specified in the Constitution or to point out errors or deficiencies in governance. · To persuade the citizens of Zapadnaya to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Zapadnaya or to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce enmity or ill-will between different ethnic groups which constitute the Zapadnayan population. -This Act defines treason as follows: · Attempting to hinder the legitimate transfer of power between officials in the legitimate government of Zapadnaya through unlawful means. · Attempting to by unlawful means force the President of the Republic from office. · Attempting to, by unlawful means, force any duly appointed or elected government official from office. · Attempting to arrange, incite, organize or seek the organization of an invasion of the territory of Zapadnaya by a foreign power. · Attempting to wage war against the Zapadnayan state. · Participating in, conducting or facilitating acts of espionage, sabotage or aggression (of a covert or overt nature) against the Zapadnayan state. · Seeking to, by unlawful force, coerce any agent of government to discharge his/her duties under duress. · Attempting to harm the President, Vice-President, Senator, Member of Parliament or any Government Minister or Military Officer. · Aiding the enemy during a war or refusing to be drafted into the Armed Forces during wartime without just cause. (as defined in the Legitimate Draft Objection Act (1999)) === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 342 Yea, 146 Nay, 12 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 58 Yea, 24 Nay, 10 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

***Classified/Closed session of Parliament*** The Closed Administrative Territorial Unit (CATU) Act [Classified] In the interests of maintaining secrecy and national security, particularly in these perilous times, the government has decided to undertake the following: -The creation of Closed Administrative Territorial Units (CATUs) at the discretion of the Ministry of Defense and the Office of the Presidency. -The creation of a legal framework to restrict access to CATUs and to create judicial penalties for entry into a CATU by an unauthorized individual. -The creation of a security framework to secure CATUs and to control the entry and exit of individuals. -The creation of legal penalties for representing any CATU on a map or drawing, naming a CATU, photographing the exterior checkpoints of a CATU, or any action which constitutes an attempt to aid in the location of a CATU. -Any attempt by a foreign national to locate, enter, identify or photograph a CATU shall be considered an act of espionage and shall be dealt with under the respective criminal act. === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 450 Yea, 20 Nay, 30 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 99 Yea, 1 Nay, 0 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

[b][u]SNN – Police and Border Guards become Gendarmerie and Frontier Guards[/b][/u] [i]“Not long after the speech of Senior General Nikita Radkova, the government has moved on the issue of police reform. In legislation approved by Parliament today, the Zapadnayan Police Force (ZPF) is to be restructured and reorganized into the Zapadnayan Gendarmerie and will be subordinated to the Presidency instead of the Army. Under the new law, the Gendarmerie will be required to train a new group of officers to command the force while adopting new methods to policing and national security. According to reports from the ZPF, the transition phase is expected to be completed in the next three months. Seeking to reassure the public, the Commander of the ZPF released a statement suggesting that the transition would not have a detrimental impact on policing either during or after the transition period and that the police will continue with all regular duties during the transition period. The government has also approved new changes to the Zapadnayan Border Police (ZBP), which will be reorganized into the Zapadnayan Frontier Guard Corps (ZFGC). Under the reorganization plan, the ZBP will train and equip an additional 8,000 officers and acquire additional equipment to aid in its duties. Current personnel will also be required to undergo new training prior to being incorporated into the Frontier Guard Corps. The new agency will be subordinated to the Presidency. The reorganization of the Border Police is expected to take at least five months and is not expected to significantly impact travel times at Zapadnayan ports of entry during the period.”[/i]

The National Gendarmerie Act (20XX) The Zapadnayan Police Force (ZPF) shall be reconstituted as the Zapadnayan Gendarmerie and shall no longer be subordinated to the Army Homefront Command. The Zapadnayan Border Police (ZBP) shall be reconstituted as the Zapadnayan Frontier Guard Corps (ZFGC) and shall be an independent agency under the indirect control of the Presidency. In order to fully support the work of the Gendarmerie, the government has elected to undertake the following: -Zapadnaya shall be divided into police districts on the basis of population and security requirements. -All policing powers previously granted to the Zapadnayan Police Force (ZPF) remain in place and are granted to the Gendarmerie alongside any additional powers granted to the organization by Parliament. -The policing of all areas of Zapadnaya which do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Diplomatic Security Force (DSF) or the Military Police (MP) shall be considered the sole responsibility of the Gendarmerie. -The responsibility to ensure crowd control at protests and events shall also lie with the Gendarmerie. -The provision of security for government buildings, with the exception of the Office of the Presidency, shall be the responsibility of the Gendarmerie. -The provision of security at Zapadnayan ports of entry, including land borders, airports and the eastern coastline shall be the duty of the Frontier Guard Corps. -The Gendarmerie shall be subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and shall form a command structure as specified in the 8th of June Memorandum. -The Frontier Guard Corps shall be under the de facto authority of the Ministry of Interior, but shall be de jure under the authority of the Presidency. -The National Draft Law (1955) shall be amended to permit some categories of draftees to complete their military service in the Gendarmerie instead of the Armed Forces of Zapadnaya. === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 499 Yea, 0 Nay, 1 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 95 Yea, 2 Nay, 3 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

***Classified*** In light of the government of Alvonia’s new policies regarding foreign visitors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has updated the travel advisory for citizens seeking to travel to Alvonia in order to reflect this change. The Foreign Ministry notes with concern, the Alvonian shoot-on-sight policy for illegal immigrants and will caution any citizen against attempting to illegally enter Alvonia. In light of the strange public responses of the government of Hungary-Slovakia to the moves by the Alvonian government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes the prospect of increased tension in the region as the Hungary-Slovakian government seeks to determine security measures which may or may not be put in place on the Alvonian border. The Hungary-Slovakian government’s constant statements about ‘wayward children’ walking into minefields appears to imply the total absence of adult supervision, security forces or other movement impeding systems on Hungary-Slovakia’s borders. The travel advisory for Hungary-Slovakia will therefore be updated to urge any Zapadnayan citizen travelling to that country to avoid the border regions.

***Classified/Closed Session of Parliament*** The National Defense and Security Act (20XX) [Classified] In the interests of protecting the government and people of Zapadnaya from external threats, the government has decided to reform its Internal Intelligence structures to more effectively face 21st century threats. The government has decided to undertake the following: -All internal intelligence agencies shall be merged into the ‘National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’ and the ‘Directorate of Communications (DC)’. -The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shall be charged with the management of dissident activity, the monitoring and response to terrorism, the identification of subversive elements and the prevention of secession and sedition. -The Directorate of Communications (DC) shall be tasked with the monitoring, collection, decoding, translation and analysis of information and data related to the maintenance of security in Zapadnaya. -The Directorate of Communications (DC) shall also be tasked with ensuring the proper defense of Zapadnayan civilian network infrastructure and computer systems and the encryption of sensitive government data and information. -The Directorate of Communications (DC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shall be under the direct supervision of the President of Zapadnaya and shall be accountable to the National Security Council. -The Directorate of Communications (DC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) are fully empowered to undertake all intelligence gathering activities without the approval or oversight of the judiciary. -To aid in their duties and to avoid unnecessary scrutiny on both agencies, it shall be a criminal offense for any individual to identify, name, hint, suggest or undertake any act which aims to reveal the identity of an agent of the Directorate of Communications (DC) or the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). -It shall be a criminal offense for any individual or organization to publish the name of either intelligence agency, state or imply that such an agency exists, or specify the mandate of either agency. -It shall be a criminal act to release, in whole or in part this legislation, or to reveal to the public (or to a foreign entity) any information related to the law, or the two intelligence organizations. -Any Member of Parliament, Senator or government official who reveals the content of this act, or that an act of this nature has been passed by the legislature shall immediately forfeit his/her office and shall be imprisoned for the entirety of the remainder of their natural lives. -The Directorate of Communications and the National Bureau of Statistics shall be empowered to undertake their duties even if those duties conflict with the Constitution of Zapadnaya or any other law approved by Parliament. -In order to ensure security, all copies of this act presented to Parliament for their votes shall be destroyed once the vote has been completed. Additionally, steps will be taken to prevent the creation of electronic copies of this document. -After approval there shall be a single copy of this law, printed on A4 Paper, which shall be stored in a sealed iron box at a secure location. === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 488 Yea, 1 Nay, 11 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 98 Yea, 1 Nay, 1 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

ZCNA News: Parliament approves Cult Law allegedly in response to Dreamer Cult “After a lengthy debate, the Parliament today approved the ‘Religious Cult Act’ which aims to address concerns about the national security implications of cults and unregulated religious organizations. In tackling the issue, the government sought to draft a proposal that would address security concerns while respecting individual rights and freedoms. As a part of this drafting process, the Interior Ministry held consultations with a number of religious leaders as well as government officials. The final draft of the legislation was approved by Parliament today and will be sent to the President for his signature shortly. The legislation defines religions native to Zapadnaya as being exempt from the provisions and lays out a process where unregistered religious organizations may apply to the Ministry of Interior in order to be recognized. Native religions are automatically exempt from the penalties specified in the law, but cults and unrecognized religions may be subject to penalties. According to the law, membership in an unrecognized religious organization or cult will automatically prohibit an individual from holding political, military or government office at any level. The act also makes it a criminal offense for a member of an unregistered religious organization to disseminate materials related to that religion Controversially, the law specifies that any individual who currently holds government office who converts to an unrecognized religion or cult is required to forfeit his or her office without delay and without exception. The law does not specify the process by which the individual will be removed from office, but that is expected to be handled by the Interior Ministry. While some have denounced the new law as an unwelcome infringement on freedom to worship, others have claimed that the law doesn’t go far enough. A member of the Opposition European Future Party (EFP) has lamented that the law does not criminalize attempting to convert individuals to unrecognized religions, or criminalize the transfer of assets to such organizations. The MP also lamented that the ‘Dreamer Cult’ was not explicitly named in the legislation and that the government has not sought to sanction the ‘poisonous well from which the lunacy flows’.”

The Religious Cult & Loyalty to Foreign Entity Act (20XX) (The Cult Law) Recognizing the need to balance freedom of worship with national security and public order, the government has decided to undertake the following: -The government of Zapadnaya hereby defines an unregistered religious organization as any religious organization which is not native to Zapadnaya and which has not been registered by the Ministry of Interior. -The government of Zapadnaya hereby defines a cult as any pseudo-religious organization which is not among those religious organizations which are recognized as legitimate religions by the government of Zapadnaya. -Any citizen of Zapadnaya who is a member of a cult or unregistered religious organization shall be indefinitely prohibited from holding any government or military office without exception. -Any citizen of Zapadnaya who is a member of an unregistered religious organization or cult which requires the swearing of oaths of loyalty to a foreign state or foreign individual is strictly prohibited from holding any political, government or military office without exception. -Any citizen of Zapadnaya who is a member of an unregistered religious organization or cult who attempts to disseminate materials relating to that religion or cult shall be deemed to have committed a criminal act. -Any citizen of Zapadnaya who holds a military, political or government office and who, during his or her tenure, converts to an unrecognized religion or cult shall be deemed to have forfeited his or her office and all of the benefits thereof. -The government of Zapadnaya shall consider the following religions to be either native religions or shall consider these religions to be registered with the Ministry of Interior: -Orthodox Christianity -Protestant Christianity -Islam (Sunni, Shia and Sufi) -Hinduism -Buddhism -Judaism -Jainism -Taoism === Status: Debate Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes: 338 Yea, 146 Nay, 16 Abstentions Votes (Senate): 60 Yea, 32 Nay, 8 Abstentions Signed by President: Y

[b][u]VNN News: Vancouver Legislative Council approves new voting law, PM sidesteps USSE questions[/b][/u] [i]“The Vancouver Legislative Council wrapped up a marathon debate today by voting to approve a new Voter Registration act governing voter eligibility in the Imperial mandate territory. While the previous voter eligibility law allowed all Russian citizens living in the territory to vote provided that they also held right of abode in Vancouver, the law also prevented Vancouverites who were former Imperium military officials from being able to vote. Additionally, the law also prevented non-citizen residents who held right of abode from voting. The new law, approved by 99 of the 100 MLCs, will extend voting rights to non-citizen residents of Vancouver provided that they hold right of abode and are not disqualified by virtue of being former Imperium war criminals. The Legislative Council also decided that certain categories of former Imperium officials may be eligible to appeal their voting ban to the Vancouver Election Council provided that they meet a handful of stringent criteria. According to the law, such an individual would have to prove that they did not hold a post in government under the Northern Imperium’s criminal regime, or did not serve in a command role in the aforementioned regime’s military forces or chemical weapons program. The individual is also required to furnish proof that he/she has not been convicted of any political crime since the date of the commencement of Vaulian sovereignty over Vancouver. Should all of the information be provided, and the independent investigation verify it’s authenticity, the affected individual may be granted the right to appeal his or her voting ban to the Vancouver Supreme Court. The Court may then, on an individual basis, move to uphold or strike down the voting ban on the individual. The new law is seen as a compromise between those who wished to remove the voting ban entirely and those who wished to extend the ban to cover all former Imperium citizens living in Vancouver. Advocates for removing the voting ban have vowed to challenge the Constitutionality of the new law in the courts as soon as it is signed into law by the Governor of Vancouver. In other news, the Serene Republic of Vaule has signaled that Vancouver could move to directly electing the Governor of the territory in the next five years. In a statement from the Interior Ministry, the government revealed that it would not oppose amendments to the Vancouver Charter to bring about a direct election of the Governor provided that those amendments are approved by a direct vote of Vancouver residents and are undertaken with coordination with the Vaulian government. The statement also cautioned that any amendments to the Vancouver Charter must not conflict with the Constitution of the Greater Russian Empire. In other news, Vaulian Prime Minister Pavel Rokossovsky dodged questions about the prospect of a Russian military operation in the USSE. Prime Minister Rokossovsky would only state that the Russian Federal government has the ‘full support of the Serene Republic’ regarding the USSE and that his government is ‘ready and willing to coordinate fully with Russian Federal authorities should the situation require’. The Prime Minister sought to redirect all other questions to the Russian Defense Ministry."[/i]-R. Porter

[i]“The government of Zapadnaya steadfastly and unequivocally rejects the so-called independence declaration issued by the ‘Wenceslaus V of Bohemia’. Additionally we reject any unilateral secession from the sovereign territory of an existing nation on a matter of principle.”[/i]-Acting Deputy Foreign Minister Trubachev

***Classified*** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to undertake the following: In light of a statement from the Emperor of Shanghai suggesting that the participation or commission of certain serious criminal actions on the part of an individual ‘voids any citizenship to (their) nation’, despite the fact that the statement referred to war crimes in particular, the government has decided to re-evaluate the travel classification of Shanghai.The government has decided to downgrade the Principality of Shanghai to travel classification D(-) until further notice. In light of positive developments from the President’s trip to Greater Romania, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to upgrade the travel classification for Romania to C(+). In light of statements suggesting that the state of Druk Yul may be the source of the so-called 'Dreamer Cult', the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will begin a detailed investigation into the matter and will recommend appropriate action.

The [b]Japan-Zapadnaya PIAT[/b] has been ratified and is now in force. The [b]Alvonia-Zapadnaya ODP[/b] has been cancelled and the [b]Romania-Zapadnaya NAP+EC[/b] has been ratified.

[i]“I look forward to meeting Ambassador Petrescu in Sofia.”[/i]-President Dragomirov After thanking his Romanian hosts, the President would depart for Zapadnaya. Three hours later, Dr. Olya Mihova arrived to present her credentials to the Romanian government and to take up her post as Zapadnayan Ambassador to Romania. Upon her arrival in Romania she would also inform the Romanian government that the Zapadnayan Senate had ratified the treaty.

***Classified/Closed Session of the Senate*** == Status: Senate Debate Ratified [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes (Senate): 59 Yea, 1 Nay, 40 Abstentions

The Carthaginian King’s delegation would be met at the airport by an honor guard and the Zapadnayan Vice-President Teodora Petrova. The Vice-President would welcome the King and preside over a short welcome ceremony before directing the Carthaginian delegation to a fleet of waiting vehicles that would transport the delegation to the Presidential residence in Sofia. On arrival in Sofia, the President would greet the King. “Your Majesty, may I welcome you to Sofia on behalf of the government and people of Zapadnaya. Thank you for agreeing to meet with us and travelling in person to do so. Before we begin I would like to express our nation's support and gratitude for the intervention of the Kingdom of Carthage upon the collapse of our neighboring Spartan state. Such a timely intervention aided in the maintenance of stability and was greatly appreciated by our government.”-Dragomirov On cue an aide would be on hand to offer the Carthaginian monarch a beverage of his choice.