Imperator Azenquor

[b][u]VNN News: Serene Republic resumes administration of former Marscurian Siberia[/b][/u] [i]“The government of the Serene Republic announced today that it has re-established administration of the Kamchatka territory and the former territory of the Marscurian Autonomous Republic (M.A.R.) adjacent to the East Ingushetia Autonomous Community (EIAC). Given the unique situation in the region, the Prime Minister has decided to create an Interim Transitional Authority (ITA) which will be responsible for administering the regions in the short term while their future relationship with the rest of the Greater Russian Empire is determined. The newly-formed Interim Transitional Authority (ITA) consists of five members, two of which are from the region. The chairman of the ITA will be businessman and philanthropist Dr. Maximillian Reaver (O.V., O.D, O.N.A., O.G.A.,K.C.V.R.,M.i.tG).The five member ITA will hold legislative and executive authority in the territory for a period of at least one year. The ITA will ensure that day to day life in the territory is not significantly impacted by the situation while ensuring continued service delivery. To aid in it’s duties, the Vaulian Parliament has allocated NRR$2.6 Billion to fund projects in the territory. In a year, when the mandate of the ITA has ended, residents of the territory will be asked to go to the polls to decide on their future relationship with the state. Voters will likely be asked to choose between establishing the territory as an Autonomous Community within the S.R.V., rejoining the East Ingushetia Autonomous Community (E.I.A.C.), or becoming an Imperial Mandate territory similar in status to Vancouver. After this referendum has occurred, the government intends to dissolve the ITA and replace it with locally elected government officials. To ensure security in the territory during the transitional period, the government has deployed a 5,000 strong contingent of peacekeepers who constitute the M-FOR Peacekeeping unit. This M-FOR deployment is likely to be reinforced by local volunteers from among the local residents of the territory.”[/i]-R. Porter

Rudolph, Eva and Uberstein.

The following private message would be sent to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in response:

[b]***Statement from the Office of Zapadnayan Prime Minister Iskra Grigorova***[/b] [i]“The actions of the government of Milan have demonstrated clearly and without any shred of doubt that the Milanese regime is a threat to international peace and security on the European continent and beyond. Should such a regime be permitted to operate with impunity in Europe it will undoubtedly further destabilize Europe and encourage other states to acquire and use nuclear weaponry in the callous and cowardly manner of the Milanese. For a nation, in the modern era, to utilize nuclear weaponry in a first strike scenario and to commence hostilities without even the courtesy of a declaration of war represents a shocking deterioration of international norms. For the leader of that nation to openly and directly threaten the use of further nuclear weapons clearly illustrates why Europe should not and must not accommodate such a regime. We are now receiving further reports that the Milanese have attempted nuclear strikes on Iceland. Regarding the situation with Alvonia. We state clearly that the ultimatum given to the government of Alvonia appeared to be designed to be rejected and to be used as a pretext for war. This situation need not have occurred, though it is becoming clearer and clearer that Romania, Hungary-Slovakia and Belarus sought to take advantage of the situation in order to ‘settle old scores’. We will endeavor to do our utmost to urge the resolution of the conflict between Alvonia and the aforementioned nations. The fact that Milanese actions were undertaken in support of our Alvonian ally does not excuse their callousness and barbarity. Nor does it allow the Milanese to avoid responsibility for their actions. In light of the situation, we have struggled to decide upon a response that respects both our treaty obligations and our principles. In light of the situation, and the clear and present danger that the rogue state of Milan poses to Zapadnaya and Zapadnayan interests abroad the government of Zapadnaya hereby declares that a state of war exists between Zapadnaya and Milan until such time as Milan’s nuclear weapons are disarmed and it’s government held accountable for it’s crimes.”[/i]

=== ***Classified*** Under the terms of the continuity of government act, President Dobreva is secretly relocated to the city of Burgas, Foreign Minister Petrova is relocated to Plovdiv, Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Boyanov is relocated to Vidin, Prime Minister Grigorova and General Yekaterina Trubacheva board the ZNS Ivan Stephen submarine which leaves port for the Black Sea along with the ZNS Ivan Shishman [AC], ZNS Petar IV, ZNS Ivan Asen, ZNS Petar V, ZNS Kaloyan [Dest], ZNS Boris, ZNS Vladimir, ZNS Simeon [Frg] and the ZNS Damyanov, ZNS Georgiev, ZNS Ganev [Cruis]. The Parliament and the Senate are dissolved and the members of the Legislative Branch return to their constituencies as quickly as possible.

If locating rulings in the GM thread is problematic, could a possible solution be to ask the GM(s) post each ruling in detail and a link in the OP of the thread? As for making the GM thread a non-discussion thread, wouldn't the discussions/arguing/absurdity simply migrate into the OOC thread?

[b]***Questions to the Prime Minister [Public session]***[/b] “The government recently decided to close the northern border with Romania. This closure has apparently raised concerns on the part of the Romanian government according to Romanian news reports. Could the Prime Minister clarify the situation?” – SP MP “Regarding the temporary closure of the border with Romania, we would like to state that we do not consider this a hostile act against Romania and we regret the fact that it has been perceived as such by the Romanian authorities. Given the fact that the situation which led to the border closure has now been resolved, we can assure the Romanian authorities and the Zapadnayan public that the government will take steps to reopen the border shortly. Should such a situation occur again in the future we shall endeavor to inform the Romanian authorities prior to the closure of the border if the situation permits.”-D. Dimitrov [Minister of Interior] == "There have been reports that the government is in the process of drafting legislation which will impact individuals at Zapadnayan airports and other ports of entry. Is this correct and if so what impact will this rumored legislation have?"- JDP MP "The government is in the process of drafting legislation to review existing ports of entry, excluding airports and seaports, in order to increase security at these ports of entry and to close those ports of entry that are deemed not to be viable or those that are deemed to be redundant. As for the impact this legislation will have, the most serious potential impact is that individuals in certain areas may have to access the border at a different border checkpoint. The legislation will also change some administrative processes such as the granting of exit visas. It is the intention of the government to introduce this legislation to Parliament tomorrow and we predict that full implementation of the legislation will take place within four to five months."- Iskra Grigorova [Prime Minister]

***Address by H.E. the President Elena Dobreva to the Joint Session of Parliament*** Senators, Deputies, Members of the National Assembly, welcome. Given the fact that concerns have been raised about my failure to address the Parliament at the start of the legislative session, I have elected to address the final session of Parliament instead. First, allow me to dispel the notion that my failure to address the inaugural session was based upon a disrespect for the National Assembly or based upon a desire on my part to hide from accountability. Nothing could be further from the truth. When faced with pressing situations that directly impact the national security of Zapadnaya, I hold the view that it is imperative for the President of the Republic to address these situations with the urgency that they require. Any individual in this chamber who would suggest, imply or seek to imply that my decision to prioritize the coordination of our responses to these threats with the National Security Council rather than appearing before Parliament to deliver a droning speech on the achievements of the government over the past year, was in any way a mistake ought to do the country a great service and resign. In his statement to the National Assembly on the 10th of April, Opposition Leader Nikolai Genadiev stated that my absence presented a situation in which “the National Assembly would be unable to question the decisions of the President particularly relating to foreign policy and the economy”. This statement is, and I am being charitable with this description, devoid of factual basis. Any member of the National Assembly who wished to pose an urgent question to me could easily have sent the question to the Office of the Presidency in writing. As the members of the National Assembly appeared to have no trouble locating this chamber, or in writing scathing editorials, it is not unreasonable to assume that the members of this assembly are literate. Secondly, I would urge Mr. Genadiev to avail himself of a deeper understanding of the Zapadnayan Constitution. If he had done so, he would be aware of the fact that the Presidency is not responsible for economic policy. I stand by the actions taken during my tenure and I stand by the Constitutionality of those actions. It is my intention to allow the people of Zapadnaya to decide whether or not I should remain as President for a second term. As the election cycle picks up, and as many members of this chamber are feverishly campaigning to retain their seats, I urge the members of this chamber to remember: the Office of the President of the Republic is not an institution that should be deliberately maligned by the members of the legislature in order to score political points. By all means, criticize my actions when criticism is due, but do not seek to criticize the Presidency for those actions which are not the responsibility of the Presidency. If we are to build lasting democratic institutions on a strong and stable foundation, then there must be respect between the democratic state institutions. The manner of blatant disrespect of the Presidency by certain members of this chamber must cease. The presentation of conspiracy theories and allegations of deceit without a shred of proof or evidence must cease. The members of this chamber should live up to the basic standards of a national legislature.

[b][u]SNN News – President Dobreva’s lackluster term in office nears end[/b][/u] [i]“In a few days, Zapadnayan citizens will once again be asked to go to the polls to vote for the next government. This will be the second election since the restoration of democracy in Zapadnaya and will serve as an important test of the durability of our democratic institutions. This will also mark the first peaceful handover of power from one democratic government to another since 2009. President Elena Dobreva has in fact, despite the detractors, done an admirable job after being dealt a disadvantageous hand. Despite her resounding Presidential victory, the European Future Party (EFP) of which she is a member did not manage to win a majority in either the Parliament or the Senate. Instead, the European Future Party (EFP) entered government as the junior coalition partner of the Justice & Development Party (JDP). The clash of political ideologies between the pro-EuroComm EFP and the regionalist JDP created much friction in Prime Minister Grigorova’s government. Despite the fact that this dysfunction was at the root of the problems of the Grigorova administration, the blame would often be laid at the feet of President Dobreva despite the fact that the Presidency does not determine foreign policy and internal affairs. With regional instability and the European Community moving from calamitous failure to calamitous failure, the government faced a situation where a new foreign policy direction, which met the demands of the coalition that could often agree on nothing, was needed. For her part, Prime Minister Grigorova did a fairly decent job while balancing foreign affairs and the sluggish local economy. President Dobreva envisioned and implemented the first key reforms to the armed forces since the restoration of democracy and led a National Security Council which until that point had been accustomed to giving rather than receiving orders from a civilian. She brought a military accustomed to spending as it wished and sending the bill to the treasury, to heel and increased accountability in armed forces expenditures. As voters go to the polls once again, we are left to ponder, how many of the failures of the Grigorova government will be unfairly blamed on President Dobreva? And additionally, how many of the President’s successes will be appropriated by the coalition now desperately seeking reelection?”[/i]

== ***Classified*** In light of the conflict in Italy, the government has decided to move to DEFCON 3. All Threat levels shall remain at their current levels.

=== The following private message would be sent to the Kingdom of Sparta: The following private message would be sent to the government of Alvonia:

***Classified*** In light of the Alvonian activation of our Mutual Defense Pact and the escalating conflict between Milan and the Babylonian Empire, the government has decided to move to DEFCON 2. Additionally the Threat Levels shall be raised for the duration of the conflict. ==

[i]“That is understandable. On the economic front, I believe that it would be possible to agree on tariff reductions in certain non-vital economic sectors in order to increase bilateral trade. Regarding Japan’s strategic interest in maintaining stability in Europe, while it is a noble idea it will prove to be quite a difficult endeavor. In fact, the rise and collapse of the European Community coupled with it’s numerous failures stand as a testament to the faultlines and tensions in continental Europe. Regarding the Japanese desire to work with European nations to protect the sovereignty of Snow Haven, how does Japan envision this being achieved?”[/i]-President Dobreva

Once the Alvonian message was received the Zapadnayan Foreign Ministry rushed into action. The Office of the President would send the following message to Alvonia via secure and private diplomatic channels: The following private message would be sent to the Kingdom of Sparta: The following private message would be sent to the Roman Empire:

After a short welcoming ceremony, the Empress would be transported to the Presidential Office in Sofia. Upon her arrival, the Empress would be greeted by the Zapadnayan President Dobreva and a translator. [i]“Your Imperial Majesty, on behalf of the government and people of Zapadnaya may I welcome you to Zapadnaya. I understand that there are matters that you wish to discuss with us?”[/i]-President Elena Dobreva

***Classified/Closed Session of the Senate*** == Status: Senate Debate Approved [Introduced by Justice & Development Party (JDP)] Votes (Senate): 96 Yea, 1 Nay, 3 Abstentions

“The intention is to conduct a review on an annual basis, however we wished to maintain flexibility in this regard. With the period not explicitly stated, we can opt for only annual reviews or if a situation emerges in a shorter space of time that both our nations feel requires such a review we would prefer to have the flexibility to do so.”- FM Petrova After the signing of the treaty, the Zapadnayan Foreign Minister would transmit the treaty text to the Zapadnayan Senate for ratification. The Zapadnayan Senate quickly ratified the document and sent a confirmation to the Foreign Minister. "I have now confirmed that the Zapadnayan Senate has ratified the treaty and considers it to now be in force. May this pact serve to strengthen ties and cooperation between our two nations."-FM Petrova

[i]“Certainly. I look forward to the further strengthening of the cooperation between our countries. Are there any other matters that you wish to discuss your majesty?”[/i]-President Bogomolov

[b]***Classified***[/b] In light of the improving domestic and regional situation, the government has decided to lower the Border, Airport and Port Threat Levels to Elevated, Low and Low respectively. Despite the downgrade, border personnel are urged to remain vigilant while on duty. The Ministry of Defense has carefully examined that national security situation and has determined that the nation will remain at DEFCON Four.

[b][u]SNN News - President Dobreva under pressure over foreign policy, delays address to Parliament[/b][/u] [i]“These past three months have not been good for President Dobreva. The President who took office with the clear aim of Zapadnayan entry into the European Community and deeper integration with the rest of Europe is seeing large parts of her party’s foreign policy platform simply collapse. Political pundits now openly wonder if there will be a European Community left to join when the decision is made here in Zapadnaya. The President is also facing harsh criticism for perceived failures in the proper management of the nation’s defense policy. Despite the fact that the Presidency does not directly determine foreign policy, the President has significant influence due to the fact that her European Future Party (EFP) is a member of the governing coalition. Strangely, despite the EFP being led by Alexei Boyanov in Parliament, much of the hostility regarding the EFP’s troubles is being directed at the President. According to political analyst Dr. Max Reaver, the coalition’s decision to appoint Mr. Boyanov to the post of Defense and Armaments Minister in addition to his duties as Deputy Prime Minister has unwittingly given the impression that Mr. Boyanov serves more as a Presidential stand-in than a party leader. This perception is reinforced by the fact that article 46 of the Constitution empowers the President to appoint the Defense Minister. The President is also under pressure over the perception that the government was caught by surprise when the neighboring Greek state collapsed recently. As a result of the growing controversy and the President’s seeming unwillingness to respond to questions on the issue, the Presidency announced that the President’s address to Parliament will be postponed until next month. While no official reason was given for the delay, it is widely believed that President Dobreva will attempt a recalibration of Defense policy and will attempt to further separate herself from the EFP. The delay has also sparked rumors that there may be a cabinet reshuffle which may be used as a face-saving way to remove Mr. Boyanov from the Defense Ministry without unduly embarrassing the EFP. In the first official opinion poll taken since the Presidential elections, President Dobreva’s approval rating has fallen to 39.2% down from 49.8%. Despite the decline in the President’s approval ratings, Prime Minister Grigorova still has strong support. According to the latest polls, the Prime Minister holds a 50.1% job approval rating. Will the President be able to weather the storm, or will Zapadnaya’s first President since the restoration of democracy be forced from office before the completion of her mandate?”[/i]-Reporter

The [b]Alvonian-Zapadnayan MDP[/b] and the [b]Babylonian-Zapadnayan ODP[/b] have been ratified by the Senate and are now in force.

[i]“Certainly. We feel that transitioning to a combination of trade routes would better enable Zapadnaya to weather economic shocks while providing an economic boost to both of our nations. In fact, if our governments could agree to some kind of uniform administrative and customs procedures governing goods traversing our borders I have no doubt that there could be benefits. In an ideal situation, we would wish to utilize both the Danube and the Bosphorus as key trade routes alongside established overland routes as well. The use of overland trade routes, in conjunction with the Danube, could be an area of cooperation that could be pursued by our nations.”[/i]-President Bogomolov

The following message would be sent to the Japanese government by Zapadnayan Ambassador to Japan Sofia Makarova: == In order to facilitate the meeting, the Zapadnayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs would transmit to the Japanese embassy all necessary information including directions to land at the Sofia International Airport.

“I will convey your government’s greetings upon my return to Zapadnaya.”-FM Petrova After making a few quick notes, the Zapadnayan Foreign Minister replied: “I have no issues or objections to the objectives as listed. We are prepared to make meaningful tariff reductions across the board, with the exception of a few vital industries as you have suggested. Such an arrangement would also grant us an opportunity to significantly increase bilateral trade. Regarding the Black Sea, we agree that combatting terrorism and preservation of the environment are vital issues, we also hope to encourage cooperation amongst Black Sea nations which would seek to discourage the extended presence of military naval forces of non-Black Sea nations in the area without suitable cause. In terms of military cooperation, we agree that a non-aggression pact with an intelligence sharing clause is a good foundation upon which to build bilateral military ties between our nations. Based on our discussions thus far, may I present the following draft text for your consideration.”-FM Petrova ==

With the Zapadnayan Senate's ratification of the treaty, a confirmation note indicating this would be sent to the Alvonian government.