An execution and a referendum

[Imperator Azenquor]

BCNA News: Referendum in Vaule

“After considerable pressure from pan-Vaulean groups in the former Vaule region, the Provisional Government has acceded to holding a referendum to determine the fate of the people in the region. The Provisional Governor, who had arrived in Vaule’s capital less than a week ago, is now tasked with organizing and overseeing the referendum.

Senior officials in the Provisional Government held several town hall meetings across Vaule’s provinces to assess the mood of the population and to determine if the referendum process should proceed. After receiving a mostly positive response from the people, the referendum shall indeed proceed.

The people of Vaule are expected to turn out to the polling stations as early as next week to choose the fate of the region. Voters will be asked if they wish to maintain the status quo, and remain as a Buryatian Protectorate with a local government, or if they wish to form a new Federal State with Buryatia. The details of each proposal are likely to be outlined soon as both sides rush to campaign.

In an attempt to limit external influence on the results, the Provisional Government has expressly barred any politicians, groups or organizations based in Buryatia from funding groups in Vaule to assist in their campaigning. The Provisional Governor explained that groups in Buryatia who favor the Federation vote could pour in considerably more resources to their campaign and would thus be more visible than those against the proposal. With this in mind, the Provisional Government has set up a series of debates, town halls, and advertising spots to allow each side to present their case in a forum where each side is given equal time.

Once this process has ended, the voting will begin across all provinces of Vaule and will be overseen by the Buryatian Electoral Commission, and several Election Observers from both Vaule and Buryatia.

In other news, the Former Chernorussian leader known as ‘Big Brother’ who has convicted on charges of murdering a diplomatic official, as well as several other serious charges, has reached the end of the ‘hard labor’ part of his sentence. An official at the Ministry of the Interior confirmed today that ‘Big Brother’ was executed by firing squad early this morning. The other Former Chernorussian official, General Kharkov, remains in a maximum security prison where he shall serve out the rest of his sentence. In a statement released by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the government expressed its ‘sincere, but muted happiness that such a tragic saga has finally drawn to a close’ and has now opened up further ties with the Former Chernorussian region.

The Provisional Government of the Former Chernorussia issued a short public communiqué in which they ‘acknowledge the grave crimes committed by the former administration, but still we regret that Big Brother received the death penalty’. The message also included a hope that diplomatic and financial ties between Buryatia and the Former Chernorussia would continue to grow.

That is all the news we have at this moment. So from our entire production and news team here at BCNA we wish you a good night.”-Reporter

*News Credits*

[Imperator Azenquor]

BCNA: Polls estimate victory for the Federation option

-Pro-Federation Rally in Sygh-Varthys

“After a prolonged bout of energetic campaigning by both sides, the Statistical Institute of Buryatia (a subsidiary of the Buryatia East Asia Company) has released the initial results of its first public opinion poll. According to the poll, 65% of persons polled favored a Federation with Buryatia, while 25% wished to maintain the status quo, while 10% were undecided.

The Statistical Institute has announced that it will continue to poll opinions until the day before the referendum is set to occur. Campaigning will continue until that time as each side tries to convince the Vaulian public that their destiny lies entwined with that of Buryatia.

The Central Electoral Commission, along with several non government observers has arrived in Vaule to oversee the preparations for the referendum. The Electoral Commission will begin implementing security protocols to ensure that the referendum will be free, fair and truly representative of the wishes of the people of the region.

Despite the modern separation of Buryatia and Vaule, both nations have a long and sometimes complicated history spanning hundreds of years. Even now Buryatia’s Royal Family remains tied to that of Vaule as it has been for the last 150 years.

The Vaulian Orthodox Church has waded into the political fray as well, declaring that ‘we feel that a Federation based on equal partnership between Buryatia and Vaule would be beneficial to both our nations’. The Patriarch of the Orthodox Church reiterated the Church’s position during a meeting with the Khambo Lama of Buryatia today.

The time continues to tick away as the day of decision draws near. As always we will continue to monitor all developments from both or Sygh-Varthys and Yakutsk Bureaus."-Reporter

[Razgriz 2K9]

Yuktobania is grateful to see that two closely-tied nations are uniting with each other.

[king of cochin]

Kingdom of Cochin is happy to hear about the re-union of Value and Buryatia.

[Subtleknifewielder]

"Promised Land is delighted to hear that every precaution is taken to ensure that the choice made is what the people wish."

[Imperator Azenquor]

Breaking News: Initial Referendum results are in

“Despite a significantly higher than expected turnout at the polls today, the referendum process proceeded smoothly and without incident across all of Vaule’s provinces. Voters turned out early to polling stations in the west of the region and completed the entire voting process with minimal delay. Officers from the Joint Electoral Commission which includes representatives from the pro and anti Federation groups oversaw the voting procedures at each polling station to ensure that standard rules and procedures were being observed.

Based on the initial results, the Electoral Commission estimates a turnout of at least 87% of eligible voters. The counting of ballots began immediately after the polls closed and is still ongoing, however a result has been predicted by the Electoral Commission.

With 79% of the votes counted, the Electoral Commission has predicted a victory for the Federation vote. This prediction comes as the initial results indicate that the Federation vote is leading with 77%, while the anti Federation vote trails behind with 18%, while 5% of ballots cast were spoilt. While it is statistically possible for the remaining 21% of votes to lessen the gap between the Federation vote and the anti-Federation vote it is nearly impossible for the anti Federation vote to exceed the pro-Federation vote.

This is even more evidenced by the fact that Caledonia, Vaule’s eastern most province is yet to have its votes tallied. Caledonia province is seen to be the effective stronghold of the pro Federation movement and is highly unlikely to vote against the Federation in the referendum. Despite their own predictions, the Electoral Commission has assured that they will count every last ballot and will not certify the results of the election based solely on predictions.

At this point it appears all but certain that Vaule will enter into a Federation with Buryatia unless there is a major upset in the voting. Despite the referendum now being completed, steps towards any Federation would take time and would require the approval of the Buryatian Parliament and the President before being implemented.

The Buryatian Ministry of the Central Planning has released a statement in which they say that ‘Should the people of Vaule approve the proposed Federation, we will begin a series of meetings with representatives from both areas in order to draft a detailed five point plan for the careful and gradual implementation of a Federation.’

As the votes are still being counted, neither the Buryatian President, nor the Head of the Vaulian Transitional Government has issued a statement regarding the predicted results.”-Reporter

[Imperator Azenquor]

BCNA: Final Referendum results are in!

"With all of the votes in the referendum counted, recounted and certified, the Electoral Commission has announced a victory for the pro-Federation vote. The Regional Governor of the Vaulian Protectorate, and President Rokossovska of Buryatia issued a joint statement in which they acknowledged the wishes of the people, but also reiterated that the path to Federation is not a quick or easy one and that Buryatia will not seek to rush the process.

With the votes confirmed, the Interior Ministry has released a 5 part plan to complete Federation. This plan, called the Onatopp Plan is expected to go to a vote before the Buryatian Parliament before it is implemented. The plan would see a step by step move to Federation beginning with common passports, immigration policies and border police. The next stages of the plan would increase Buryatian investment in the region by at least 43% to bring the region's infrastructure onto par with Buryatia's. After this has occurred, the plan envisions a new military hierarchy combining the Buryatian Peacekeepers stationed in the Protectorate and civilian volunteers to constitute a new Army that would merge into the Buryatian People's Armed Forces. Finally, the plan requires the combination of both governments into a single, functional government in which both regions are equally represented. At the final stage, the Federation will be declared and both Vaule and Buryatia shall be one unified nation under the banner of Federation.

According to the timeline in the Onatopp plan, the Federation would be in its final stages in five to ten months after the first step is undertaken."