Dianne Carrangus Wrote:"Well, I imagine so, at least for a short period of time.  The acts that we are reauthorizing in the next year were developed over centuries, not months, and the economy evolved with them.  Just like they were neglected out of disuse: over a couple centuries.  Reauthorizing them all, renationalizing that which private capitalists have been leeching off of for decades, that will certainly hurt.  But the pain is necessary to restore Kalistan to its proper place in the world, one which doesn't just have to look on as their neighbors run capital ships through our national waters, one which can trade our national products all around the world, one where Kalistan doesn't take a backseat to any other country in the world.  We are back, Kalistan is coming back too, and we would advise those who have been sucking our country dry to take notice.  We are not a non-entity any longer."

Dianne Carrangus Wrote:"We will be sending a letter of protest to the Government of Lourenne in the near term, over the purchase of these six corvettes that aim to float just off our coasts.  Perhaps Lourenne is interested in sitting down and talking with us, one socialist Government to another, who share many similarities.  But perhaps they mean to become the Guarantor of the Anantanese Ocean, and this is a role which Kalistan has historically reserved for ourselves."  We have no idea.  But we don't want to wake up one day, and find that Lourenne has placed Ananto on the business end of their Corvettes.  So along with these fundamental economic reforms, we will also be looking at military reform.  And budget reform, if necessary...  There is so much to do to get this country running in top form once more..."

Secretary Santamaria Wrote:"Today, we rededicate this Shipyard, the cornerstone of Kalistan's past efforts to secure our country and its surrounding waters from foreign incursion and threats.  To echo the recent sentiments of our Foreign Minister to the Government of Lourenne, for far too long, great powers have moved to and fro between Ananto and the Mainlands of Selaya and Dovani.  Those great powers treat countries like Kalistan and Lourenne like pawns in their great power games.  Those days are rapidly coming to an end, as our Government charts a new course, one that may look all too familiar to historians, but one which has been sadly and tragically forgotten by modern politicians.  We see states around us being flooded by belligerent military hardware:  Of course, that hardware is to be used to kill off the poor and the workers of those countries that receive them.  And that hardware is seen as a threat to Kalistan, which is sadly underprepared.  Our own Government is responsible for that:  For centuries now, we have neglected to maintain any semblance of a navy, army or airforce.  Billions of Rubles have been dumped into the black hole known as the Defense budget, and for what?  Initial surveys of our combat fighting strength show that we have few sea worthy craft available to us.  Most of our Navy, what little there is of it, can't leave sight of shore.  We have been reduced to a navy which can't even see the enemy that is shooting at us, let alone mount an adequate defense.  Those times are done.  When the Government under Comrade Premier Carrangus has finally nationalized the steel and oil industries in Kalistan, for the first time in centuries, we will begin the restoration of Kalistani Deterrence on the Anantonese Ocean.

"I have ordered the Kalistani Military to begin conducting a formal survey of Kalistan's military assets, land, sea and air.  In addition, within 30 days, the Socialist Party is expected to rebuild the Revolutionary Socialist Militia of Kalistan to serve as a home guard until the military can get spun up.  Over the next 10 years, our goal is to fully modernize our naval, air and land forces.  We will procure and modernize our military, and once more launch patrols throughout the region.  We invite all parties interested in selling us surplus weaponry to do so, and meanwhile, we will start from where we left off, building first a coastal defense force, and will then follow up on fleets of projection.  We will begin retesting naval and land artillery at the Suldanor Proving Grounds to add to ships.  Meanwhile, the airforce will be modernized, and Kalistan's ground forces will be updated and reorganized.

"Kalistan will no longer be laughed at or treated as a rustic backwater any longer."

Quote:"It is our intention to not greatly upset the national economy by nationalizing without compensation.  Since nationalization ended, and the properties of the people were sold off, Kalistani capitalists have dramatically cut back production in both major sectors.  However, they continued to modernize and update these operations over the whole time, to increase productivity.  What we will use the initial capitalization for is to purchase these properties, at a discount, from their current owners.  We consider the 80% valuation we have made on the formerly nationalized properties to be an exceptional return on investment, considering that the development of these industries was fully funded by the State, and private interests were sold them at firesale prices in the Government's rush to return them to the private sector.  An 80% valuation is more than generous to the current owners and investors, and the Republic would be happy to offer former investors new stock in the Nationalized Industries in lieu of a cash payout.  However, stock trades will be significantly discounted, at 3 for 1.  When the Nationalization Bills pass, we will have a more updated number which will take other factors, such as unrecoverable depreciation, into account."

Quote:"I've been authorized to report that of the nation's indirect fire assets tested here today, no more than 18 percent of existing weaponry was usable.  This figure is obviously quite concerning for the Brass in the regular Navy and Standing Force, but the silver lining is that we are not completely defenseless.  And the servicable items can be employed immediately, as well as improved once the Steel Works gets back on line.  We can begin mass producing cannons for both army and navy, as well as building munitions at a fairly rapid pace.  I imagine that within a year following the reopening of Sulari, we will be on pace to replacing most of what was lost."

Quote: "We are on track to completing the survey of Kalistani forces within two months.  As a matter of preview, now that the shipyards have been reopened, Kalistan will be able to refit two of its Ananto-class destroyers.  The rest of the old navy, unfortunately, will need to be scrapped.  The guns in those ships are so rusted, and the hulls in such a state of disrepair, that they are not seaworthy.  However, we have it on good authority that the Militia will be reorganizing, and are already beginning to recruit new Partisans, to serve as a standing force until the Regulars can take their place, fully armed, trained and supplied.  I have asked the Government to begin to prepare a bill to reauthorize the National Agricultural Enterprise, for strategic logistical purposes, and they are expected to float a bill to that effect in June or July.  All told, Kalistan's military preparedness will increase, and thanks to the generous grant of 750 Billion Rubles for each of the next 10 Years, Kalistan's fighting force could be restored to pre-privatization levels very soon."

Quote:D(elores) F(urstenburg):  It's become clear that the Governments of Kalistan and Lourenne are moving towards a showdown in the Anantonese Ocean.  Is the new Socialist Majority ready for this international conflict so early in the administration?

(Foreign Minister) O(renthal) W(illiams):  Well, ready how?  I mean, is there ever a time for international conflicts?

DF:  I mean, does the Socialist Government think that Kalistan is ready?  Afterall, the Premier has launched an incredibly ambitious first year agenda.  Nationalization of nearly half of the economy, rebuilding navy ports and capital ships...  How is there time to tweak the nose of a powerful and aggressive neighbor?

OW:  There, Comrade, you said it.  Lourenne is a 'powerful and aggressive neighbor.'  They are buying stealth cruisers with the capability of firing rockets on our capital from international waters.  They say they intend to KEEP buying them, and they just concluded a deal with several of their own tech companies, including a secret tech firm who nobody knows anything about, to build and outfit MORE dangerous weapons.  Who knows what they could be working on?

DF:  But Lourenne has claimed that their development of these weapons of war is purely peaceful. 

OW:  Well, I mean...  come on.... you tell me!  Peaceful?  Their stated aim is to continue to expand their armed forces as they like.  They have no interest in sitting down with us and talking about why this causes us problems.  The foreign minister claimed that was the plan but it was shut down by their President.  Perhaps talking to Kalistan would make them appear weak?  I don't know.  What I do know, however is that their expansion is driving our own expansion.

DF:  How's this?

OW:  We get some heat from the Brethren for building these weapons of war.  They claim it is not what they signed up for when they helped us re-form the Party.  They want peace and so forth.  But we are confronted by an aggressive and expansionist neighbor, backed by a hegemonic alliance, who has explicitly stated that their intent is to expand their power.  We are right next door to them, Delores.  Do you realize that?  They're right across the channel.  And they are developing advanced weaponry with help from a shadowy, unnamed tech consortium.  Where are they going to use it?  They say they want to expand.  Where are they going to expand to?  You tell me.

DF:  Comrade Minister, there have been no indications that their expansionist tendencies are aimed at Kalistan.  Don't you think this is a tad alarmist?

OW:  Look...  what this bellicosity from the Lourennaise adds up to is an arms race on the Anantonese Ocean.  We can't possibly be secure while they are altering the relative balance of power.  Our military was neglected for generations, understand, Delores.  Generations.  There have been some things that our military commanders have forgotten, which are basic war skills.  We have to relearn that.  We have to rebuild from the ground up.  And yet, they feel the need to launch a fully modern, and stealth, I might add, navy upon the waters just off our shores.  Now, I'll be the first to tell you, I have no problem with military weaponry.  But we reserve the right to respond to threats by foreign hegemonic alliances like the Northern Council with deterrence.  Kalistan is putting a navy out at sea now so that Lourenne will at least not be able to attack us with impunity.  If some itchy trigger finger 'lunatique' in Louenne decides to sneak attack us in the middle of the night, we will be ready to return some pain.

DF:  Given the long history of neutral relations between Kalistan and Lourenne, some would say your government is being a touch paranoid.

OW:  Some would say...  I'll tell you.  I have communiques from Lourenne that suggests that our paranoia is to some degree justified.  We've printed our full correspondence, and they have added an additional letter in their own Press on the matter.  The people can see for themselves whether our attempting to balance Lourenne's power on the sea is justified.  It's not like we are going to invade them.  In the nearly 2000 years of the Socialist Party's History, we have never sent regular military forces into another country.  It will remain that way.  But we have been invaded before. If your house is less than 300 years old, it was built upon the old foundations of a leveled capital city.  Some of us don't forget history, not so easily.  It would certainly help if the rest of us remembered this too.

DF:  If you could speak with the foreign minister of Lourenne, would you have any kind words to say, or would you adopt a more hawkish tone?

OW:  Oh, of course, kind words.  Yes.  I would say to the Foreign Minister that it is impressive that such a backwater country like Lourenne was able to acquire powerful friends who dumped modern weapons on it, and let it do their bidding in our neighborhood like a bon petit chien.  That was a master stroke of diplomacy not matched, to my understanding in the history of Lourenne to date.  So good work, and congratulations:  you've finally arrived, after all this time.  But as the Foreign Minister has outright refused to say any further words to Kalistan, except to give us advice on how to conduct our own security affairs in a way which benefits Lourenne's expansionist ambitions, we will never get the chance.  Instead we will have to meet them, power for power, and wish them luck.

DF:  ...eh... Moving on...

Quote:"When our sovereignty is no longer restricted by that treaty, we will finally be in a position to promote peace in the world.  For far too long, we have watched the navies of the great powers sail freely through our territorial waters, taking advantage of our hospitality and threatening our own shores with their ridiculous wars.  The provocations from Lourenne are just the last straw in a long series of abuses on the Anantonese Ocean.  We want to reiterate, we are not closing the entire Ocean to foreign traffic, though we could.  Instead, we will be focusing on the area that is of greatest strategic importance to us.  Kalistan's allies shall retain the right of passage through Kalistan's territorial waters.  But non-allied transit constitues a strict violation of Kalistani Sovereignty, and represents an immediate Casus Belli for Kalistan.

"Nor will we hinder peaceful civilian traffic through our waters.  Kalistan is open for trade and our borders are open to all immigrants.  However:  We will require that all civilian fleets sailing through the Anantonese Straits call at either Port Devon, in Ananto, Port Sweedes in Vrassa, or Port Elga in Suldanor before proceeding.  Kalistan will issue all traffic through the straits a writ of passage which will be good for one year.  Those found to be transiting the area without the Writ will be escorted to one of these ports and a writ will be issued.  Those who refuse will be boarded and searched for contraband, and those refusing to heed Kalistan's interdiction will be fired upon.  Refusing to acknowledge our territorial waters will be viewed as an act of War against the United Republic of Kalistan."

Premier of the Republic Dianne Carrangus Wrote:"In the course of Kalistani events, few moments have been as monumental as this one particular instant.  Many centuries ago, our forefathers and mothers fought to build and protect the institutions we have seen return to Kalistan this morning.  Socialists protected these institutions for countless centuries.  And then the defenders of our National Institutions disappeared, and with them, the Institutions they had fought to protect.  But now, Kalistan returns to our historic orientation.  As if by the switch of a light, the Dual Economy regains its life.  We are gathered here to commemorate the passing away of the aberrant, and the return of the normal.  So long as we fight to defend our Institutions, Kalistan will have life.  When she lets those institutions rust, she rusts with it.  It is our hope that this never happens again."