Davostag

[Zanz]

http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4349

[Augustus]

 

Kundrati Delegation Signs Economic Agreement

14 October 5627 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

The Secretary of Foreign Trade and Cooperation, Sigrid Torsdotter, at the press conference announcing the signing.

 

On the 9th October, the Kundrati head of state, Lazar Saburov, arrived at the Eliseborg Airport with an entourage of economic representatives and advisors. He was greeted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Johan Erlund, and the Secretary of Foreign Trade and Cooperation, Sigrid Torsdotter, who joined him to the Eliseborg Grand Hotel, which had been emptied in preparation of the visit. Since the meeting was not an official state visit and due to international consideration regarding the regional situation, the entire event was kept in a low profile without pomp and circumstance. Minister Erlund and Secretary Torsdotter led the pre-discussions during the first day and hosted the ceremonial dinner at the hotel for the guests. It would not be until the day after at lunch when Davostag rikspresident, Gustav Dahler, would arrive at the hotel and the meeting would begin.

 

While representatives of both nations hade already met pre-visit to lay out some of the several points for a coming agreement, the two presidents got along smoothly in arranging terms that would see economic cooperation and trade developements. Part of the agreement, as announced today by Secretary Torsdotter, would be an immediate permission for freedom of trade between the two nations, the lifting of all present tariffs, with profits flowing from state and private exports and investments; as well as a sought after ore deal for Davostag's West Makonic Mining Industry AB – also known as VGAB – through their long-inactive Kundrati subsidiary Kurakon, that permits Davostag to mine Kundrati's uranium deposits with available local manpower provided by the favorable and prosperous Kundrati labor market; another clause in the agreement signals an opening for a trilateral economic partnership between Davostag, Kundrati and Rutania; the last part of the agreement, something that the Davostag government had long shown concern over but now secured guarantees from the Kundrati government, is the recognition of the Davostager minority as equal citizens granted full liberties of patriotic-class Kundrati citizens, granted freedom of Transit, and respected as an equal member of the Delic/Dundorfic peoples cultural pact.

 

On the question if the rikspresident has concerns for the international community in regards of the agreement, Secretary Torsdotter stated that rikspresident Dahler is not worried about foreign relations when the security and rights of Davostagers in all parts of the world trumps any squabbles that other nations and states have with one another. Secretary Torsdotter continued the press conference discussing the need for Davostag companies and ventures to start seeking more regional and international cooperations that support economic advantages and development between the regional states.

 

News report written by Vilgot Jansson.

[Augustus]

 

The Government Implements Local Intervention Legislation

6 April 5628 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

The Minister of Social Security Management, Karl Manner, held a press conference regarding measures as a result of the new law.

 

It would be on the 17th January this year that the Riksdag unanimously voted through the so-called 'Specified Prerogative Act', short for the very long and very formal 'Law on the Acquirement of the Prerogative to Implement Stipulations in Specific Local Municipalities and Regions for the Experimentation of Public Policy', which grants the national government in Kivonia special executive powers to essentially implement experimental policies and rules on local and regional levels, without the approval or inquiries of the local and regional authorities. The purpose of this, as explained by the government Secretary of Human Resource Affairs Vera Orling, is for the national government and other policy research institutions to analyze the effects of specific policies on the communities affected and take appropriate measures to improve or alter aspects of the policy or on other areas.

 

To understand the reasoning behind the legislation, one has to look back on these past three decades, where the national government has expressed serious concern over the results and effects of various policies implemented, of which had resulted in an unusual inefficiency and an inability for affected sectors to properly adapt to them. This led to the government of Per Folkesson, in 5622, to request the Ministry of Social Security Management and the Riksdag Constitutional Committee to attempt to address the issue by drafting possible countermeasures. It would not be until November last year, when the ministry and committee presented their work to the new (and incumbent) premier Axel Rodin in the form of the Specified Prerogative Act, who approved of it and sent it to the State Council, led by the rikspresident, for an additional approval (which is usually the unwritten rules of legislative procedure in Davostag; the State Council is the supreme advisory body to the rikspresident). After this the Ministry of Social Security Management could formally hand the legislation over to the Speaker of the Riksdag, who would go on to schedule the vote.

 

On the 14th March, rikspresident Gustav Dahler signed the law into immediate force, and that leads us to today on the 6th April, where the Minister of Social Security Management, Karl Manner, has just now held a press conference to report that the law has in various capacities been put to full use and implemented in various cities and smaller municipalities. It is the Ministry of Social Security Management that holds jurisdiction regarding the law's subject and has been tasked by the rikspresident to provide policies to be enacted. The Minister announced that the cities of Renartsborg and Svalvík are now under special policies on matters such as health (in a number of areas), food, housing, general rents, loans and more to be revealed in a coming report by the ministry to the Davostag Corporative Organization. What these policies actually do we are yet to know, as usual when it comes to Davostag politics, but the minister assured that a new press conference would be arranged in a few weeks to provide more information on the subject. The question still stands, what is the government's and Rodin's agenda with this law? Is it really for the sake of analyzing effects or is that an excuse for extensive powers that seek something else?

 

News report written by John Greger.

[Augustus]

 

Government's Policy "Experiment" Revealed

4 May 5628 | Vermillion, Davostag

 

After doing an extensive investigation into the policies enacted by the national government through the Specified Prerogative Act, I and seven of my colleagues can now confidently report to the public that it is exactly as we feared and as I expressed in the finishing line of my most recent news report on the matter. The national government, not just under Axel Rodin, but also at the direction of rikspresident Gustav Dahler, has used these powers to experiment on ethnicist measures in the cities of Renartsborg and Svalvík. What do we mean by this? Renartsborg and Svalvík are two prominent strongholds for the ethnic Befäskar (also known as Kivonians) and Skrigere (historically known as Davostanis) respectively.

 

With tax incentives for further child production, temporary bans on abortion (excluding very rare cases), ban on all contraceptives, change in the education program to promote family values and childcare, lifting regulations in regards to apartments to make available for larger families, promotion for a vibrant sex life for the youth. This is the case in Renartsborg. While in Svalvík, the complete opposite is happening, instead there is a brutal crackdown on anything that might sexualize either men or women, new school uniforms are introduced and boys and girls are taught separately, contraceptives are mandated to be available in all stores and visible to all customers, certain food types are regulated to attempt to decrease various hormone growths that support male and female sex drives, pregnant women has reported that doctors has automatically mentioned reasons and "perks" for abortion and received pamphlets in the mail encouraging it. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. We can not say with any credibility, but some suspicion exists of "accidental" sterilization of both sexes during various medical operations, which would take this entire situation into a completely different one. At last there are reports on an increased regulation on the internet to show the different "necessities" for each city respectively.

 

One might ask what the purpose of this actually is. Through some interactions we have made with locals we could begin to paint a bigger picture here. Some local students in Svalvík for example, stated that they have experienced a decline in cultural representation of Skrigeres and instead are being fed ideas of a unified national identity. To point out, this should not be uncommon, quite the opposite, revivalist nationalism which dominates Davostag politics and society refers to the idea of unifying the two ethnicities together, however, what is unusual is the phrasing. Instead of a united nationality, which is the norm everywhere else in the country, here they speak of a necessity for the unification of it. The picture we can paint then is that there is an attempt at demographic manipulation, to increase the birthrate of one group over the other – maybe for the purpose to homogenize said national identity. Since Kivonians have naturally dominated military and statecraft in the country, a normalized fact since many centuries back, it could give the state leadership queer ideas. With the policies undertaken in Renartsborg and Svalvík, that is probably so. 

 

So it is time that we pursued greater political and state transparency. We recognize that our amazing nation of Davostag is unique and there is no need for it to follow the mindless sheep mentality of the usual global order, but that should not be an excuse for ignoring necessary reform of the system. The National Electoral Union, the national government, the State Council and the Rikspresident should all take a moment to reflect on what they are doing and rethink before they start dividing the country in two. An ultraliberal south and an ultraconservative north. Their party, their nationalism, was built on hope and a better future for all Davostagers, by making our differences complement one another. Rikspresident Dahler, you can end this while it is still not too late.

 

Article written by John Greger.

[Augustus]

 

Minister Karl Manner Responds To Allegations

8 May 5628 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

The Minister of Social Security Management, Karl Manner, called a sudden press conference to discuss allegations made by John Greger.

 

It has been four days since John Greger's article, filled with accusations of demographic manipulation on ethnic lines, through supposed restrictions on everything from contraceptives to school uniforms, lifting of regulations on apartments to actively promoting sexualized and family-related content on the internet, was published. To a regular one might see this as mere conspiracy talk, something that has for some time now been on a steady rise. Riksbladet went to Renartsborg and Svalvík for these past four days having spoken and interacted with locals, with no one noticing any big changes overall. Greger's position as a long-standing and previously valued journalist and reporter allowed him to essentially hijack Riksbladet's publication for his unapproved article. His editor, Tilde Höld, and other higher ups have publicly apologized for the incident and relieved him and his conspirators from their work without pay. And this leads us to today, for the press conference summoned by the Minister of Social Security Management Karl Manner.

 

The minister opened by holding a long statement declaring that everything supposedly revealed in Greger's article is simply a big misunderstanding. That there is no sexual restrictions and opposite promotion in said respective cities; that putting boys and girls in different classrooms is simply done to see possible positives and study the negatives, and research if there might be a biological feature that helps boys and girls learn differently using different methods applied to sex, and absolutely not to limit their interactions with one another. That new school uniforms is not part of the government intervention policy, but a decision made by the local authorities. He further explained that mentioning possibilities for abortion by doctors to pregnant women is not uncommon but a standard procedure for reluctant to-be-mothers. He stated that part of the government's specified local policies is indeed an introduction of childcare education and family-values, to analyze how well students receive said education, as well as a lifting of regulation regarding apartments in Renartsborg. Manner made it clear that he does not intend to give air to the possibility that sterilizations are even on the table and described it as "insanity, utter conspiratorial insanity". No mention was made concerning the food allegations.

 

Minister Manner also declared, with the Secretary of Judicial Affairs on Social Information Artur Ivarsson, that the government will look into the possibility of a legal case of defamation, malpractice and critically harmful slander against Greger and his accomplices. In reference to the number of concerned people who took to social media and some to their local government buildings to protest, the minister talked about the importance of thinking critically and not trusting everything out there. He reassured that the government in Kivonia has no harmful intention against any Davostager citizen, no matter ethnicity or religious background, and pointed out that the world is "raging furiously against us for trying to guarantee the safety of our brothers and sisters in Kundrati"; a comment some might suggest to be bold, since the government has generally avoided any mention of the Kundrati situation since the agreement with their government was signed. The minister ended the conference by stating that his ministry and the government in general will try to alleviate the concerns over Renartsborg and Svalvík by promising more transparency and more openness in policy-making on all levels, but most importantly on the subject of the government's use of the Specified Prerogative Act since it could cause misunderstandings.

 

News report written by Peter Åkerman.

[Augustus]

 

Greger Forms UDR for Upcoming Elections

15 July 5628 | Tårnbæk, Davostag

 

Former journalist John Greger, known for his controversial article, forms his opposition party, the Union for Democratic Reform.

 

The former journalist and recently established political activist John Greger, known for his controversial and questioned article regarding government policies in Renartsborg and Svalvík, has after extensive media coverage and touring the countryside of Sønderhavn, announced together with his wife and other activists, the formation of the Union för demokratisk reform ("Union for Democratic Reform"), UDR, for the upcoming November Riksdag election. Initially, the group had decided on the name Rörelsen för demokratisk förändring ("Movement for Democratic Change"), RDF, but the national electoral commission rejected the name for the reason of "probable social intrusiveness", and it was settled on the former. Greger has declared that the UDR will not regulate itself ideologically and instead be open for all who support pro-democratic and liberal reform.

 

In a recent polling, done by the politically biased and anti-government Fronten newspaper, the UDR is increasing their numbers and support, especially in the northern parts of Sønderhavn, typically Skrigere populated regions. Fronten claims that at this pace, securing seats in the Riksdag is not going to be the main issue for the UDR, rather that supposed government intervention in the election will be the main deciding factor. They also encourage voters who are tired or feel hopeless regarding the situation to either vote for UDR or vote blank as a form of protest against the ruling National Electoral Union (NVU).

 

Riksbladet asked the NVU secretary-general Wictor Rolén for a comment on the establishment of the UDR as a possible contender in the Riksdag, with the response that it would take him all day and some more if he commented on every political group formed in Davostag hoping to contest in elections. We managed to instead get a hold of retired Riksdag veteran Fredrik Påhlman for a quick interview, who stated that the case of the UDR is nothing new and seems to only be a repeat of about 27 years ago when the Folkliga partiet för demokrati ("Popular Party for Democracy"), FPD, was formed in a grand spectacle of opposition against the NVU. In that specific case, the main leaders abruptly ventured into the private sector, joining the boards of profitable companies, while others were arrested on accounts of embezzlement and offshore money laundering connected to their political campaigning; the party was formally disbanded 6 years ago, with the remaining members numbering only about eleven. Påhlman detestfully argues that the UDR is hoping to build up a reputation they can take advantage of like the previous FPD, to gain access to similar private actors for the sake of profit.

 

In whatever the case may be, if the predictions of Fronten as well as the UDR themselves is to be believed, this might become one of the more interesting Davostag elections in recent time. Could the foundation where the National Electoral Union stands finally begin to crack? Or could the opposition activists be wrong in their repetitive claims that the NVU lacks popular support?

 

Article written by Lisa Håkansdotter

[Augustus]

 

The Rikspresident Discusses Need for Military Development

5 September 5628 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

Rikspresident Dahler attended a meeting with the Central Military Commission to urge greater military developments for the coming five years.

 

It was at a meeting yesterday, with the Central Military Commission (Cemko), that Rikspresident Gustav Dahler went into detail about the need for extensive military restructuring, production and development in order to build a safer country and create new job opportunities for a rising unemployment. Knowing beforehand what the meeting was going to be about, the commission had already prepared the necessary paperwork to appease the rikspresident's wishes to polish and revitalize the Armed Forces. The meeting, lasting a couple of hours, resulted in a long list of specified priorities to be drafted into workable policy and together with the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces High Command (MOK), would seek its inclusion in the upcoming draft of the new five-year plan that the National Development Commission (RUK) is to present to the State Council, the Council of Ministers, the Riksdag and the Corporative Chamber after the November election this year.

 

In this list included a proper restructure of the organizational command of the various military units of the Davostag Army, Navy and Air Force; an extensive reorganization of the so-called 'Special Units Branch' (specialenhetsgrenen), otherwise more commonly known as Spezeg, into a more centralized and efficient structure properly incorporated into the other military branches; an expansion of army regiments and divisions into a new second fältarmé ("field army") through reassigning existing units but also creating new ones; re-introducing the traditional mandatory military service for both men and women above the age of 18 and completed high school; revamping the defence industries through the various state-owned and state-affiliated defence companies to increase production of equipments, weapons and vehicles; continue and expand with high tech military research to better preserve the modernized forces; seek military contracts, agreements and/or other forms of cooperation with nearby states. This is but to name a few of the more prioritizing subjects listed.

After the Central Military Commission's report and directive was sent out yesterday, the Military High Command was swift in providing a response by stating that a detailed structural report was to be sent to the commission in the coming months, in which the organization of the units was to be laid out in detail and effectivized as requested. The Ministry of Defence was also quick in stating that they had begun preparing for coming meetings with the Military High Command, the All-State Defence Company, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Infrastructure to lay out a development plan for investments and promotion of increased military production. As things are looking now, with the November election drawing near, the Central Military Commission might be right on time to have an expansion of the military sector be a top priority for the next term.

 

News report written by Peter Åkerman.

[Augustus]

 

Naval Deployments Issued In Response to the Rising Tensions

8 November 5628 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

Two Nyberg-class corvettes organizing their positions in the Unholy Sea.

 

As tensions rise in the nearby region around the situation of Kundrati, the Hutorian government imposed a naval sanction by sending the Hutorian Navy into the international waters surrounding northern Kundrati, controlling vessels in suspected violation of the international sanctions put on the Legionary State. While this has slowed down the trade routes to a degree, it has not ended them, which has resulted in the Ministry of Defence ordering that 4 Kivonia-class corvettes, accompanied by 2 Långstad-class corvettes, are to meet up with those vessels that has passed the Hutorian naval sanction and guide them safely to Davostagian waters. 

 

On top of this, the Military High Command has alerted the various branches of the Armed Forces to stand on guard as a precautionary measure in response to the escalating situation. As this morning, the rikspresident ordered the Bindeborg Fleet under Admiral Göran Olensen be activated on combat level with portions of the fleet, 3 Kivonia-class corvettes, 1 Långstad-class corvette and 1 Nyberg-class corvette, to start circling a specific route throughout the Davostagian economic zone into specific parts of the international waters of the Lievenian Sea and the Unholy Sea. While the Northeast-Artanian Fleet is docked in the major harbors on standby. On top of this, the 3rd Special Units Branch Brigade, more commonly known as the 3rd Spezeg Brigade, and the 8th Spezeg Paratrooper Brigade, (the Davostag special forces), have been activated and stationed on the islands of Bindeborg. While the 2nd Spezeg Naval Reconnaissance Station joined the portion of the Bindeborg Fleet in their route.

 

Both the Office of the Rikspresident and the Office of the Premier has made official statements that declare the military preparations, orders and stationing are simply precautionary until the situation calms down and aimed at safeguarding Davostager lives throughout the region. There has also been unconfirmed report that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure at the behest of the Ministry of Defence and the Premier's Office begin mass-leasing, renting, buying and borrowing hundreds of small to medium to large sized transport vessels placed around the eastern coasts of the islands of Bindeborg and some parts of the southern coasts of mainland Davostag.

 

While it seems that the rikspresident's office is at full work and is unable to give out a proper full interview at the moment, they have commented unofficially that they are prepared for any situation but most of all for peace.

 

News report written by Peter Åkerman.

[Augustus]

 

Riksdag Election Results in the Worst Turnout in Recent Memory

15 November 5628 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

On the 14 November 5628, the Riksdag election was held. Several political parties had been registered, but two was considered to be actual contenders. The long-ruling pro-government National Electoral Union and the recently formed opposition Union for Democratic Reform, led by former journalist and activist John Greger. Predictions had been high for most of the year, with a strong oppositional belief in the entry of the UDR into the Riksdag and beginning of change. The matter of the fact is that among the 12.6 million eligible  voters, only 4 million went to the polls. That is a turnout of 32%, the lowest turnout in recent Davostagian history. With the National Electoral Union gathering about 3.9 million votes and 97%, while the UDR gathered 124 thousand votes and 3%, missing the electoral threshold by 1%, thus gaining no seats in the Riksdag. Political analysts have attempted to figure out the cause of this, with the most solid theory being the Kundrati situation, the naval sanctions by Hutori and the military readiness by the Davostag government and Armed Forces. They point to historical examples where the people have in a sense, collectively, ignored elections in times of need and with the rise for mental preparations of war. In any case, could this be the end of the Union for Democratic Reform? Or will they and John Greger make a second attempt in five years? Only time will tell.

 

News report written by Peter Åkerman.

[Augustus]

 

Military Recruitment and Organizational Efforts is Going Smoothly

22 February 5629 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

In a report published by the Ministry of Defence, it shows that every year there is a total of about 130,000 men and women who are conscripted into the mandatory military service of the Krigsmakt (Davostag Armed Forces) yearly, that is to say all young adults who have completed the mandatory high school, and about 25,000 of them deciding to stay after their 32 month service is completed. Thus providing a steady stream of trained soldiers for the various branches. But due to the efforts by the government to give a greater focus on military development, about 6,000 adult citizens have in these past four months decided to return to the Krigsmakt, with expectations that even more might return this year. Thus gaining the best year of military recruitment for a long while. 

 

The Armed Forces High Command (MOK) has taken the recruitments into consideration in developing new organizational plans for the government and the Central Military Commission to approve. This would see the creation of several new divisions and dozens of new regiments for the coming years. But it also provides a focus on special forces units (Spezeg) and their role in operational successes. The current Spezeg forces are composed of three brigades, positioned in the Davostag Army, with two other stations in the Navy each in the two respective fleets. MOK has provided good reports on the standards, efficiency and professionalism of the Armed Forces, stating that they value and prioritize quality over quantity. Aided by advanced technological equipment by the All-State Defence Company ("ASFK") and their TAE military industries, one could argue that the MOK's desire probably stands true. They have also made it clear to the Ministry of Defence that they are not opposed to an increase in size, but that they would like to exert patience with diligence in ensuring that the quality remains the same as before an increase in new recruits.

 

Riksbladet also took note of a report by the Ministry of Defence that the foundations for three new army divisions could be completed by summer and their inauguration done next year, together with two new naval divisions, as the ASFK have greatly increased the production of new warships. In total, this would mean between 35-40 divisions and maybe an increase from eight army corps to nine. On top of this, a source in the Ministry of Defence claims that the government and MOK has laid out plans for about 9 nine Spezeg brigades, 51 battalions and totalling about 60,000 soldiers. If so, MOK does not shy away from their quality talk. Another source, this time directly from MOK, which is not common, has said that there is a blueprint being worked on for a plan build the Krigsmakt up to 800,000 active personnel in the coming six years, which would be the largest size Davostag's military would see since the very old days.

 

The main obstacle towards the campaign for rapid increase in recruitment is the Central Military Commission, a body that has acted in pure formality as a civilian oversight body (due to the 5585 events*) to keep the Armed Forces in check. With militarist sympathies still dominating in the government, the CMC has mostly been for show, but this time voices within it has begun questioning whether a rapid recruitment increase might not be a reason for the MOK to acquire more influence in the government and pose as possible future threat. One could argue that this fear is not unwarranted, Davostag has a very long history of military coups. But the determination of the rikspresident and MOK will certainly become a challenge for any critical voices, especially those within the state.

 

* (The 5585 events refer to several scandals and abuses by the Davostag Military Police and army officers that led to several major corruption and torture court cases and a public demand for regulation and oversight of the military. It went as far as the Riksdag (legislature), known for having been completely under the control of the government and the ruling party, revolting and threatening to bring down both the premier and rikspresident. All of this led to the creation of the Central Military Commission.)

 

News report written by Peter Åkerman.