Kalistani Major History

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Kalistan Slams Kizenian Hosian Democratic Union
"Our beef is with Petrescu," says Carrangus
Kaliburg, Ananto
August 15, 4113


Premier Carrangus speaks candidly about the Commonwealth's threatened Import Tariff

"They've got to be out of their minds!" was how Premier Carrangus initially responded to the excessively punitive proposal put on the table in the Commonwealth Legislature.  "This 20 percent import tax?  Searching our ships?  This violates the terms of the Anantanese Ocean Pact, as well as every other agreement, formal or otherwise, that we have with the Commonwealth.  If they search our ships, they can illegally impound whatever they decide to declare contraband, and that is just another word for high seas piracy.  Clearly, Petrescu is not working in his country's best interest when he proposes bills like this."

The proposal the Premier refers to would put a "special" 20% tariff on Kalistani Goods and services entering New Endralon.  Other proposals from members of the Commonwealth Government include the searching of Kalistani vessels, though the bill itself does not contain such language.  The bill was raised apparently in response to the "discovery" that Kalistan has been exporting, thorough ODEN, various drugs and intoxicants. 

"Well, ODEN has been around for more than 1600 years.  Its no secret that we sell drugs.  I'm not sure why Petrescu acts shocked to "learn" this."  The Premier acknowledges that drug possession and consumption is illegal in the Commonwealth, "...but as the Justice Minister very well knows, ODEN-Kalistan only sells directly to individuals within Kalistan.  Internationally, our buyers are wholesale distributors.  Those are the people who ultimately sell to clients in New Endralon/Kizenia-  you not find a single ODEN store outside of ODEN countries. 

"The government should be more concerned about the demand side of this equation than the supply side.  If Kizenians stopped buying drugs from Kalistan, it would not hurt our bottom line that much, but if concern for drug importation is really what is driving these harsh reactions from the HDU, then I do not understand how sanctioning Kalistan will put a damper on drug importation.  Users will get their drugs from somewhere.  If not from ODEN, then from the people in other countries who buy it from ODEN and then smuggle it into the Commonwealth.  The difference is, when it comes from ODEN, we can vouch for its purity and chemical content.  When it goes through the black market, we can't.  The users are going to get it one way or another, and so the Government should be focusing on them."

But the Premier hinted that she understood the true cause of the proposed action. 

"You know, its because Jose [Magelleno, Director of ODEN-Kalistan] spoke out on [Former Freedom Front Leader Csatar] Attila.  They didn't care about ODEN until Magelleno spoke out on behalf of the guy who they unjustly arrested and are stripping of his parliamentary immunity so they can prosecute him.  Once we express an opinion on their domestic affairs, we're slapped with this tariff by this extremely regressive Party of religious fanatics [referring to the HDU]."

 

When asked if this proposal will hurt Kalistani relations with the Commonwealth, Carrangus was more circumspect. 

"No, our beef is with this Petrescu fellow, not with the people or the government of New Endralon/Kizenia.  If they pass their bill, our law requires us to immediately impose the same terms upon them.  Essentially, everything we import from New Endralon, and the net value is fairly substantial following the Anantanese Ocean Pact, becomes instantly 20% more expensive.  If they impound our ships and our cargo, we issue letters of marque and impound their ships.  In other words, and this is a fact that I hope reaches Petrescu and his buddies: we give them exactly the same deal that they give us.  It requires no special legislation on our part-  we have already passed the law to that end.  Retaliation goes into effect the day their bill passes, and that is something I am sure neither state really wants.

"And our opposition to this business about their arrest of Party Leader Atilla doesn't get resolved one way or another.  Because Magelleno likes to talk."

Carrangus went on to discuss other unrelated matters, which are not reported here.