Kalistani Major History

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Kalistan to pass Lèse-majesté Law to protect Sovereign
FM issues strong warning to Baltusia
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 2, 5553


Dame Jacqueline DuMont warns Baltusia against Destabilization during contentious National Assembly Session

The last year has been extremely contentious in Kalistan. Following the widescale violence of last fall, the protests have died down a bit, and have become primarily peaceful. Most of this reduction in activity was due to weather in much of the northern regions of the Empire, with unusual cold and precipitation measured over the winter. With the arrival of spring, however, protest activity and calls for democratic "reform" are already increasing, and unwillingness of the Government to meet with protest groups will certainly serve to irritate the matter further.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor has ousted the remaining "nationalist" holdouts in the National Assembly and with His Imperial Majesty and the several Dukes, have appointed Institutional Loyalists to fill the vacant seats. The ouster was not a surprise to anyone, as Chancellor of the Empire Dame Lindsay Ontiveros-Maxwell telegraphed her intention to eject the "troublesome twenty" following their failed attempt at removing her from the Premiership. Chancellor Ontiveros has met regularly with His Imperial Majesty who announced that

"Chancellor Ontiveros has our full and complete confidence in her efforts to deal with these troubles that have unfortunately riven our society on the Mainland and have so crassly disrupted the peace and tranquility to which Kalistanis have grown accustomed. We will ensure she has all authority necessary to continue to work on behalf of our People."

The Emperor also announced that he intended to call a plebiscite within two years to propose "reasonable and moderate" reforms to the constitution in an effort to reintroduce measures of democracy into the National Assembly.

In a seemingly contrary move, Dame Ontiveros, after accepting the resignations of the Ministers of Environment and Technology, began working with the Cabinet and key Institutionalist figures to begin crafting a lèse-majesté law aimed at making insult or assault toward the sovereign a Class 2b Felony under the Prison Abolition Act. "It is important that His Imperial Majesty have mastery of his entire domain, to include those areas that these so called protestors intend to deny him. Issuing personal and implied threats and insult is terrorism, and is aimed at forcing political concession out of fear rather than reason. Conspiracy to do so is just as bad."

The law immediately sparked criticism behind the scenes, said unnamed sources close to the discussions. Several Deputies were noticeably uncomfortable with the curtailment of basic civil liberties proposed by the Chancellor. Two deputies even threatened to resign over the new law, but it is said that the Chancellor called their bluff and they opted to remain in office. Other deputies demanded a stronger law that would give the Government not only power to keep the Emperor safe from unruly demonstrators, but also to provide the police, local governments, Counties and Duchies additional tools to manage unrest if this summer is to be a repeat of last summer.

In the end, negotiations over the wording and the terms of the Bill lasted for four months. Yesterday, the Chancellor laid the final lèse-majesté bill on the table for approval. The Emperor is said to have reviewed the act and has announced his support for the bill ideally hoping it can be extended to Her Highness the Princess Consort Pavlina and Minor Princess Carolina. The finalized bill makes all insult and assault of the Sovereign, including conspiracy to commit those things, illegal, punishable under the terms of the Prison Abolition Act as a Class 2b Violent Felony (Aggravated Assault). The Chancellor left much of the enacting clauses vague to provide the government latitude in prosecution of offenders, but did put the power of curfew into the hands of local authorities, Counts and Grand Mayors. The law also outlaws political advertisements of any kind, apparently as a measure to prohibit propaganda announcing and coordinating anti-governmental protests. All 79 deputies in the National Assembly have voted in support of the law, and it is expected to be fully enacted in December of this year.

To cap the session off, His Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister addressed reports that Baltusia have issues statements of support for the Protest movement. "The Baltusian Communists, dedicated as they are to world revolution, have announced support for those in this country supposedly fighting for 'democracy,'" said Dame DuMont. "I come before the National Assembly today to warn the government of Baltusia agaisnt attempting to provide material or political support to the malcontents and violent criminals in these protest cadres. They are not at all what they seem: Many of them are sincere, but these are the people who do not know that they are being sinisterly manipulated by elements in Kalistan's society that aim at power, pure and simple. These groups seek to dismantle Kalistan's institutions, brick by blood soaked brick, until there is nothing left in this nation but anarchy. And furthermore, we have evidence that capitalists and fascists are bankrolling these groups."

The Foreign Minister then announced: "I have asked our head of the IBSI to begin to investigate these civil society groups, to ascertain whether they were receiving any sort of material support from any foreign state. If there is any connection, we will find it. But to Baltusia specifically, let me say, those behind these protests, those bankrolling them, and training them and putting words in their mouths and thoughts in their head about so-called democracy... these shadowy figures like communists about as much as they like Institutionalists. Which is to say, not at all. The Baltusians should be careful about who they hop into bed with. When you coddle a fascist, you become marked by fascism. It becomes a mark that you cannot escape. And your enemy's enemy isn't always your friend."

Dame DuMont reminded Baltusia that Kalistan's policy is reciprocity. "Destabilization for destabilization. We hope Baltusia is intelligent enough to pick the correct side in this whole affair. But at any rate, they are invited to mind their own shack, and don't prove everyone around the world right about them. Just because something says 'we the people' doesn't mean the useful idiot has any idea which monster gave them that sign to carry." The Foreign Minister's speech received widespread applause from the Deputies, including the Chancellor, who has herself embraced a more robust foreign policy that seeks Kalistan standing up for itself internationally.

Time will tell what the summer holds. It is expected to be a long hot one.