Dundorf

[Drax]

CHANCELLOR ANNOUNCES OBJECTIVES
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Chancelry, September 18, 5657: Asked by ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER what she hoped to do in her fifth term as Chancellor, Erica Kleinfelder responded:
 

Things come up, domestically, economically, internationally, and with respect to national security.  Obviously want to be ready for whatever fate throws our way.  Opportunities and challenges.
 
With that said, two things hope to have time to give emphasis to.  In Dunlake the government is helping give a push to electric cars and trucks for individual and family use. Very much want to expand this project.
 
Second, believe time is ripe to build an oil refinery on Ikradun Island.  We are in touch with Qat Oil Services, the long established Majatran petroleum services company, and are looking to involve some others with recognized expertise.
 
Believe this will keep us busy for my fifth and final term as Chancellor.

[Drax]

CHANCELLOR ANNOUNCES DORVISH AND MAJATRAN HELP BUILDING REFINERY
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Chancellery, November 18, 5659: Chancellor Erica Kleinfelder made the following announcement today:
 

We have been looking to build an oil refinery on Ikradun Island which is jointly owned by Ikradon and the Bundeesrepublik.  We have been making plans with Qat Oil Services, an international company that has operations in Majatra and Seleya.
 
The Chancellor’s Office has also been in contact with the Government of the King and Kaiser about arranging for engineering and technical expertise from Northern Oil, and today we can announce Northern Oil will be assisting in the project with its expertise.
 
Also assisting will be Majaran Refining Company which has interlocking directorships with Qat Oil Services which recommended its help.
 
Inselveredelung, AG (IVAG), will be the owner with all shares initially owned by Importundernehmen der Bundesrepublik (IdB), the Bundesrepublik’s federally owned import corporation, but IVAG shares will be sold on the stock exchange which will have the potential for privatizing the enterprise. If things go well, IdB will be expected to retain about 10% so it could move back in if necessary.
 

The oil refinery will be a sprawling complex with extensive piping carrying streams of fluids between chemical processing units such as distillation columns. It will also have storage depots for the incoming crude oil and for the refined products. Some products can be used once impurities and contaminants are removed. Others are created by fluid catalytic cracking or hydro catalytic cracking. Others are formed from intermediate products by catalytic reforming and by devolatilization.

 
We will be concerned with occupational and environmental safety.  Spills and leaks can catastrophically affect marine life. Safety and protecting the environment are more important than speed or volume.  The Government  will be regulating and inspecting operations to prevent such mishaps and seeing to it that procedures are in place should a mistake occur to contain resultant problems.
 
A second concern is waste from oil refineries. The water will be protected and the waste disposed of properly..  Again the Government will be responsible for regulation and oversight.
 
We will not be doing liquefied natural gas so revaporizing in offshore terminal facilities with an open loop system will not be in play. To avoid threats to marine life when warm seawater is returned after hyper cooling, if production of liquefied natural gas is ever initiated,  a closed loop system would be used.

[Drax]

DSU TALKING TO DRF
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Bundestag, August 19, 5660: ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER caught up with Ursua Hoepner, Floor Leader of Demoktratische Soziale Union (DSU), as she left a meeting with Karl-Heinrich Muller, Chair of Dundorfische Rote Front (DRF), and asked if it looked like DSU and DRF would rejoin each other, and Hoepner replied:
 

No, that was not what we were talking about.  The DSU has been very concerned that although there is clearly a left of center majority in the Bundestag, the ruling coalition seems to always include right of center parties.
 
What Karl-Heinrich and I were discussing was whether DRF could craft its demands so they conceivably could enter a governing coalition at some point in the future. We aimed at whether DRF’s opposition to monarchy and private ownership of the means of production could be expressed as having the right to remain in a  coalition although voting against any new treaties or trade agreements with monarchies and voting for nationalization over privatization whenever it came up.
 
Also what Ministries would be attractive to the DRF as well as any bills it might want in order to be a part of a governing coalition such as the education reform legislation sponsored by Grüne Partei für den Planeten (GPP).
 
Karl-Heinrich believes the DRF membership will buy the idea and will get back to me. 
 
With respect to your original question, the DSU and DRF split did cause some hard feelings and recrimination, and I think we are ready to move past that and work together on common goals.

DSU's Ursula Hoepner

[Drax]

NO SERIOUS THREATS IS NATIONAL SECURITY REPORT
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Interior Ministry, December 19, 5662: ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER has learned the Interior Ministry has prepared its annual security report with input from the Buro fur Innere Sicherheit ( BIS) which handles internal security including counterintelligence, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) which carries out espionage externally, the regular police, the criminal investigation division, the border guard and the special capital police.  Information from military intelligence including the Soteria Air Defense System is provided by the Defence Ministry while the Foreign Office has provided its insight from contact with the international community.
 
It appears that no actual threat of military action currently exists against the Bundesrepublik.  The long time allies of the Bundesrepublik in the   Humanitarian Alliance are pretty much in isolation so that alliance can be said to be largely moribund.  On the other hand, ties with the Dorvish Government of the King and Kaiser have been renewed together with military cooperation.
 
The long game policy of the Foreign Office of pursuing free trade and non aggression pacts has to a large extent meant very few enemies. The attack by the depraved one time rulers of the backward nation of Kirlawa long ago is one of the few exceptions.
 
The international landscape has changed a great deal over the centuries and the Bundesrepublik’s parliamentary democracy is no longer a  typical style of government among the more powerful nations with monarchy again becoming a prominent feature. Some are democratic none the less, some considerably less so.
 
This leaves the Bundesrepublik out of much of the international interaction of the truly powerful.  The Foreign Office has consistently over the centuries preferred and pursued interaction with nations that treat their own citizens well and are trustworthy regardless of the particular form of government.  This has been followed even though occasional isolationist tendencies show up in some parties from time to time.
 
Internally, the Bundesrepublik has had and still has quite a diverse spectrum of political opinion particularly around to what extent religious bodies should be allowed at all or have any influence and whether the means of production should be publicly or privately owned.
 
What has been resolved is those questions will be resolved by the Bundestag as will other issues. The BIS does not find any serious organized effort to overthrow the authority of the Bundestag.
 
Yes there  are Metzists at universities who talk about revolution and a few students listen. And there are clusters of middle aged passed over field grade officers talking to each other over drink after drink about how it would be better if the military ran everything.  We know who they are and know they are currently harmless.
 
And there are some monarchists but they are monarchists in a general sort of way with no identifiable  dynasty to rally around. The vast majority of military personnel believe they have a stake in the modernizing of the Bundeswehr and its ongoing professionalism whether politically they tend to be conservative, monarchist, Metzist, religious zealot or whatever.
 
The report thus does not anticipate immediate threats whether internal or external, but vigilance should not be relaxed nonetheless.


Interior Ministry

[TheNick]

Despite Little Change in Votes, Election Brings Change to Dundorf
October 5662 (backdated)

---

New DSDP Leader Lennard Schneider with the historical former Leader and Chancellor Jorg Berger.

---

Dunburg - An election result that most people thought to be the most boring and unconsequential of all times turned out to be a surprise and a change in customs for our Federal Republic. The Social-Democratic Party, with its new leader elected in September, Lennard Schneider, came in again at second place, which customarily means that the Federal Chancellor will be chosen among the ranks of the first party, the Hosian-Democratic NDZP.

However, according to this morning's newest reports and rumors, the DSDP Leadership has privately agreed to cooperate with the DRF, an hard-left party, in order to form what political analysts call a "Grosse-Links-Koalition", which comprehends all parties left of center: DSDP, Greens, DSU and DRF. The biggest obstacles to achieve this coalition were historically two: the DSDP leadership being held by a moderate (it was then Mr. Jorg Berger, who retired) and the cold relationship between DRF and DSU. The first in no longer a problem since Mr. Schneider, a progressive, won the DSDP's leadership; the second obstacle was resolved last spring, when the relationship was 'rehabilitated' by the two parties' leader after a lenghty joint congress in which they were able to work out . This means that the obtacles are virtually removed and, in theory, the Grosse-Links-Koalition enjoys the support of all its internal components.

Chancellor Erica Kleinfelder confided yesterday that she's 'hopeful' Mr. Schneider decides to continue to support the current government, a Grand Coalition between NDZP, DSDP and the TLD, but has also acknowledged that a majority of the members in the Bundestag belong to the leftist bloc and they have every right to elect whoever they want as Federal Chancellor, and also understands that cooperating with a young progressive like Mr. Schneider is totally different than a old moderate like former Chancellor Jorg Berger. According to rumors, the Presidency will still nominate, as is custom, Ms. Kleinfelder as the Chancellor-designated; but if by next week she still isn't able to form a new Government, President Teitelbaum will nominate Lennard Schneider as Chancellor. If elected by Bundestag, Mr. Schneider would become Dundorf's youngest ever Federal Chancellor at age 30, and the first Social-Democrat to become Chancellor in the modern era to not be called "Jorg Berger".

---

Election Results (+/- 5658):
- NDZP: 21,9% and 145 seats (-1% and -6)
- DSDP: 20,9% and 136 (-0,4% and -4)
- TLD: 12,9% and 83 (-0,2% and -1)
- GPP: 12,5% and 81 (+0,5% and +4)
- KBP: 11,8% and 67 (+0,4% and +3)
- DSU: 10% and 64 (+0,3% and +2)
- DRF: 10% and 54 (+0,4% and +2)

---

This post was delayed because of some technical issues on my part and was backdated by two years for this reason.

[Drax]

PRESIDENT ASKS DSDP TO FORM A RULING COALITION

ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Presidential Palace, October 25, 5662 (backdated):   ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER has learned that after being informed by  Chancellor Erica Kleinfelder that the existing governing coalition will not be continuing and that a Neue Dundorfische Zentrumspartei (NDZP) led coalition will not be forthcoming, Bundesprasidentin Karlotte Teitelbaum has asked the Dundorf Sozialdemokratische Partei (DSDP) Party Leader, Lennard Schneider, to form a ruling coalition with himself as Bundeskanzler.
 
It is believed he will shortly announce he can do so with support from the Greens, Dundorfische Rote Front (DRF) and Demokratische Sozialunion (DSU) as a Grosse – Liknks – Koalition.

[Drax]

INTERIOR LOOKING AT EASING TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS WITH LUTHORI
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Interior Ministry, October 27, 5662 (backdated): Interior Minister Gunther Krancke issued the following statement today:
 

Chancellor Erica Kleinfelder’s Office has been in discussions with the Luthorian Government about easing travel and immigration restrictions between our two nations. 
 
Think it is fair to say most all parties are in favor of this but there is no doubt tucked away in legislation from some of our more isolationist and xenophobic periods there are administrative holdovers on forms, in regulations and in procedural guides that unnecessarily hinder free  travel and immigration between us. 
 
The Justice Ministry is reviewing likely legislation but frankly subsequent legislation has cured almost all outdated statutory impediments.
 
But what is in the forms and instructions?  Doubt if it is too bad but I am today ordering a review by the Border Guard Leadership of the forms, regulations and instructions concerning Luthori citizens entering the Bundesrepublik.
 
The report should be comprehensive as to Luthori citizens but redundant requirements applicable to all entering the Bundesrepublik should lead to recommended revocation should they be revealed by the review.
 
Since the Kleinfelder Administration is days if not hours away from replacement by the Schneider Administration, the report on this review should be delivered to my successor.

Interior Ministry

[Drax]

SCHNEIDER TO LEAD GROSSE-LINKE-KOALITION
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Bundestag, October 29, 5662 (backdated): ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER asked Ursula Hoepner, Demoktratische Soziale Union (DSU) Party Leader, what arrangement had been approved by the Bundestag, and she replied:
 

Bundesprasident Karlotte Teitelbaum called on Lennard Schneider, the new Leader of Dundorf Sozialdemokratische Partei (DSDP), to form a governing coalition which he has done.
 
DSDP is joined by DSU, Grune Partei fur den Planeten (GPP) and Dundorfische Rote Front (DRF).
 
Lennard Schneider is now Bundeskanzler while DSDP has three other ministries. GPP’s Julia Zuckerfeld is now Finance Minister, and GPP has three other ministries. DRF’s Karl- Heinrich Muller is Interior Minister, and DRF has two other ministries.
 
I will be Foreign Minister while DSU has two other ministers.  This is our first Grosse-Linke-Koalition in some time, and DSU is committed to working with our coalition partners to make it a success.
 
Our own thinking is the two key factors making it possible are our reconciliation with DRF and Chancellor Schneider leading DSDP in a more progressive direction.

Foreign Minister Hoepner

[Drax]

BUNDESTAG APPROVES BUNDESKABINETT COMPOSITION
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Bundestag, May 25, 5666:   In a rare unanimous vote arranged by Chancellor Lennard Schneider, the Bundestag has approved a list of fifteen Ministries whose Ministers constitute the Bundeskabinett. The fifteen are:

Chancellor
Foreign
Interior
Finance
Justice
Defence
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Education
Labor and Social Services
Environment, Tourism and Territorial Conservation
Agriculture and Food
Science and Research
Commerce and Industry
Energy 

ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER notes that there were adjustments to the original draft so the Bundestag may well add or consolidate Ministries in the future.  All the various government agencies and corporations are now currently grouped under these fifteen Ministries.


Bundestag

[Drax]

BIERPAKT REAFFIRMED
 
ODERVELD - LEUCHTFEUER
 
Foreign Office, May 29, 5667: ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER sources in the Foreign Office indicate an ongoing project has been discussion with the staff of the Director of Foreign Affairs of the Triad Republic concerning reaffirming the Bierpakt between the Bundesrepublik and the Triad Republic.
 
The Bierpakt recognized the pan – Dundorfian cultural connections between our two nations and sought to reinforce the friendship between us through cultural and educational interaction.
 
One hundred years ago, as part of the Bierpakt arrangement, the Bundesrepublik was instrumental in providing expertise for the Triad Republic’s educational reform particularly in the area of bilingual proficiency.
 
The fundamental idea is enhancement of the friendship between us by actual projects promoting cultural appreciation and educational opportunities.
 
The development of Bierpakt projects for the Bundesrepublik will be coordinated by the Foreign Office.  Foreign Minister Ursula Hoepner announced today that reaffirmation of the Bierpakt was agreeable to both nations.


Foreign Minister Hoepner