Kalistan

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Empress offers a rare Q & A period in National Assembly
Patently denies any Imperial Plot to Invade Athosia
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
March 1, 5640


Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto is "grilled" on the floor of the National Assembly

Usually, when Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto attends a session of the National Assembly of Deputies, the conversation is one way: She usually attends to make a speech to put legitimacy behind a specific government policy. Today she did something that is rare in the annals of Imperial Legislative history: She allowed herself to be questioned by the People's Deputies.

She first appeared during a contentious debate over whether to demand the resignation of Her Imperial Majesty's Minister of Defense over last month's intelligence leak, which included a classified map of invasion routes into Baltusia. She arrived in the Chamber unannounced and the very contentious debate ended instantly as all present rose immediately to their feet. She handed a note to Chancellor of the Empire, who read it and said "Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto would like to answer your questions."

There was immediate objection to the proposed course of action by the Empress, rising mostly from the Orthodox Majority. "This is extremely unusual, Mr. Chancellor!" said Deputy Shell Franklin, representing rural Dah County in Ananto. "There is no way Imperial Protocol can be maintained in this setting. The House Laws dictate under which conditions Kalistani Nationals may speak with the Empress, and we must insist."

The Empress stepped into the Speakers' Podium and said "You may all direct your questions for us to the Chancellor of the Empire. We shall treat this as a formal audience." Protests continued, as Deputy after Deputy demanded the Chancellor ask the Empress to leave so the legislature could finish its debate. Eventually the Empress stepped to her microphone and said "Deputies: We are your Empress, and it is our desire that before you sack one of our Ministers in whom we maintain complete faith, you have the correct information. Now: You will accept our offer to answer your questions, or you will retire, but it is our desire that we shall speak here, and as such, our will is beyond contestation or challenge. What will it be, Gentlemen?"

At this, the Deputies stopped speaking, but remained in silence. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it pleases us that you shall be seated, and stand only when it is your turn to speak," and then to the Chancellor: "Sir Chancellor, please allow this Assembly to conduct its interrogation." The Chancellor nodded and said "So please your Imperial Majesty."

Questions for the Empress came in a far more orderly and timid fashion than they had been directed at the Chancellor.

Q: "Sir Chancellor, please ask Her Imperial Majesty to confirm or deny whether our Empire was formally planning an invasion of Baltusia."

A: "We can formally and fully deny that there were any such plans for an invasion of Athosia. As the Deputies know, it is against our own law for us to seek to take our birthright in Athosia by force. They will be reunited to the Empire willingly or not at all."

Q: "Sir Chancellor, please ask of Her Imperial Majesty if there is any new information regarding the leaked classified documents, especially their source."

A: "We can confirm two things for the Deputies. First: The documents were absolute forgeries. They were most likely posted on the internet in a disinformation campaign. The IBSI and the Regular Forces have assured us that there were no operational planning around the invasion of Athosia or conflict on any level with Baltusia in pursuit of our rightful claims in Athosia. Secondly, as to who is responsible for the dissemination of this information, we are still investigating the matter, but right now signs are pointing toward liberal deadenders who still inhabit this state. A possibly goal of theirs could be to drive a wedge between Kalistan and our Partners, and it seems that they have in some measure been successful. The aim of this action is unclear, but it could be said to be destabilization."

Q: "Sir Chancellor, would you please ask the Empress why Kalistan maintains Southern Army mobilization north of the Lucid River?"

A: "We maintain our presence there both to be ready if their revolution spills across our river into our National Territory. We also wish to remain prepared in the case of seeing human rights, civil rights and political rights being violated in Athosia. Obviously we have not crossed the Lucid River, nor do we intend to, unless it is to rescue our kinsmen. But as we read in the Baltusian papers, tensions seem to be decreasing in Baltusia rather than increasing, so our presence, along our own border, inside our own Nation, may also decrease as the security situation in Baltusia stabilizes."

Q: "Why does Her Imperial Majesty..." at which point the Deputy was cut of by the Chancellor. "Deputy Conrad you will address your question to me rather than to the Empress. Weren't you one of those just complaining five minutes ago about protocol?"

Q: "Excuse us Sir Chancellor. Sir Chancellor, will you ask Her Imperial Majesty why she insists upon blaming Liberals for all of this nation's woes, when we only want economic freedom and more power to be allocated to the people. She makes us out to be villains of the worst order, when in fact our ideology creates perfectly legitimate and stable government the world over. Could you ask her that?

A: "Deputy Conrad, suggesting that Liberals could do that here is akin to sedition, when you boil it down. The Institutional Party is the only party that is legal in Kalistan. And the free market has been almost entirely abolished in favor of the Dual Economy. Perhaps liberals are the problem because we merely need to look at capitalist, liberal democratic states world wide, and we see them virtually paralyzed in fear of their own electorate, while the People are so puppetted by demagogues that the outcomes of elections can only be said to be legitimate comparatively. Similarly, Kalistan's various flirtations with Liberalism have invariably ended with hyper capitalism, hyper inequality and inequity, and gross violations of human rights, as Liberals use state power mercilessly to protect property and to force their preferred political system down everyone's throat. By Contrast, Kalistan has stability and regularity: two traits that allow the people to lead actually fuller lives. Liberalism fills people's heads with a bunch of nonsense that would be irrelevant in the lives of the people if it weren't so pernicious, and all liberal movements in this nation, where they arise, need to be squelched out of existence when they are found, so the people may know true liberty, rather than being distracted by stupid and juvenile political in fighting."

Q: "Sir Chancellor, would Her Imperial Majesty care to list names of liberals who are behind this plot?

A: "We did not say that they were. We are only currently saying that the documents were written by the hand of a a professional agent who utilized contacts in the Kalistani Press to bring embarrassment upon our Government and our Chancellor."

Q: "Sir Chancellor, does her Imperial Majesty have a name for the person or person's behind this so called disinformation."

A: "We will not comment on an ongoing investigation."

Q: "Does Her Imperial Majesty have any information at all for us on this, or did she just seek to waste our time?"

Chancellor of the Empire, Sir Michael Koenig stepped in at this time: "Deputy Hemmit, mind your tone." The Deputy responded, "This is all smoke and mirrors, Sir Chancellor. Her Imperial Majesty was embarrassed by this episode, and she is doing all she can here to protect her friends and sweep this under the rug. I think we've heard enough of this propaganda: I for one am ready to vote, and call the question on the motion to cashier the Defense Minister." The motion to end debate received a quick second by another Internationalist Deputy, and more than three quarters of the Deputies immediately signaled that they wanted debate closed.

While Her Imperial Majesty sat in her stately Assembly Seat, the Chamber conducted its vote to remove the Minister, Colonel Bonaventure. In the end, the motion failed 31 to 48. After the vote, the Chancellor quickly adjourned the session until the following day, rather than to let the debate flair again in the presence of the Empress. Her Imperial Majesty nodded to the Chancellor, and then existed the chamber.

Later, many Deputies very publicly blamed Chancellor Koenig for allowing the Empress' presence to sway their votes. "I was going to vote 'for' showing Bonaventure the door," said a Deputy who requested anonymity to speak candidly. "The Empress' answers did little to sway my mind, but the thing that killed my vote for cashiering was the fact that the Chancellor let her into the Chamber in the first place. I know he couldn't do much against a determined Empress, but still. He might have put up a little fight, and if there was any hint that I wouldn't have been voted against the will of the Empress, I would have voted to force Bonaventure into retirement over this whole thing. She made her will crystal clear to all of us, and how some could still vote for the proposal was beyond me. Their votes are recorded: they now have political targets on their back for defying the Empress' clear preferences."

The Deputy also noted that most of those who voted for removal of the Minister were of the Internationalist faction and have also identified themselves unofficially as liberals.

While the investigation continues, the Chancellor continues to be peppered by a tiny but very vocal minority, which may someday switch from calling for the head of the Defense Minister to looking for Sir Koenig's head instead. But this is not that day. Meanwhile, Her Imperial Majesty, recently returned to Kaliburg from Eveari on a permanent basis, is preparing for her visit to Istalia for the marriage of Crown Prince Tomassio. She will be reportedly looking at real estate when in country close to the ancient but now demolished Casa Di Ananto that was owned by Nicolette I Ananto nearly 200 years ago.

@TheRepublic

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Empress meets with new Lodamese Viceroy
Administrator General Sir James Forrester welcomed to Cliff House
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
June 7, 5640


Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto and Sir James Forrester

The Administrator-General, who serves as Her Imperial Majesty's Viceroy to The Commonwealth of Lodamun among other administrative roles he carries within the Commonwealth, flew to Kaliburg this week to be confirmed by Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto. The Administrator General was selected for the role by both houses of the Lodamese Congress, and in addition to his roles within the Lodamese Government, also serves as the primary liaison between the Anantonese Empire and the largely autonomously governed Commonwealth, and speaks with the voice of Her Imperial Majesty on all AE matters.

The new Administrator-General is an epidemiologist and has recently served as a Professor of Health and Social Services, and was a main advocate for the expansion of public health within Lodamun. "We are pleased to welcome such a strong advocate for the health and welfare of the people of Lodamun to our home in Kaliburg," said Her Imperial Majesty, at a public reception for the new Administrator-General. "Sir Forrester is a credit to his Nation, and we are very encouraged with the appointment."

Besides officially credentialing Lodamun's choice for Administrator-General, Dr. Forester was officially inducted as Stranger Knight Companion in the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke. "The position entitled the Administrator-General to hold counsel with us without the necessity of a formal audience," said the Empress. "Therefore appointment is necessary. Our Viceroy in Gaduridos maintains the same status." Unfortunately, Order Day events, held in May each year were completed by the time the Administrator-General arrived, but there are at least two more Order events this year which the Administrator-General will certainly be welcomed to attend.

Reportedly, following the Investiture Ceremony, Her Imperial Majesty and His Excellency the Administrator-General discussed important matters of Anantonese Defense. Her Imperial Majesty was keen to discuss missile defense. She also reportedly discussed recent developments in satellite-based target acquisition technology which will soon be prototyped for space launch from Spencer. Trade and continental affairs were also on the docket for discussion, as well and the potential to recognize the new Government in Baltusia. The full investiture ceremony was less than 20 minutes long, and the conversation between the two lasted about a half hour.

"We look forward to our next visit to Lodamun," said Her Imperial Majesty. "In the meanwhile, We thank His Excellency the Administrator General for visiting us here in Kaliburg. He and the entire Lodamese Government is always welcomed to our capital."

@TheRepublic

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Lady Anya Waltrip reports Baltusian Government is recognized
Her Imperial Majesty wants to support reform without supporting Revolution
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
June 9, 5640


Lady Waltrip briefs Press on Baltusian Recognition

Her Imperial Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lady Anya Waltrip, held a brief press conference where she announced full recognition of the new Regime in Baltusia.

"Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto has offered full diplomatic recognition to our neighbors in Baltusia," said Lady Anya Waltrip. "We have informed the Provisional Government of Baltusia, under the leadership of Lauren Cole of our decision, and stand ready to assist Baltusia in the stabilization of its nation, now that the Communists has regime in Baltusia has become extinct." Lady Waltrip said that the recognition is predicated on hope for a closer relationship between Kalistan and Baltusia in the future.

"Her Imperial Majesty is a realist," said Lady Waltrip. "She knows that our two nations have been completely estranged for almost a century, and it will take more than a mere statement of recognition to heal the rift that spans far greater than the Lucid River. This is a start, it is a crack in the door, and will take a determined effort on both sides of the river to rebuild trust that was utterly crushed by the establishment and maintenance of the first beligerent and then utterly negligent, and finally brutally repressive communist regime in Northern Seleya. Kalistan stands prepared to assist in any way Baltusia should decide that it would like."

Lady Waltrip was asked to go into specifics on what the recognition entails. "Right now, we are just sending a message to the Provisional Government that we stand ready to bring the full resources to the Empire to Baltusia to help them stabilize and consolidate after the Revolution. Her Imperial Majesty does not endorse their revolution, nor does she condone overthrows of legitimate government in any state. But at the end the Syndicalists appear to have lost legitimacy, and the people themselves took it upon themselves to replace that illegitimate government with one of their own choosing. We understand the optics of Kalistan rushing to help Baltusia stabilize, but a stable and prosperous is also good for both Kalistan and Northern Seleya more generally. This will allow us to restore direct links to our Constituent Nation of Gaduridos, as well as build new links to Valruzia. It is good for trade, it is good for prosperity, and Her Imperial Majesty stands ready to assist at every level."

When reporters asked how this will affect Her Imperial Majesty's Claims in Athoisa, Lady Waltrip bristled. "This recognition is about acknowledging Baltusia's efforts to throw off the shackles of a totalitarian ideology which has oppressed that nation for more than 100 years and wasted what was once a thriving nation under dogmatic adherence to a corrupting and ultimately bankrupt ideology. Our law says that the Empress may not force claims in the Crown Lands. So we should focus exclusively on helping Baltusia get on its feet and get its machinery of its economy humming once more. Kalistan stands ready to assist."

The Press Conference ended on a high note. "Finally, we are happy to report that, with the ending of the crisis in Baltusia, Army South has returned to its barracks. It served its purpose in ensuring that any civil disorder created by the Syndicatalists finally being ousted did not spread to Kalistan. Thankfully, it appears that they were not necessary after all. We thank them for conducting their exercises in the zone, and ensuring Kalistan's security."

Official recognition proclamations were sent to Baltusia's provisional government, along with offers for both reconstruction aid aimed at restarting the nation's industries and various sectors, as well as an offer to meet with the Government of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan to help us ascertain the needs that the Baltusian people are experiencing, and make offers of support and help where we will be welcomed to do so. "No Strings attached," Lady Waltrip was quick to point out. "Her Imperial Majesty wants to be on hand to help Baltusia realize its own vision for itself. If you ask Kalistan what we will get out of it, I think Her Imperial Majesty prefers a friendly independent Baltusia to a hostile one under the sway of either some totalist ideology, or a hostile one that is being manipulated by a hostile rival power. We are prepared to offer significant and meaningful assistance in the form of grants and credits, without worrying about ROI for either Miramar or Kalistan in any way."

@TheRepublic

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Kalistan releases final report on Legion Attrocities called "Legionary Crimes against Kundrati"
"They may be done with the Past, but the Past is not done with them" says Waltrip
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 3, 5640


Lady Waltrip offers documents for Authentication by Intel and Historical Experts in Kaliburg

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto has ordered the full declassification of all documents and dossiers obtained by the Imperial Government from the Kundrati Legion prior to the start of the Kundrati War. "Now that the war is over, Her Imperial Majesty's Government feels that it is absolutely necessary to ensure that the history of this conflict is not swept under the rug and forgotten," said Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Lady Anya Waltrip. "it would be so easy for other nations to just say 'Well, war's over, lets let bygones be bygones because we want trade and we are crass like that.' But Her Imperial Majesty believes that the truth should be told. The Fascists might want to be done with the past, but the past is not done with them. Not until they accept the responsibility for their actions."

The documents in question have been in the possession of the Foreign Ministry since the widely reviled sitdown meeting between Lady Waltrip and the now dead Legion deity Lazar Suburov in Hutori in 5634. These documents were surrendered by the Legion in an effort to impose some transparency upon the highly secretive government of Kundrati Mainland. "Most of the dossiers here cover human medical experiments and the locations, populations and victims of the Legion's Death Camps, the ones that the Beiteynese and Likatonians both declared they didn't have when they were lying to cover their cynical trade deals with slavers and fascists. These documents were handed to me personally by Lazar, with Her Imperial Majesty and our staffs present as witnesses."

Lady Waltrip added that missing from the documents were disclosures of the Legion's Weapons of Mass Destruction Program. "There is no information in this Folio concerning their Chemical Weapons Programs which they used against Kalistan and others, nor their nuclear weapons program which was in essence confirmed by others. When the Legion omitted these documents from the so-called dump, we knew that they were not being as forthcoming as they claimed they were, and we immediately began re-evaluating their commitment to settlement with Kalistan or their other claims, including to actually dismantle their programs. We knew at that point that we had been offered the bare minimum and while keeping our end of the bargain, lifting the sanctions and supplying food aid, we also predicted that the Legion would take that food aid for themselves, and continue to starve the people. Luckily, the opinion of the world began turning against the Legion at that point and they had had enough."

What the documents do show, however, are confirmed reports from the medical experiment community that show highly unethical and largely involuntary human experiments on individual, including children, that would, under any light constitute gross inhumanity and torture, including the gruesome murders of twelve subjects using the same chemical compound that was eventually deployed against Kalistan in 5612 and named for the murderer and degenerate hero of the Legion Bronislav Sladek, the human medical experiments on juveniles that resulted in multiple deaths of other children and even prison guards in an effort to discover the effects of overdose of amphetamine combined with sleep deprivation under the false promise of freedom, and the deliberate infection of human medical subjects with various diseases and subjugation to extreme cold and heat.

"We have not been able to ascertain any scientific reason to experiment on people in this fashion," said Lady Waltrip. "At the very best, we can say that this was the program of a sociopathic, psychotic regime who sadistically caused suffering and pain for no reason at all. There is no other medically necessary reason to do this to people. These were detailed in horrific fashion in the documents we received from the Legion. Who knows what else they did, who else they murdered in cold blood, in that country, which might be found in documents we have never ourselves received?" All documents were authenticated by both military intelligence specialists, and have been additionally authenticated from historical scholars. "These accounts conform to the information we got in interrogation upon liberation of multiple death camps during our time in Kundrati," said Lady Waltrip.

The final items that were in the report were Legionary maps detailing the location, purpose, populations and casualty lists of the Legion's Death Camps spread throughout Mainland Kundrati. "Liberation of these facilities was a priority of the Militia during the war," said Lady Waltrip. "Given that we had these reports in hand before the start of the hostilities, we most certainly used them to help us find our way around the country and allow us to complete our mission." The Foreign Minister's report contains highly detailed maps, photographic evidence, and gruesome list after list after list of nearly 120 separate camp facilities, including the IDL prison facility which contained 200,000 inmates alone.

"The report contains details of more than 687,000 deaths at these facilities, a number which was supported by the physical evidence found in country by Coalition forces that was, quite frankly, too overwhelming that the number of deceased had to be estimated. At the time of liberation, it is believed that over 3 and a quarter million Kundrati Nationals were in the penal system, a number supported by liberated records and evidence of housing accommodations. Most of the prisoners were being fed their former inmates who had died in custody of the state, while whatever actual food there was in country was consumed by the Legionary Government and its high ranking officials, but there is also evidence of mass and punitive starvation, death from exhaustion, untreated physical and medical conditions, and a host of other issues which are too numerous and too repulsive to list here."

In the end, Lady Waltrip said coalition forces discovered that most of the prison population was forced to defend the Mainland from invasion forces in the form of human shields and human waves. "They had no training, they had weapons which hardly worked, but there was enough of them that they put a hurt on our side," said Lady Waltrip. "Who knows what the Legion promised them, but they certainly never lived long enough to keep their promises. The number of suspected prisoner conscripts who are now being treated by coalition forces is believed to still be over 1 million. Nearly all the camps Kalistan liberated were extensively photographed and then populations of nearby towns were forced under armed Militia guard to tour the facilities as part of pacification to face what they allowed.

Copies of the report, titled "Legion Crimes against Kundrati" has been disseminated to all coalition partners, including the KPP in Etxea, Luthori, Hutori, Davostag, and Mordusia. A copy has also been sent to the Kundrati provisional civilian Government. "Its a shame that Kalistan could not get ahold of more documents than we did," said Lady Waltrip. However "The fact that we got anything at all that verified what we have been saying about that infernal place for decades was worth all the rest of the deceit on the part of Lazar and his Legion. Let's hope the world doesn't ever allow a repeat." Waltrip said she hopes the people of Kundrati see the Legion as traitors against Kundrati's culture, traditions and national identity. "It was the Legion that did this to them. And I say to them, because the Legion were at war with their own people as much as they were at war against Kalistan. They just had easier access to their own people than to ours. So they murdered them, and starved them, and abused them, and exploited them by the millions."

@TheRepublic

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Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto is Engaged
Martin Collins is journalist and former Press Secretary for Princess Margaret
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
March 17, 5641


Empress is seen here with new Fiancé Martin Collins just down from Cliff House in Kaliburg

Up until this week, Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto was considered Kalistan's most eligible bachelorette. Gossip in Kaliburg Society spent an inordinate amount of time conjecturing as to whether Her Imperial Majesty would ever marry. And the Empress herself very famously was "not an item" on the dating scene always citing her schedule or some other reason for remaining single. But all that ended this week when the Empress' Mother, Her Highness Princess Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis-Morrison announced to La Moda that indeed, the Empress had agreed to a proposal of marriage with Mr. Martin Collins, of Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor.

Collins, 33, is a journalist, and has recently published articles in several articles. His main beat was the Ducal Government in Suldanor, where he was introduced to Her Highness, Princess Margaret Ananto-DeLaurentis by Her Excellency the Grand Duchess of Kalistan, Duchess Emily Suldanor-Alvarez, and nominated for a position as her new press secretary. He served in that position for no more than a month before he met the Empress and they began seeing one another socially. He has since been reassigned from the Princess' Press room, and has taken a job as a staff editor at The Kalistani Republic, covering sports.

"Mr. Collins seems like a strange fit for the Empress," said Crown Watcher Nadine Black, in Kaliburg. "Collins drives race cars in his spare time in Reynoldia, and she very famously does not drive, but spends her time in nature. Collins is very outgoing, gregarious, very personable, and funny, while the Empress is known for being solitary, almost anti-social, a little dour and perhaps haughty. But from everything we've seen on their few forays into public, as well as reports very close to both the Empress and her sister, there is a genuine affection and attraction there between the two of them, and perhaps opposites attract."

Her Imperial Majesty has rarely dated publicly. "The Empress is notoriously and very vocally annoyed at her family's attempts to set her up with various well placed men," said Black. "She's all but stopped attending the National Theater in Kaliburg, due to several somewhat embarrassing moments between her and some suitor or another who upset her during the date. The Empress' public appearances have, in the year or two since moving back to Kaliburg, been limited to speaking in the National Assembly or holding audiences at the Imperial Seat. So it is a real joy to see her out in society again, and maybe for the first time, enjoying her life a little with a man that she very clearly chose for herself."

When asked about their dating in February, Collins was circumspect. "I don't really have a lot to say about it. Her Imperial Majesty hasn't liked the people others have picked out for her, and I've never really dated an Empress before, so its pretty new to both of us. I think she tolerates me because I may be one of the few people in Terra who doesn't treat her like a little child: She's mentioned that foreign leaders even do that, and it really gets on her nerves. As for me, I am over the moon for her. I don't think I'll say anything more. She's great and I am really enjoying the chance to see her and be with her when I can."

The Empress' own spokesperson, Lady Marian Southern, confirmed the engagement, saying that Collins opted not to buy her a ring, "because she has plenty of rings," according to the Lady. "Mr. Collins however did purchase a rather unorthodox gift for Her Imperial Majesty to acknowledge their engagement. Knowing that she liked to shoot firearms, Mr. Collins purchased a black .350 caliber bolt action rifle for her. The weapon holds 4 rounds in a magazine, has a scope, and a composite stock. It retails for around ₭378 Imperial, and comes with a sling. The Empress was thrilled to receive the gift and immediately took Mr. Collins to her home range south of the Capital to shoot."

According to Princess Monica, the wedding is scheduled for September of this year, after Her Imperial Majesty's 31st birthday. The Princess expects to begin sending out invitations this week.

@LaModa

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Kalistani News in Brief: Waltrip praises Baltusia
Joint Hutori-Kalistani Frigate program Update; Wanderlust releases Alternative Album
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
March 28, 5641


Wanderlust returns to ARC to record alternative "Neutron Star"

Waltrip Praises Baltusia
On the news of the potential adoption of a monarchical regency in Baltusia, following the collapse of the Autonomous Syndicalist Union of States, the Kalistani Government issued a cautious word of praise. "Her Imperial Majesty has been watching the developments in Baltusia very closely, with a special concern for the people of Athosia, as well as all Gaduri and Kalistani co-nationals who live there. As Baltusia works out its own path forward, Kalistan stands ready to offer any and all assistance to the new regime there. In addition, we look forward to the complete restoration of trade, travel, and diplomacy between our two nations."

Her Majesty's Foreign Minister noted that to date, Kalistan appears to be the only government in Seleya or Terra to officially recognize the post revolutionary Government in Baltusia. "We expect that this will change as Baltusia stabilizes and emerges from the shadow of communism that has plagued that nation for more than one hundred years." She says that Kalistan will wait until after elections and "more clarity" on the situation before formally sending permanent diplomatic personnel to the emerging country. "If there is any indication that sending diplomatic personnel won't inflame or reverse any developments in country, Kalistan stands ready to launch staff there.

"Meanwhile, we have noticed an increase in travel and trade at the border Crossing in Lucid River: that border transit will certainly increase once formal bilateral agreements can be worked out. Her Imperial Majesty is optimistic for the developments there in Baltusia, but we also need to be very sensitive to our long history of mutual animosity. It will take a long time to get over all that, but Kalistan stands ready to assist in any way that will be helpful."

Joint Hutorian-Kalistan Frigate Program Update
The development in Hutori of the joint next generation Bekenial Class Frigate in Hutori continues apace. "We are currently working on integration of the anti-ballistic Missile systems with Kalistani Early warning technology, which itself continues in development, both within the Anantonese Region and in the space around Terra. "These anti-Ballistic systems are usually mounted on cruisers," said Defense Spokesperson Col Mark Enti. "And in fact, the Luxon Class Guided Missile Frigates actually carries some older, non integrated versions of anti-cruise missile missiles as local defensive systems. However, Hutori has developed the Cerberus system for their Frigates as well, and this system will be integrated to help Kalistan protect itself against Ballistic Missile threats."

The integration is still in its early stages, owing to a number of factors. "The Kalistani early warning systems are still in early days," said Enti. "What this means is that full integration won't happen likely until after the ships are built, requiring some retrofitting." Meanwhile, Enti says, Kalistani Defense planners are preparing to travel to Hutori to begin talking about longer term security cooperation, including intelligence sharing between both nations. "Kalistan is happy to share our intelligence with our friends," said Enti. "Its a shame that some nations set themselves up as our rivals. Naturally, our rivals would exclude themselves, which is fine." The Frigates are in Phase two of development and likely will be prototyped within the next five to seven years.

Wanderlust Releases Alternative Album
Wanderlust has finally transitioned to full alternative with their latest Album titled Neutron Star. The album was a return to Artists' Recording Collective following their foray into Country rock with Insomnia on Plateau, and is the first album they released in three and a half years.

"We took a little break to focus on our own projects," said Sir Peer Markinsson, OAE. "I think those projects have sort of become our lives now. I'm going a lot of composing, I know Elga (Nilsson) is releasing her second album with Basecamp this fall. But we wanted to get back together after this hiatus and just play some rock and roll." Markinsson hinted that this might be the last Wanderlust album for a while. "We may do more in the future, but these sessions were a chore, because I think our tastes have kind of diverged to the point where it is hard to do stuff as a coherent band. I really liked what Elga brought in, and what Lindy brought in, but really the only thing we agreed upon was the desire to play alternative music. So, we'll see if we ever get it together again. I hope, because I love these guys, but, people grow up too."

Dame Elga Nilsson, OAE, said this album was a labor of love. "You can hear on this record, my voice is really fried in a lot of places. Basecamp is really what I was doing, and they make such different music. Smoking, drinking and singing constantly makes a difference of your voice. It sure don't sound like the Wanderlust we started with." Early reviews of the album were very positive, but some did notice that the band really doesn't sound like the same group of musicians who came from Davostag seventeen years ago. Whether this is quits for good or just temporary, you can check out the full album Neutron Star, recorded at ARC in Sulari, right here And watch the video from their first single "A Long Slow Collision" here or on M7 in heavy rotation.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huobAY7gl30]

@TheRepublic

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Plebiscite on Party Reform fails among Voters
Nonbinding referendum shows some support for pluralism
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
May 7, 5641


Brethrenist Caucus members encourage voter participation in May Plebiscite

Over the past year, liberal activists have pushed the Institutional Party of Kalistan to at least consider the possibility of reform. As the rest of Northern Seleya democratizes, and Her Imperial Majesty has appeared to be supportive for many of the pro-democracy movements abroad, Liberals and those seeking to open Kalistan to more pluralism have been steadily lobbying Deputies in the National Assembly to move reform to the Single Party law, passed in 5536 to allow participation of more view points. Momentum for reform has followed strongly after the last elections in 5638 where Internationalists failed to get a majority, but had a strong showing, especially in Kalistan's cities and in much of the Mainland.

In late March, Her Imperial Majesty agreed to allow the Institutional Party to hold a nonbinding plebiscite in May. The approval set in motion a mechanism that is utterly foreign to nearly all living Kalistanis who have not lived abroad: The Government asking the people what they want. On April 2, the question of the referendum was promulgated: "Do you think Kalistan should hold a convention to change the Single Party Law, to allow more parties?" Allowed choices on the referendum were "Yes, No, and No Opinion."

April was a month of heavy (for Kalistan, anyhow) campaigning by the factions, with the Orthodox Caucus endorsing the "No" option, and the Internationalist and Brethrenist Caucuses endorsing support for "Yes." "We saw lots of civil society activists trying to bring awareness to Kalistanis about the referendum and about voting in general," said Professor Samuel Blanco of Sulari University. "Given Kalistan's long history of single party rule and traditionally dismal voter turnout for elections, there aren't a lot of the traditional mechanisms of electioneering that you see in democracies like GOTV practices, insane amount of political mailers, and fierce partisanship. The Mail Service itself noted only a third of a percent increase in mail volume due to the the referendum, which contrasts to the 2, 3 and 400% increase you see in normal democracies. So most of the campaigning activity was in person, and done by activists."

The Plebiscite was held yesterday, as voters went to the polls to give their opinion on this particular question. Celebrities on both sides were enlisted to encourage voters to go out and let their voices be heard, and politicians dutifully showed up to polls to vote early. During the 8 hours of voting, turnout was said to be up: in the last regular election, 23% of the eligible voters cast a ballot. Yesterday, the number was estimate to be up about 10 points, to just under 33% of eligible voters, as the increased activity around the plebiscite got many first time voters to the polls. Other, non-voters said they either didn't support the referendum at all and thought it was wrong for the country, believed that this plebiscite was "illegal" according to the law, or said that the non-binding nature of the plebiscite made participating in it a waste of time. Most voters knew that the results wouldn't actually change the law, but wanted to "make their voices heard."

Orthodox voters strongly supported the "No" option, as predicted, and stated that the overwhelming reason for voting no was that this was a slippery slope to multi-party pluralism. "If you give these liberals an inch, they will go for a mile," said one voter in Eveari. "This is the first step in getting rid of our Empress, like these damn republicans want. We are not like the so-called Democracies in Luthori or Egelion. We don't want a Republic and we need to make that clear."

Internationalist Voters and Brethrenist voters supported the "Yes" side of the referendum. "This ballot shows that voters would like more options than just the Institutional Party," said one Internationalist voter in Eshar. "It isn't even about the monarchy. It is about making sure the people's voice is reflected in the legislature." One Brethrenist voter said "Her Imperial Majesty supports democratization in other countries? Why not trust her own brothers and sisters here in Kalistan the same way? If its good enough for a place like Tukarali or Valruzia, why is it not good enough for us too?"

At the end of the day, however, support for the "No" option won out. The final tallied results were 36% for "Yes", 44% for "No" and "20%" for No Opinion. Much of the "yes" vote came from Kalistan's free Cities (though notably, Kaliburg remained solidly behind the Orthodox position and voted overwhelmingly for "No") and Suldanor and Odufaray, while "No" votes drew strong support from Ananto and Vrassa.

Overnight, both sides were keen to spin the results. "The near majority of the No position demonstrates solid support for the Empress, the Empire and Kalistani Institutionalism," claimed Orthodox Deputy Marcia Anders of Port Swedes. "Combined with 'No opinion', Kalistani supporters have very obviously and forcefully rejected reform sponsored by the Liberals." But the "yes" faction also claimed the "No Opinion" voters. "At least 56% of the population are at least fine with some very moderate reform in the Single Party Law," said Institutionalist Deputy Brad Montes of Spencer. "Nations around the world are opening up, and our voters have said they don't want to see Kalistan left behind. And we claim the fact that the Empress was open to the idea of allowing the referendum in the first place as a tacit endorsement of our position on the question."

For her part, the Empress appeared to take no position on the question, choosing instead to highlight the process and congratulate voters for participating.

"We thank the people of Kalistan for coming out to the polls to make your voices heard," said Her Imperial Majesty, in a radio broadcast message last night. "We have heard you, and will take your expressed opinion into our consideration as we strive to make our Government and our National Assembly more accessible and responsive to the needs and desires of you, the People of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. Your verdict on the question certainly reaffirms your strong support for our established institutions and illuminates a way forward for your Party. We encourage Party Leaders to take these results to heart and continue this discussion."

The first tentative step into democracy in more than 100 years in the books, only time will tell whether this move is the first step in many or if it closes the door on foreign innovations in government here within the Empire. "We plan to keep fighting," said Montes. "Eventually, we will sway voters to our side. Persuasion will carry the day someday, and then Kalistan will join the other nations in Northern Seleya, including, by the way, Lodamun and Gaduridos, in allowing other points of view to emerge."

@TheRepublic

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Empress joins Princess Monica in Patronization of the Arts
House Ananto makes generous 10 Million Ruble Donation to build new Theater in Sulari
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
June 14, 5641


Her Imperial Majesty is joined by Princess Monica DeLaurentis-Morrison and Mr. Martin Collins at National Opera House in Kaliburg

Her Imperial Majesty has joined her mother's crusade to improve access to arts and artistic endeavors in the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. Earlier this week, House Ananto announced a new ₭10 Million Ruble donation to help rebuild the old Sulari Opera House in downtown Sulari. The new building, to be known as the Imperial Opera, will stand on the site of the old opera house, which was severely damaged in a fire five years ago, and has been waiting since then for a buyer who would rehab it.

"Today, we further the generosity of our mother's Kalistani Foundation for the Arts by announcing that on this site, a new Grand Imperial Opera will rise from the ashes of what was once a national landmark," said Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto. "From this day forward, we declare that it is our mission to make Kalistan a Glittering Empire, full of beautiful public buildings that display our widespread prosperity, cultural elevation, and prestige in the world. And our work starts here, with the restoration of this important monument in this city, the center of arts and culture for Sulari and all of Suldanor."

The new Grand Imperial Opera in Sulari will contain a main theater, seating for 4,000, including three levels of box opera seating for contributing patrons to purchase seasonally, and a Royal Box gallery for the Royal Family to use when they attend the theater. The plans call for significant gilding of many of the decorative features, as well as a Standing Gallery opposite of the Royal Box. The Imperial Opera House Proscenium will be suitable for National Touring theater companies, ballets, classical and modern musical performances, and a host of other live public events. It will have a state of the art surround sound system that will bring the action on the stage to life for the audience no matter where they are seated in the theater. It will also have two little theaters for smaller productions and local theater use, a reception hall, a full scullery for catered events, and offices attached.

"We intend for the Imperial Opera House to be self supporting," said Her Imperial Majesty. "But we also have included in the charter that it shall be accessible to the public of all classes and means. Ticket prices therefore will be kept at a nominal charge, and much of the operating fund will come from either fundraising events, donations, or foundation giving. We encourage all Kalistanis of means to consider donating the the Imperial Opera House as they can so they may continue to offer cultural enlightenment to all who enter through the doors."

The Empress' comments were provided at the groundbreaking ceremony. Mr. Martin Collins, the soon-to-be-Emperor Consort, was also on hand, and received an ovation from his fellow Sularians. This donation represents one of the largest scale investments to a public arts center since Princess Monica endowed the National Opera House in Kaliburg several years ago, and seems to suggest that the Empress has pivoted, at long last to domestic affairs.

@LaModa

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Empress halts construction of 5th Fleet
Kalistan is out of the "World Police" business, says Empress
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
June 30, 5641


Her Imperial Majesty drops a bomb on the National Assembly

"It's time to change our destiny as an Empire," were the words from Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Mary I Ananto, as she began to speak from the floor of the National Assembly this week. "The legacy of the Black Empress is at an end, and Kalistan is officially in retrenchment mode as of right now." The pronouncement sent shockwaves through the political and military industrial complex communities in Kalistan.

The program Her Imperial Majesty announced in the legislature aimed at restoring more than ₭160 Billion to the national surplus this year alone.

"This comes from cancelling certain outlays, and being less open to non-Seleyan spending," said Her Imperial Majesty. "The first program to be cancelled is the 5th Fleet. Kalistan will not be building that fleet, and will consider reorganizing our assets to prioritize our home territory according to Kalistan's historic defense doctrine." She emphatically stated "Our Empire's days of being the world police are over. Someone else can carry that burden. And that expense."

The speech by the Empress was comparatively short for its weight. "After a significant and thoughtful evaluation of Kalistan's role in this world, it seems that Kalistan's adversaries would prefer we spend ourselves into the dustbin of history. They call for international norms and international institutions, but when it comes time to enforce those norms and build those institutions, they sit on the sidelines. These free riders happen to be the same people who would like Kalistan to spend itself into insolvency. This is manipulation of the highest order, and has a very certain foreign smell which is odious and intolerable in our capital. This reorientation is the first step in our effort to fumigate our nation of these corrupting influences."

The Empress said that she has exempted meaningful and profitable (to Kalistan) projects with friendly nations, such as the Frigate design program with Hutori. "Additionally, we will be evaluating our defense and foreign spending programs over the next few months, and those which net only prestige for this Empire will be abandoned." The Empress noted that there is nothing that will be outside of scrutiny. "It seems some idiot in some backward foreign nation always has something moronic to say, no matter what the Empire chooses, and to be honest, it is beneath us to have to tolerate that nonsense, so we may as well focus only upon what is in our own best interest, and let the rest of the world take care of themselves or go to hell if they prefer."

As soon as the Empress was done speaking she left the National Assembly, which waited respectfully for her to depart and then erupted in chaos. Deputies were asking the Chancellor what this proclamation meant. The Chancellor of the Empire finally regained order in the Chamber, on threat of adjourning for the day, and said "Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Defense Minister and myself met with Her Imperial Majesty in Cliff House the other night, and she believes that Kalistan is being manipulated in taking moves that are not in its best interest by external actors. To be completely fair to this body, she is not accusing anyone of corruption or anything worse. She is convinced that the international structure is limiting her options in foreign affairs, and has decided to exit Kalistan from that structure to the degree that it is possible."

The answer by the Chancellor raised more questions, and the Chancellor tried to regain order once more before adjourning and ordering the chamber cleared. Discussions followed the clearing, and reporters descended on the Deputies. The Empress' statement had overall strong support from Orthodox Deputies, who mostly said that it was about time the Empress took the reigns of Kalistan's foreign policy. "It feels that Kalistan has been being led from one conflict to the next, and we have been waiting for her to cut the leash" said Deputy Wesley Overgaard from Vrassa City. "Whatever the effects this has on other nations remains to be seen, but it is good for Kalistan, and that is really all that matters."

Internationalists however were more critical. "Despite what the Empress thinks, this world is integrated," said Internationalist Deputy Allison Lembeck of Springfield. "Kalistan can't just choose to exit the global structure. What we would like to see the Empress do is making ties with other nations, even if it means we don't get all of the things we want. Sometimes domestic interests need to take a backseat to the global good, and keeping Kalistan in its place on top of the regional order is the only way to ensure that we can ensure both good for Kalistan and good for everyone else."

Kalistani Markets gave mixed responses: Those involved in defense spending and import related companies took a hit on the news as Investors expressed doubts about the security of foreign goods when other nations predictably came to punish Kalistan. "But that's more or less anything Kalistan does," said market analyst Dave Vinetti in Kaliburg. "If the Empress sneezes, someone is there to call us totalitarian, because Terran nations are petty like that. Most losses were offset by gains in export oriented industries and industries which cater primarily to domestic consumers." Over all, markets finished the week down 1.6%, and it is expected that markets will be turbulent for a while as Kalistan's new orientation toward the world is worked out.

"Kalistan no longer wishes to play by other countries rules, since they have no intention of playing by ours," said the Chancellor before dismissing the session. "Her Imperial Majesty would like to be the one to determine the course of our nation's future, not allow foreigners to do that."

@TheRepublic

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Lodamun set to leave Anantonese Empire
Nearly 60 year "Marriage of Convenience" ends amicably
Addisjah, Duchy of Vrassa
August 15, 5641


Lady Waltrip, representing Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto, shakes hands with Dr. James Forrester just inside Lodamun

Following emergency meetings last week in Kaliburg between Her Imperial Majesty, Mary I Ananto, Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, and Lodamese Representative Dr. James Forrester, Kalistan and Lodamun have agreed to part ways amicably. This agreement formally ends the imperial relationship between the Anantonese Empire and the Commonwealth of Lodamun, and restores full sovereignty to the Northern Seleyan Nation. Spokespeople for the Foreign Ministry said that no specific event sparked the separation, but the catalyst for the event was Her Imperial Majesty's speech in June which declared Kalistan to be in "retrenchment mode."

"It is better for us to part on friendly terms than to let our relationship turn into estrangement and resentment," said Lady Anya Waltrip, just inside Lodamun, where the formal dissolution of imperial ties took place. "Kalistan has no interest in forcing Lodamun to remain with the Empire, especially if neither side is getting anything positive from the relationship." Formal dissolution took place over coffee on August 14th of this year, with both sides signing papers officially abrogating the Articles of Empire in relationship to one another and returning Lodamese Sovereignty to the People of Lodamun. Other agreements, such as the Anantonese Security Community and the Anantonese Economic Standardization Accord (which predated the Articles of Empire) remain in place, but are now considered bilateral agreements between the Anantonese Empire and Lodamun.

Technically, the Anantonese Empire and the Commonwealth's handshake settled a very brief and almost pro forma "war" between the two states. The Articles of Empire state that, because they are a "Constituent Nation" of the Empire, should Lodamun decide to break away from the Empire, Kalistan will immediately declare war upon them. In this case, this is exactly what happened. Following the informal agreement to end the relationship, Kalistan formally declared war on Lodamun. The war consisted of Kalistan sending one platoon of Regular infantry to Lodamun. The Platoon, Kilo Platoon 3/1, which marched into Lodamun across the Jah River at Addisjah on the highway link, was accompanied by Lady Waltrip and a host of staff from the Foreign Ministry. The Platoon were met on the Lodamese side of the River by a Platoon of Lodamese Infantry, accompanied by Dr. Forrester who represented Lodamun. The Kalistani Lieutenant was instructed to ask for terms of Kalistan's surrender, at which point the Lodamese stated that the terms they would accept for surrender was dissolution of the Articles of Empire. Lady Waltrip accepted the terms and after coffee, the agreement formally dissolving the Imperial bonds was signed and ending the "war". At the end of the action, the Imperial Flag was symbolically lowered at the border crossing and the Lodamese Commonwealth Flag was raised to the top of the flag pole, while both platoons rendered honors.

"It is important that Lodamun obtain their independence via an affirmative act," said Lady Waltrip. "It was not her Imperial Majesty's intention to force Lodamun to grant concessions: in fact, it was clear that she wanted the separation, and certainly opened the door for Lodamun to finally resolve the relationship on its own terms, and on terms that set it up for a more independent foreign policy than it would have had Kalistan opposed the split. Lodamun got the separation on terms that allows us to remain friendly with one another, to not damage our other relationships, and most importantly, to not throw it into the waiting arms of vultures who are currently circling the Anantonese Empire and are who are under the sway of foreign meddlers."

Nationalists in the National Assembly are reportedly "reluctantly acquiescent" to the Empress' agreement to Lodamese independence. They are, however fiercely loyal to Her Imperial Majesty as a person and the institution of the Monarchy, and so this will be only a temporary hurt for those who would have preferred to keep Lodamun within the Empire. "She definitely had to expend some political capital to do this," said Chancellor of the Empire, Sir Michael Koenig. "But calming these hard nationalists will not be too difficult for a lady upon who's very breath they await." The Liberals, on the other hand laud the decision, claiming it preserves the good will of Lodamun while allowing the Empress to also get some of what she wants. "We do not agree with her retrenchment idea, but if this separation quenches at least some of that fire, in reality, the loss of Lodamun is a small price to pay and it is also a victory for the democratic voices of the people of Lodamun," said Internationalist Deputy Rae Jones of Lucid.

Lady Waltrip said her Imperial Majesty will order the National Assembly vacate the title "Empress of Lodamun" before her wedding date in a month, but will maintain the title "Queen of Andalay" as a part of her Crown Lands claims, though like her Athosian Claim, she will not be permitted to actively enforce that Claim. Kalistan will dispatch a new Ambassador to Lodamun who will, unlike the Administrator General, represent Kalistan to Lodamun, rather than the other way around, and Kalistan will work to reassure markets on both sides of the Jah River Frontier that there will be no significant changes in the commercial relationships between our two nations. In addition, Lady Waltrip added, "We will not be giving up Gaduridos. It is far too important to the Empire, and House Ananto has far too many investments in Gaduridos. We are able to do that with Lodamun as we were not tightly bound on any level, but Gaduridos is a different story."

"Though our fifty six year relationship is now over," said Lady Waltrip, "Her Imperial Majesty wishes Lodamun all the best for the future, and stands by, ready to continue to help Lodamun where we may going forward. She also wishes it to be known that we intend to honor our treaty obligations where they still stand, and looks forward to peaceful and prosperous cooperation between Kalistan and Lodamun in perpetuity." The Foreign Minister invited Dr. Forrester to Eveari next month for Her Imperial Majesty's wedding.

International responses to the split are still unclear, but no doubt there will immediately be overtures to Lodamun to take advantage of the split now that it is formalized, especially from nations who seek to take some advantage of the situation and gain from the change in relations. "We expect nations of this world to do what they do, which is precisely the wrong thing for the wrong reasons," said Lady Waltrip. "There's nothing we can do to stop that, but we aren't in the competition business anymore. Lodamun is now fully in charge of its own affairs and is perfectly capable of managing its relations with others to maintain their own sense of independence and their place in this world."

@TheRepublic