Vícras Ammayawr Serdria
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Sertian News Media
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Erdais to charge day tourists from 12 October
26 September 2023
The Erdais City braetha have voted to impose a tourist tax on day-trippers from outside the inner-Osperfey district.
The announcement comes as Erdais saw a record-breaking summer of tourism, with numbers reaching up to 55,000 people on 18 July of this year.Erdais, a walled city within Osperfey, is very popular with tourists due to its narrow stone lanes, ancient religious sites, and the pristine and historic Erdais harbour, where locals and visitors are allowed to bathe and do water sports.
More recently, however, there has been an increase in misconduct including fly tipping, excessive smoking and drinking and unsightly or disruptive behaviour, which has caused locals to complain to the Erdais City braetha.
Howard Mannasith, an Erdais native who runs the Museum of Erdais, said just last week that a man shattered the door to the museum with a glass bottle. Mannasith called the police, who promptly pressed charges against him.
A spokesperson for the Erdais City Braetha said, "Many of the tourists who come [to Erdais] to be disruptive are those who come from the surrounding areas of Osperfey or beyond for the day. Our locals should not have to suffer unruly behaviour from people who do not have to complete the same day-to-day tasks as those who live in the city and pay their taxes".
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Wondites form Aspernian Coalition, Sertia's very first political party
31 October 2023
Loyalists to Guthrun Wond, colloquially known as "Wondites", have registered the Aspernian Coalition (AC) as Sertia's first political party.
The formation of the Aspernian Coalition comes after the Braetha's recent vote to allow the formation of political parties for the first time in Sertian history.
Since the introduction, and subsequent dissolution of some of Sertia's harshest anti-protest laws in a century, the Braetha has come under increasing scrutiny for its willingness to censor free speech. The Braetha has advised that the legalisation of political parties will "allow all people to have a platform upon which to voice their opinions among their ideological allies".
However, not much else has changed. Elections in Sertia will still limit members of each Braetha to vote for only their representative to the government, and the strict laws about Braetha membership, including skill and knowledge requirements, will remain. It is an important change, though, that the creation of political parties will allow the change of public sentiment to be qualitatively and quantitatively recorded.
The Braetha approved the creation of the Aspernian Coalition as a political party because their mission statement is "the recognition of Aspernian people in the Kingdom of Sertia", and does not include any mention of separatism or violence.
It remains to be seen what trajectory the Aspernian Coalition will take and what they hope to achieve in Sertia. Talks are still underway about an Aspernian authority but nothing is certain, and the Kingdom of Aspern is still designated as a terror group in Sertia after the Aspernian Schism. As such, they are not allowed to be given permits to protest or engage in activism for their cause.
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NIU announces nationwide industrial action, prompting urgent talks
2 Dec 2023
The National Industries Union (NIU) has caused a Bræthean panic after nationwide strikes were announced 'for the near future'.
Tensions are flying high in government today as the NIU, which represents all industrial workers, has announced strike action for future dates this month. The recent legal decision to allow the formation of political parties has sparked anger in the hearts of many, especially due to the nature of the party's representation of Aspernian interests.
The NIU has said in a statement that "the decision of the Brætha to listen to voices of violence and terror is a startling development", especially, they say, "given the recent actions of Aspernian loyalists to counter the priorities of the Kingdom of Sertia, which have included the safety and prosperity of its residents".
It is markedly unusual for the NIU to speak out on political issues, much less to announce strike action for all of its members, but many Sertians believe that it is unwise to allow opinionated groups to lobby the Brætha, particularly a group who believe in Aspernian independence.
The Brætha have said today that their decision to allow the creation of the Aspernian Coalition "is not a statement of our endorsement or affinity to the actions of Aspernian insurrectionists", but rather "a necessary concession to ensure that the needs of all citizens are met to avoid another dissolution of our Union".
An NIU strike would entail a day's long shutdown of most Sertian factories and city shops, provoking extreme economic disruption. The Brætha are due to make a decision tonight.
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PPA: Leaked documents reveal UK backed Aspernian rebels
NIU members to walk out for seven days
This report is protected from undue scrutiny by Press Protection Act 1947
Good morning.
Evidence has come to light that the domestic terror attack, led by Aspernian separatists in December 2022, was backed by a number of international allies, namely the United Kingdom.
A Braetha document dated from 29 September 2022, which arrived at Vicras Ammayawr Serdria's office at 05:00 this morning, details that the government was aware of a suspected oncoming rebellion of great size from sympathisers of Mr Guthrun Wond.
The document also states that it is suspected to be a "conspiracy against the government of Sertia with a great number of international allies". To this official document was also attached a coded message, with the UK coat of arms scorched into the very bottom left corner. The document has been decoded to reveal that the UK had offered Guthrun Wond's cohort military aid and funding to continue their attacks across Sertia.
Questions naturally arise as to whether any aid was received, and in what fashion. There are also questions of government fidelity, and why this was not made a public issue at the time.
The National Industrial Union (NIU) has commented on the development and lambasted the Braetha for their "clearly corrupt priorities, including the decision to allow violent groups to lobby the government", referring to the Aspernian Coalition.
The Aspernian Coalition is Sertia's first political party and represents the interests of the Aspernian territories. However, there is complex national disagreement as to whether this decision was appropriate, and whether it connotes ulterior governmental motives.
The NIU has also declared immediate strike action for the next 7 days, in all factories and industrial estates. This is in protest over allowing the AC to become a political group. Importantly, this strike now also impacts international workers who are not delegates of a Braetha.
This is a rapidly developing situation with international implications. Please stay tuned for the latest news and advice.
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Aspernian sympathisers abuse immigration system to illegally banish political opponents
The system for reporting immigration crimes--Securtia--has reported a record number of false complaints filed against those who hold Sertian nationality.
The increase appears to have begun not long after the Brætha allowed the Aspernian Coalition to become Sertia's first political party.
Approximately 2,000 reports against Sertian citizens, claiming that they entered the country without permission, have been filed with Securtia, who have brought this odd development to the attention of the Brætha.
Many of the targets of these immigration reports have been Sertians who have spoken out against the former leaders of the Aspernian regime, such as Harbyn Dreist, a reporter for the journal United. He says he was notified of the complaint filed against him when the Sertian Border Police visited his home to check his documentation. When he presented his passport, they apologised and left his home.
The Brætha have instructed the Sertian Border Police not to visit the homes of those who are registered Sertian citizens and legal residents.
Know your rights
It's important that you are aware of your rights should you be the target of one of these scams.
You have the right not to answer the door if you are visited by the Sertian Border Police. However, it may aid your case if you mention that you possess Sertian nationality or legal residence documents, and show proof of this.
The Border Police will not arrest you if you do not possess legal presence documents. Instead, they will check the national system, CitizenGrid, for your immigration record. If things still need ironing out, you will be visited again and given the opportunity to adjust your immigration status.
You can seek free, confidential legal advice at Erdanisk.ser
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Brætha to convene war cabinet over international interference
Monday, 1 January
The Brætha have voted to assemble a war cabinet regarding the actions of the United Kingdom during the Aspernian Schism. The War Cabinet will conduct an independent investigation into whether the actions of international bodies warrant a declaration of war.
The decision to convene the war cabinet is not one that is taken lightly by most governments. The consequences of a war for Sertia would be dramatic and the government have previously indicated that "any decision will likely be non-combative".
Declarations of war in Sertia do not necessarily mean there will be fighting. Rather, declaring war opens up powers of the government such as the National Emergency Protocol and measures to protect public safety. Declarations of war also enable the government to provide urgent humanitarian support abroad.
It is not clear what the viewpoint of the Spanish Government is on this point, but they will likely be less than willing to engage in combat on Sertia's behalf.
ERE BACH'ÁIR DÙN
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Sertia prepares for tourism growth this summer
and, no doubt, tourism politics.
26 April 2024
The government and businesses are getting ready to accommodate high volumes of tourists this Summer season.
With the Summer tourist season due to officially start on 1 May, the government have expanded train, Sertia HorseRail and coach service timetables, as well as scheduling more ferries between Sertia and Nofoaga for ease of accessibility. Business owners are also finishing up winter renovations on their properties and are preparing to open in just four days.
The West Olves are also readying to welcome visitors by air, land, and sea. The provisional government of the West Olves have ordered expanded ferry timetables from Plariaras, Sertia to Icaserch, WO.
Tourism is the second largest industry in Sertia, next to textiles (the 3rd) and fishing (the 1st). To many, this Summer will determine how well they are able to get through Winter.
Arts and culture
Summer is a time for celebrations of fine art and culture in Sertia. Most notably is the Baelo Arts Festival held in the Erdais district of Osperfey, which attracts world-renowned writers, artists, and cultural icons. This year, a record number of people are due to attend, making Erdais the place to be in the Caribbean this summer for lovers of fine art.
Erdais Politics
While tourists are a necessary part of Sertia's economy, there was quite a bit of uproar last year when the Erdais District Braetha ordered an additional tourist tax to be included in accommodation fees. This came after local residents complained of disorderly behaviour from tourists, a group of whom had been arrested and charged for criminal damage to private property.
Local festivals
Major Sertian destinations are not the only place for this, however. Around the country, local arts festivals will also be showcasing their homegrown talent to passers by and locals alike. The village of Tyr'n Bever, about 20 miles north of Rowsperch, is proud to present an exhibition by local artist Benjamin Tyr. It is an art installation which concerns the fleeting state of Sertia's natural, pastoral landscape, much of which is part of the ancient marshland known for generations as Tremaras. While the majority of people now live in Sertia's major cities, many of them hail originally from the towns and villages of Tremaras, of which Tyr'n Bever is one. Tyr's project is one that he says "comes from the heart".
"My family, the Tyrs, have lived around this area for over 400 years. Tyr'n Bever has shaped me", Tyr says. Indeed, around 1597 the Tyrs purchased the land where Tyr'n Bever is now.
When asked about what tourists should look for in Sertia this summer, Tyr says "come out to Tremaras and see how the Sertians really live. We are very welcoming and kind and not like the city-dwellers. Here you will have it easy, you can take it slow and enjoy yourself".
Sertian tourism season runs from 1 May to 31 August 2024.