News Media of Istkalen

Istkalen

The Citizens' Voice: Kerel, the second Tiraki

Ilest Kerel, under the Provisions against the Northern Hordes and the declaration of Meinl-Reisinger, which, while heavily modified as to remove certain provisions, remains partially in place, has overseen a massive and sudden re-organization of state, in the name of 'order' and 'progress,' as a part of a general proclamation made as his International Workers' Day address to the public.

Citing the general political instability and confusion that has resulted from the Instrument of Surrender, whose interpretation is disputed by various groups, he has set out to 'stabilize' governance and the economy.

The National Assembly has yet again been dissolved; the Council of Ministers again re-instated, and allowed to 'temporarily' appoint members of the seven state chambers until 'rational' elections may be held.

The enumeration of the state chambers has not been changed; however, many of their responsibilities have been re-assigned to the Council of Ministers, and, by proxy, to Kerel himself. A summary of these changes has been made below. Several of the former advisory unions have been modified as to become ministries; unions previously unrepresented in the National Assembly will generally be moved to the Chamber of State, with the unions of the Chamber of State now represented outside of the National Assembly and in the Council of Ministers.

He also has announced a drastic new economic policy, which would primarily expand the welfare state, 'collectivizing' all essentials - primarily, healthcare, housing, food, water, and electricity - and placing them directly under the control of various ministries - the Ministry of Health for the first, of Public Works for the second, fourth, and fifth, and the newly created "Ministry of Public Distribution," which will also be supplying materials to state occupational unions based on their demands the third. It will also increase public works project, creating further 'Development Authorities,' beneath the Ministry of Public Works and the Chamber of Professions, modeled on that active in southern Istkalen, throughout the country as to further development.

Consumption will also be organized through the state occupational unions. Citizens will be expected to gauge their needs, which will be reported through the unions to the Chambers, which will then, in turn, inform the Council of Ministers of them. The Ministry of Public Distribution will then assign duties, based on a formulation which would be a mix of traditional market-based data and union reports, to the state chambers, based upon their general sector; the State Chambers duties to the occupational unions, and the occupational unions to the communal branches, a commune now defined as an area governed by a single municipal-level people's committee. Within communal branches, individuals will 'claim' individual duties.

State chambers not involved in production - the professions, the arts, and state - will be self-governing, but will have controls on them by the Council of Ministers.

In the formulation of chamber-specific economic plans, market forces will be taken into account, balanced with respect to society as a whole, its future, environment, and general prosperity. However, the primary focus will be further development, economically, culturally, and socially.

Per Kerel, expression will be made through the state chambers and occupational unions; dissent will be demanded of citizens. However, in response to what he deems as 'an epidemic of misinformation,' he has stated that the Chamber of Arts, which controls publications, will be expected to place greater regulations on the reporting and dissemination of news.

The people's committees, as well as the Trade Federation of Istkalen, have been 'nationalized.' The committees have been placed under the control of a general 'Ministry of State,' to be headed by Kerel himself; the Trade Federation's chambers have been dissolved, and its individual occupational unions replacing, partially the state occupational unions. Kerel has stated that the Trade Federation will be allowed to reform itself independently, and the move was solely made as to ensure that Social-Democratic influence over state occupational unions was entirely removed. Citizens will continue to be free to form labor unions, but restrictions on the formation of professional associations will remain.

All of this near perfectly mimics the policies of Tiraki. It is no surprise, perhaps, that this has come about; the two emerged from near-identical situations. Tiraki was the technocratic Premier appointed by the Chamber of Censors as to oversee the second election of 1983 when she seized power as to 'rationalize and stabilize' governance; Kerel and most of his ministers, economists, appointed as technocrats by Meinl-Reisinger as to combat a failing economy, seizing power for similar reasons - against what they saw as an irrational, unstable, and psychotic government that threatened to destroy Istkalen.

Kerel, however, has publicly stated that he has no intention of making these 'reforms' permanent; that democracy will continue to exist; and that this is solely for rationalization and stabilization of the state, until a new constitution can be passed and Istkalen returns to 'a regular state;' that, while he admires some of Tiraki's reforms, he believes strongly in democracy, and would never do as Tiraki did.

He has also said that he continues to respect the J-TAI, and that all reforms would be reversed if they so desired.

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: European Councillor By-Elections - Candidates

European Councillor by-elections are scheduled for 5 May. Further information regarding the general record of these candidates, including published works and history, will be released as a booklet which will be sent to all citizens.

The candidates are listed below:

Name	Affiliation and History	Image
Iras Tilkanas	A member of the Communist Party, Tilkanas served as an ambassador to various countries between 1990 and 1994, and became the Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1994 and 1996. She would again serve in the role under the 1996-2002 caretaker government between 1999 and 2001 following a reshuffle, and again under the Communist-National Republican-Popular Community government between 2002 and 2003, being one of the few to survive the Social Democratic terrorist attacks which would result in the deaths of most of her colleagues. Tilkanas was and is considered one of Istkalen's most skilled diplomats and MFAs, having managed to enter Istkalen, then a remnant of the collapsed 'Second World,' into the ranks of the First.
Liris Veszal	Veszal, a member of the nascent Union Party, which includes present Head of State Ilest Kerel and advocates for some of the policies of former Premier Ayros Tiraki on a democratic basis, was the founder of the Movement for Liberty, an anti Social-Democratic front which sought to create parallel institutions. to the Social Democratic State. An arrest warrant was put out for Veszal after the Movement for Liberty's National Constituent Assembly, formed of seven 'alternative' chambers, formulated on those existing before 2003, elected by 'alternative' occupational unions with a combined membership that constituted almost 52% of the population, named him the head of an alterative government in 2010; he would go into hiding and continue to agitate, although many members of the Movement for Liberty were killed extrajudicially by the Social Democratic militia. Veszal is, as with many members of the Union Party, a social scientist, in this case an economist; he has been characterized as highly charasmatic.
Akem Linek	A member of the National Republican Party, Linek is widely considered the leader of its conservative wing. Having advocated for the maintenance of 'traditional' institutions, he is well known for advocating for several bizarre positions, as well as for writing a 'Westernizing' cultural manifesto that many have labeled 'insane.' Linek serves on a rural People's Committee; however, he has not served in any true political office, save for within the party, beforehand.
Kalju Ilves	A member of the Patriotic League, formerly the Free Youth, Ilves was previously the head of a 'liason' party titled the Anti-Fascist Party. Ilves served as a 'token' opposition Minister of Foreign Affairs under the third Meinl-Reisinger government, despite his strong opposition to the Social Democratic government. In this position, Ilves was widely considered a second Tilkanas, again attempting to establishin links to the West, with generally high levels of success, until his removal and the subsequent placement of an arrest warrant on him. Ilves, who, (a rarity in Istkalen), is openly gay, living with his partner in a cohabiting ulsien, primarily is seen as merging high levels of social progressivism with a politics almost authoritarian in nature, in line with the policy of the Patriotic League; he is an strong admirer of the policies of Ayros Tiraki,
Erkas Tilisek	Tilisek is a relatively unknown member of the Patriotic Front, from which the Patriotic League split over social issues. An ultra-traditionalist party, Tilisek is reported to be a convert to Arianism. There is little other information regarding her.

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: European Councillor Platforms

Iras Tilkanas

institution of labor and union rights in the UDoHR
expansion of powers of the Condemnation to businesses and other entities that repeatedly violate, bypass, or attempt to violate the laws of more than four member-states as an integral part of their practices
repeal of the Sanction Powers Act
reaching of detente with the UNSR
would be affiliated with the PEL

Liris Veszal

expansion of LGBT+, women's, and minority group rights in the UDoHR
clarification of ECB powers; expansion as to allow it to play a role in the stabilization of financial and monetary policy in individual member-states
creation of EACB-like institution as to fund agricultural, industrial, technological projects
support for the Condemnation of the Coup in Icholasen
would be affiliated with the EPA

Akem Linek

removal of LGBT+, women's, minority group rights
repeal of the EACA
removal of ECB, ESA, EHO, EHIC, and several other organizations
strengthen the Sanctioning Powers Act
no affiliation

Kalju Ilves

institution of labor and union rights in the UDoHR
expansion of LGBT+, women's, and minority group rights in the UDoHR
repeal of the EACA
creation of EACB-like institution as to fund innovations in terms of a transition towards 'green' technology
expedition of the obtaining of loans for purpose of 'green' transition by both nations and businesses
creation of greater transportation development authority, with optional membership and funded by members alone, to improve access to long-distance public transportation across the EU
would be affiliated with the ELDR

Erkas Tilisek

outlawing of LGBT 'activities;' 'defense' of the 'traditional family'
removal of ECB, ESA, EHO, EHIC, and several other organizations
'nullification' of the First Council of Nicaea by outlawing belief in any of its conclusions, as well as the Nicene Creed itself
no afiliation

Istkalen

Revolution: Members of the occupational unions resign, 'forcing' appointments

Due to restrictions placed by the fascist government of Kerel, which prevent us from distributing the truth, we have been forced to write this paper by hand. We implore the people of Istkalen to share that which is here to all, so that all may see the horrors occurring in our country.

The members of the state occupational unions have revolted against the quasi-fascist state of Kerel, and resigned. Kerel has done so much to take away our socialization; his plans, in vile coordination with the fascist parties of our Istkalen, to place the whole of the state and the people under his so-called 'benevolent' control, have been foiled, for the people who he wished to subjugate wanted to remain free.

The Trade Federation, the central instrument of revolution in Istkalen, was reformed as it was before the reactionary 'nationalization' of Kerel, and has pressed forwards, forwards, towards progress. The People's Committees, however, which we once thought were the arms of revolution, through which its force and its aims would be enacted, have not done so. They have betrayed themselves as being anti-revolutionary; they have tricked the people into following them and thus into the evil grasp of Kerel.

Now does the struggle after the revolution begin. Kerel says, and it is done, the people walking to their doom - that is what he wants. It is our responsibility to resist this vision, to ensure that it never comes to fruition.

He has appointed new individuals, new slavedrivers, as to try to cement his control over us. We cannot let them; we must defeat them all. Kerel's appointments must be wiped off this Earth and replaced with new, genuine representatives of the people.

We must fight. We must establish ourselves as our own masters, and overthrow, nay, destroy the institutions and people that held us down. Destroy capitalism; destroy all those who upheld it. Destroy religion, destroy all other vestiges of the old. And then, from nothing, build the new. Build the republic, the social and democratic republic.

Led by the Party and doing through the Trade Federation, we shall overthrow his evil, evil government. Then the people will prevail, and a democratic and socialist state will be established for the happiness of all. The revolutionary movement which begun on the 25th of April, 75 years from the overthrow of feudalism, 48 years from the overthrow of fascism, will consolidate itself, in eternity.

Istkalen Information Service: Regarding 'Revolution'

The newspaper 'Revolution,' affiliated with the United Workers' Revolutionary Communist Party, has been banned by order of the Union of Publications.

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: The Echteran trial begins

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Echteran, before the High Council of the Union of Civil and Criminal Law

The trial of Gertrude Echteran, on the charges of treason and dereliction of duty, has begun. Updates are forthcoming.

4 May 2021; 04:00

The prosecution has begun its argument, pointing to Echteran's behavior in the European Council, where they claim that she 'degraded' the country's position abroad. They have highlighted the reactions of multiple Councillors, as well as the Council Speaker, to her behavior.

Arguments regarding treason have regarded more concealed documents. Several close to Echteran have testified that she was in collaboration with members of the Meinl-Reisinger government, and was actively attempting to bring down Istkalen's reputation abroad as to strengthen remnants of the genocidal regime, primarily by weakening the government of Ilest Kerel through economic sanctions.

5 May 2021; 04:00

Echteran's defense team has not yet arrived, over a day upon the beginning of the trial. The court is now in recess for these reasons.

Echteran has not responded to questions posed by the IIS.

7 May 2021, 01:00

Echteran's lawyers were found murdered in a drainage culvert outside of Līresz. The trial remains in recess; Echteran, who says that she is entirely unconcerned about the trial, is expected to commission new lawyers.

8 May 2021, 08:00

Gertrude Echteran is dead. She appears to have committed suicide. Details will follow.

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: Conclusion of European Councillor elections
5 May 2021, 19:15

Correction: foreign votes had not yet been received by the Information Service from the state electoral bureau; election results have been adjusted in light of this.

The counting of votes for European Councillor elections concluded at 19:00 on 5 May. The results are below:

(INTERNAL ~ 90%)

IRAS TILKANAS: 38,2%
LIRIS VESZAL: 15,8%
KALJU ILVES: 15,7%
AKEM LINEK: 15,2%
ERKAS TILISEK: 15,1%

(EXTERNAL ~ 10%)
AKEM LINEK: 50%
IRAS TILKANAS: 25%
KALJU ILVES: 25%

IRAS TILKANAS: 36,88%
LIRIS VESZAL: 14,22%
KALJU ILVES: 16,63%
AKEM LINEK: 18,68%
ERKAS TILISEK: 13,59%

Iras Tilkanas is thus elected Councillor for the Republic of Istkalen, and Akem Linek as her deputy.

Istkalen

Die Presse: Kerel - incompetent to Europe, but a holy terror to the German people of Istkalen, who he refuses to respect

Ilest Kerel, to the rest of Europe, seems horrifically incompetent. Portrayals of the country are of political chaos - of repeated reorganizations both economic and political, drastic and often occurring within days of each other, often reversing entirely re-organizations that came before them.

Most of the promises he made on the 18th of April have not been kept. His initial proclamation, of the creation of an anti-partisan "national society" predicated on the producers' unions and the people's committees which formed in the wake of the mass arrests of members of the Social Democratic government - of the conservative and traditional society we have longed for - was never delivered on.

He has allowed for the existence of political parties; at the same time, he has driven himself away from the organic view of the 18th of April and instead chose to support an unnatural state, which too many celebrate as a part of their 'economic liberation'.

Worst of all, we Germans, the sole truly orthodox Christians still existing, the upholders of the traditional spirit of the nation of Istkalen, have been persecuted.

Our schools have been closed, the teachers, that installed morality in our children, expelled and replaced with new teachers, who teach them all sorts of vile things in total contradiction with our faith! They go as far as to brainwash them into doing terribly unnatural things, outside of the order that has been ordained.

He has sicced the perverted youth that plague our towns and cities on us, as to take the stalwart and strong husbands of our area, as well as many of our priests, away for doing as they are ordained to do, placing them before mock courts for the most ridiculous of invented crimes!

He has allowed the "People's Committees" of these youth, subversions of the natural order, to do as they wish, doing so much harm to our community!

He and his cronies have gone as far as to annul marriages, especially those made of circumstance between woman and man, such as those acquired in the acting upon of a sudden lust - in total violation of our traditions. However opposes this is labeled 'backwards,' 'feudal,' and a 'misogynist' - lies! They are the true misogynists - they do not understand the fundamental difference between women and men, and thus mistreat women terribly!

The Prussians, the Estonians - heathens which they have long refused us from saving, and still are not able to be saved because of the evil of Kerel - remain in their ways. They and their demon-worshipping, or worse, their refusal to believe in anything - are allowed to go on in their sinful ways.

But of course, they will say, with the people who speak the demonic languages in the East, that all is fine. Their work is protected and free, their culture is celebrated, and their people are supported. For us this is true on a superficial level as well, but only in reality for the youth. Everyone else is under the boot of an efficient dictatorship, the most efficient ever to have existed! It stamps out our culture, claims that it is 'reactionary,' and replaces it with something bland! It takes our children away and molds them into different creatures - creatures who believe in falsehoods! It turns our girls and our women rebellious, our men submissive, inserting in them ideas of all sorts of perversions, and rejects the natural system of production and politics!

The youth will soon be coming for me. They have said that they are 'carrying out a modernization;' that there are trying to 'democratize this area' and stamp out 'atrocities that do not belong in a modern country!' All they want to do is place on us the Satanism of the rest of the world!

Goodbye! They will soon take me, as my wife, my children, most of my former subordinates, and my former companions have made all sorts of accusations about me, who was once their respected leader and guide - accusations that are true but are legal and in accordance with the natural way - but accusations as to get me arrested by the evil youth of Kerel!

Istkalen

Postimees: Kerel overthrew the Social Democratic hegemony, but is unwilling to remove its influence

On the 18th of April, Ilest Kerel effectively overthrew the government of Beate Meinl-Reisinger, bringing to an end almost 19 years of disastrous and authoritarian rule by the Social Democratic Party. His ability to remove the last of the excrement that it has strewn across almost everything in Istkalen, however, appears to be less than stellar.

In stark contrast to the image of the country presented by the Istkalen Information Service, his declaration of 18th April, which served to announce the overthrow and death of Beate Meinl-Reisinger, an encapsulation of the position of the so-called 'technocratic' wing of the Social Democratic Party, has been followed almost perfectly. The activity of political parties is severely restricted, separated from all important organs of state entirely. Political, economic, and cultural activity is still channeled entirely through the state occupational unions and state chambers; outside of them, all three are discouraged if not penalized outright by the so-called ASPIS, which remains in operation. The former divisions, renamed regions in the parlance of Kerel's republic, remain entirely powerless. They do not even exist save on paper; they have no institutions, nor any power. Kerel has remained faithful to his promise of centralization; most of their powers now lie with the central government, with some now devolved to newly created 'municipal' governments.

On all levels, true to the Social-Democratic roots from which he springs, he has enforced a corporatist system of governance. Even the people's committees, which have largely been relegated to governing so-called 'communes' - divisions within larger 'municipalities' that are better reflective of actual cities - have been made to adopt a seven-chamber system and election from occupational unions.

Yes, it is true that corporatism - that is, occupational representation - is a political mainstay of Istkalen, as a result of political maneuvering in the 1940s - but that does not divorce it from its beyond odious origins. Although it is true that these origins have been quite heavily covered up ever since Tiraki, who led a destructive campaign in an attempt to rewrite Istkalen's history in her favor, they remain, in reality, the same - that is, in authoritarianism and quasi-fascism, beginning with the Lirisian state and its 'occupational instruments' to the 'national republic' of Tiraki and its state occupational unions - a tradition reaching its final realization and climax in the Social Democratic Party.

To cement it further, as such, would be to continue in the tradition of that odious Party. To abolish the unions and the chambers would, of course, be political suicide at this point - but it is beyond all doubt necessary if one wants to create a genuinely democratic Istkalen free of the influence of the SDP.

It does not seem, however, that Kerel actually wants a democratic Istkalen, or even one free of the SDP. If anything, he remains, quite thoroughly, the sort of technocrat that the SDP liked to recruit - someone competent, patriotic, and above all entirely disloyal to democracy. In essence, the archetype of Tiraki.

It must be made clear, however: Kerel is extraordinarily popular. Istkalen's experience with liberal democracy has generally been quite poor; Kerel's attempt to remove it and replace it with a national, technocratic, and corporatist system is thus well-received. At the same time, despite the 'show' he appears to be putting on for the West, he is competent and efficient - a further bonus in the eyes of a regular Istkalener. Finally, and perhaps more importantly, despite his apparent courting of socialism, he has proven himself to be working in the interests of Istkalen's middle class of artisans, trade-workers, and professionals, which have long dominated politics and acted as king-makers for all of Istkalen's rulers since the 1700s. He is going to remain in power for quite a long time; to remove him would be death for whomsoever attempts to do so.

He is certainly a liberator; regardless, he is certainly not a saint.

Istkalen

Õhtuleht: Hysteria spreads across the north

A primary school teacher stands before an assembly of children wearing garments made from cardboard boxes and canvas shopping bags. She holds a cucumber in her hand. "Do you know what the Vards will do to you?" she asks, in an almost sing-song voice, gesturing towards the cucumber.

This lewd scene was and is one that is occurring across schools in Istkalen's north, as paranoia and hysteria regarding the Vardic occupation sets in in full force. Worse than that regarding the Reitzmic occupation, which has mostly died down, it is fanned by the infamous "Northern Radio," which near constantly broadcasts extremely racist content directed against Vards presently in Istkalen.

"Vards," said Andres Liiv, one of the central provocateurs employed by the station, "are attracted to two things especially. Little children, and that which is shiny. Not simply valuable -no, no. They are like crows - they will even hunger for bits of aluminum foil! They are creatures of passion. At the sight of anything that interests them - these two things, most of the time - they are thrown into a lust, a lust which expresses itself in great rage and violence and one that does not end until they have what they want and are satisfied. So we implore you, good citizens, to take care, and stay safe. Keep your children, your valuables, anything that you have that is shiny - even the most worthless of things - away from these animals."

This, and messages like it broadcasted across "Northern Radio" and through social media have triggered an extreme panic among many in Istkalen's occupied north. "Tight-fitting" clothing, or rather any clothing that in any way shows the contours of one's body, has been eschewed, as the "Northern Radio," alongside various individuals on social media, have claimed that Vards are immediately thrown into lust at the sight of anything approximating a human torso. The new fashion, as such, is the cardboard box, or, for others, the canvas shopping bag, square-like and thus generally hiding one's torso well.

The hysteria, however, goes beyond this. A People's Committee organized a so-called funeral, of a person who did not exist; long human lines were formed from the site of the "funeral" to most areas of the village over which it had jurisdiction.

What was happening? The people of the village were burying all that they had that was in any way shiny, from their jewelry to children's toys, taking care as to hide the objects from what Northern Radio termed, using horrid vulgarities, "the ***** gaze of the Vard."

Across the country, "farmers' militias" have been formed, responding to the reports of the "Northern Radio" regarding Vardic movements and intentions to allegedly "sack our lands..leave them barren and poor." It is now common to stroll across a rural road and see farmers staring intently at one, as though they are trying to divine one's intentions, holding ever-so-tightly weapons, diverse in nature, from guns to machetes to even sickles.

Barbed-wire fences, attended to by members of the Popular Militia, have been erected around schools; children are not allowed to go out except in pre-planned mass outings protected by the Popular Militia.

Assemblies of the type described earlier are now exceedingly common, described as "preparation for the terror" in internal documents, "story-time assemblies" for young children, and "protection-informative gatherings" for older children.

More bizarrely, various individuals have made the claim that tomato puree wards away Vards, resulting in shortages of tomato. Bottles of tomato puree now sell for as high as 40 ketsels; they are near omnipresent, with almost everyone in the North owning at least one. These bottles have resulted in some chaos; a woman squirted one at a vender in a market she deemed to be a "Vardic agent," resulting in an explosion of hysteria in the market where said woman was almost beaten to death by a mob which claimed that she was also a "Vardic agent." All involved, save for the original vender, were arrested on charges of assault.

In another incident, what appeared to be a troupe of sorts, organized by a housing cooperative, smeared tomato puree on their faces and danced crazily outside of the cooperative as Vardic soldiers passed, screaming incantations which, per some on social media, drive away "Vardic evil spirits and demons."

It seems, as though only the middle-aged and elderly take any of this seriously. Children, teenagers, and young adults have almost mocked it.

Among the first, a black market of sorts for such things as glitter and sequins, which are now impossible to find, as most have been hidden away as a result of panic, has formed. One of their favorite activities is to throw handfuls of these at Vardic soldiers, to see if they respond. More oddly, some have latched on to the 'cucumber assemblies;' groups of children, generally old enough to read, have been seen purchasing cucumbers during authorized outings, attaching notes to them, asking Vardic soldiers to use the cucumbers as to chase some disliked person, as is said Vards will do with cucumbers in most of the so-called 'story-time assemblies,' before throwing them at said soldiers.

Teenagers have mostly ignored the insanities of the hysteria; most are, however, forced to wear the boxes or the shopping bags, which has led to an internal market for clothing forming among them at the schools, severely punished by authorities but continuing nonetheless. The vast majority, quite sensibly, feel that the whole 'movement' is hysterical and blow over soon.

It is the young adults, however, who seem to be having the most 'fun' out of this. They mostly continue to wear the clothing they did before, and have ignored most of the mandates of the "Northern Radio;" they have published journals denouncing said radio as ultranationalist and 'beyond racist in nature,' tracing its rhetoric to that used against Vards during the onset of Vardic raiding in ancient times. Some, artistically inclined, have invested their effort in the wrong areas, observing Vardic soldiers they find attractive, and creating pieces with wasted potential with composites of these soldiers, mocking some of the bizarre ideas put forward by the Northern Radio.

All in all, this is obviously quite a terrible situation, and will likely continue for some time. But some appear to be making the best of it; and perhaps in that we sane few can be somewhat happy.

Istkalen

The National Times: Before a newly elected National Assembly, Kerel declares that he has 'absolute power'

The National Assembly has been elected in a democratic process. Free, fair, and competitive elections, on non-partisan and technocratic lines in which candidates were required to possess certain levels of knowledge and experience, were held to the state occupational unions, cultural organizations, and political associations on the people's committee and national levels, which met today as to elect the seven chambers of state to which they correspond, forming the National Assembly.

The process is nothing less than historic. Istkalen has an extremely weak history of democracy, with electoral fraud having been frequent to the point that it was simply an expected part of life. It is perhaps only once in history that an assembly elected without irregularities has taken power - in 1910, with that of the Provisional National Assembly of the Republic of Istkalen. Elections later that year would be subject to intimidation, ballot box-stuffing, and outright falsification in several precincts by Empress Kales's Party of Istkalen, setting the tone for most of the remainder of Istkalen's elections, which would from that point become ever less democratic, culminating in the 2018 elections, where the Social Democratic Party placed candidates - either members of the Party or so-called "guests" - in stadiums and other public gathering areas, counting clapping by the pre-approved audience as approval.

While opposition was generally tolerated through all of this, it never was able to gain any power, except through the coup.

It is thus perhaps a surprise that turnout was extremely high in this election, at about 94%. One would expect that the people of Istkalen would be politically apathetic, and without hope as to the integrity of this election; it seems, however, that the opposite was true. Trust in the present government is extremely high; its exhortations, combined with general hope that high turnout would hasten the departure of the J-TAI, allowed for the creation of confidence in the integrity of the elections.

The National Assembly would, before a large audience and to great enthusiasm, convene at the House of the National Republic, the former Imperial Palace, as for its inauguration, one of the most-watched events in Istkalen's history, despite the formulaic nature of its proceedings.

Head of State Kerel, however, would then give a moderately disturbing speech before the Assembly, which attracted the attention - and the horror - of much of the nation.

"The Republic shall stand forever," he said, "forever in unity and integrity. It is the organization, the body, through which the people direct their energies and the very existnece, the sole body through which they can. It unites the nation in a single, energetic totality, condensing the feverous energy of the people into a single will - that of national preservation. Not a single activity lies outside of it; it unites and directs all, so that the nation is one and indivisible. This assembly before me is a great testament to this fact. The representative body of our Republic, it is the great condenser, combining every single activity of the Istkalener people into a single institutions, directing them all into the singular service of our nation! Through this assembly, a great hymn, the hymn of our people, sung in great diversity but beautifully, is expressed, a hymn that expresses all at once in a totality. I have the fortune of being the conductor of this hymn, who guides and instructs the people, with great love and fervor, to sing as best as they can, as to direct this beautiful hymn. In this position, I am absolute. With love, with authority, and with the devoted loyalty of the people, the hymn is made ever better, the bad of it, discordance, snuffed out, the good, the harmony, the melody, made ever more beautiful."

"The hymn cannot be made to self-direct. It would be discordant, ugly. No. Only one person, the most educated, must direct it, so that it is as beautiful and united as possible. Otherwise, it is doom for us all. It is not as though we can afford to have an ugly hymn; if we have an ugly hymn, then we are weak and ugly ourselves, pathetic, and if we are pathetic we are gone. It is only through our diversity and the unity of that diversity of our nation, the total unity and singular will of our people, that our nation has stood through the struggles of the millennia. Imagine if our ancestors had decided to play around, to 'self-direct,' to smear their feces on the music of our hymn. We would be degenerated, and we would not be Istkalen. We would be under the boot of other nations, totally integrated, without knowledge of our past. We would be imbeciles, drool coming from our mouths, our clothes smeared with our excrement, without knowledge of ourselves, and in total, unthinking, servitude to our masters. We would no longer be people but beasts - farm animals, stupid, vacuous, and unthinking farm animals, to be breeded, and to be killed when we no longer have use."

"We do not want that, we cannot have that. But we are again in danger of this happening. And thus we must be more united than ever, united in our hymn, without deviation, removing and fixing deviation and deviators, singing beautifully, expressing and defending our nation with all our vigor and will, with everything around us, at all cost. We must be united behind a single leader, the role of which I have taken in great humility, and direct all our energies towards our own defence following my gentle leadership."

Kerel would then read out the so-called "Constitutional Law" passed by the Council of Ministers on the 18th of April, which gave him effectively total powers:

"We must all be reminded, however, of this. Of the necessity to be united, and of the political reality of that unity. I thus read from our republican constitution, which defends our nation and ensures that it is always, always safe:

ARTICLE I. Section 1. The Head of State of the Republic of Istkalen shall have full governmental powers. He shall appoint and revoke the appointment of ministers, who shall be responsible only to him.

Section 2. He shall exercise legislative power through the Council of Ministers.

Section 3. He may issue all regulations of a budgetary or fiscal nature.

Section 4. He shall promulgate laws and assure their execution.

Section 5. He shall have full power over the armed forces, as well as that to delegate it.

Section 6. He shall have the right of granting pardon and amnesty.

Section 7. Envoys and ambassadors of foreign countries shall be accredited to him.

Section 8. He shall negotiate and ratify treaties.

Section 8. He may declare a state of defense in one or more parts of the territories.

Section 9. He creates the organs of state, to which he has the responsibility of assigning duties and rights."

Kerel would then smile, before departing. This is obviously quite disturbing; the Council of Ministers has stated that it is looking for a legal way as to remove him, for what they term a 'danger to the Republic and its institutions.'

Istkalen

The Citizens' Voice: Polling on important issues

Do you support the establishment of the J-TAI in its present form?

YES: 0,9% (-1,2)
NO: 99,0% (+1,3)
NO OPINION: 0,1% (-0,1)

Do you support the presence of Reitzmic troops?

YES: 0,5% (-0,5)
NO: 99,4% (+0,5)
NO OPINION: 0,1% (-)

Do you support the presence of Vardic troops?

YES : 0,4% (-0,6)
NO: 89,8% (+44,1)
NO OPINION: 9,8% (-41,2%)

Would you support an extended joint-EU presence in Istkalen for peacekeeping purposes?

YES: 47,3% (+4,2)
NO: 35,5% (-2,0)
NO OPINION: 17,2% (-2,2)

Would you support the J-TAI if it collaborated with the present institutions of government which function democratically in Istkalen, even if it excludes the provisional government?

YES: 14,3% (-31,0)
NO: 80,4% (+38,3)
NO OPINION: 5,3% (-7,3)

Would you support an ERF deployment?

YES: 49,5% (+0,5)
NO: 43,2% (-)
NO OPINION: 7,3% (-0,5)

Are you in support of the government in Līresz?

YES: 84,5% (+8,2)
NO: 9,4% (-4,3)
NO OPINION: 6,1% (-3,9)

Are you in support of the People's Committees?

YES: 95,3% (+2,1)
NO: 1,7% (-4,1)
NO OPINION: 3,0% (+2,0)

Are you in support of the producers' unions, as a concept?

YES: 95,1% (+0,3)
NO: 3,2% (-)
NO OPINION: 1,7% (-0,3)

Are you in support of the administration of the producers' unions?

YES: 81,3% (+33,1)
NO: 16,8% (-31,0)
NO OPINION: 1,9% (-2,1)

Over the past few days, there has been a massive drop in support for the present occupation of Istkalen, primarily because of the so-called "Vardic hysteria" in the north of the country, as well as worries that the country's resources, both mineral and human, may soon be exploited by occupiers. Several conspiracy theories, especially one which claims that occupiers are responsible for the death of Gertrude Echteran, have also contributed to this.

The unpopularity of the J-TAI, the central institution of the occupation, is extremely high. The elections it plans to hold are expected to be widely boycotted; at the same time, almost no one in Istkalen has actually carried out its orders. They are promulgated by the government - yes; but the primary instruments of execution, the state occupational unions and people's committees, rarely actually execute those that are controversial, or rather 'attempt' to execute them in the slowest and least useful ways, bending interpretations to the point that they are made beyond nonsensical.

"What are we supposed to do?" wrote the People's Committee of Liremer in a statement. "This order obviously tells us that the city must be made in the shape of a clown, and that everyone in it must also dress like clowns," referring to an order that had nothing to do with clowns. "How can we enforce this? How? We are trying our very best, but it will take some time!"

At the same time, daily burnings of effigies of the members of the organization take place outside of its headquarters, on weekends with extremely large audiences, who often cheer in delight. The events are described as "almost hysterical in the happiness of their participants; people run around as though they are drunk, drunk on the happiness that one day, the fate of the effigies will befall the J-TAI."

Support for the present government, especially the Council of Ministers and the National Assembly, who appear to have deposed the unpopular Kerel, has risen massively. As the only government in decades to have successfully managed to restore democracy, as well as to expand it into the economic and cultural spheres, they are viewed as highly competent, especially in comparison to the J-TAI, which is seen as colonialist.

Yet many realize that the country needs stabilization, and have thus supported potential peacekeeping operations in Istkalen. The words of Premier Ikomar sum it up best:

"We want to carry on as we have carried on for the millennia. We want to manage our own affairs, we want to remain independent. But we know that what those who claimed to lead us have done, and we understand that we must pay penance for that. They may come to ensure that we remain peaceful, that the horrors that happened will not repeat themselves."

Istkalen

Õhtuleht: Ikomar issues an appeal for calm; the Northern Radio is banned

The hysteria in the north continues unabated; if anything, it has intensified as a result of spreading conspiracy theories, regarding the potential exploitation of mineral resources, as well as the death of Gertrude Echteran.

Schools across the country have been shut down entirely; in its last statement, the Northern Radio made the claim that the Vards were coming as to kill everyone and "re-settle" the area, resulting in a massive exodus, during which many, especially young adults, unwilling to flee were essentially abducted by security forces and forced to go south "for their own safety." It is unclear what the present situation is, however.

The only to remain are small groups of security forces, which presently guard workplaces as to ensure that they are not looted. The cities are almost entirely empty.

Head of State Ikomar has issued an appeal for calm.

"I know," he said, "that many of you are terrified. That you feel that you are condemned to death; that behind you are coming barbarians who will kill you all. That you have lived in terror for the past few weeks, and now that terror seems finally to be realized in one fell swoop."

"It is true that we are in danger. But not of death, not of enslavement, not of pillaging and of violation. We will remain safe, physically, safe and healthy. They will not harm us in that way. What they will do is take away our sovereignty, permanently. Look at their flag, look at their manifestoes and so much more. They do not plan to ever allow us to ever be an independent nation, ever again. We will be but a colony, from which they will extract and extract until there is no more. To leave is to hasten this fate; our cities, our factories, our workshops, our mines, are left undefended; our people are made to look crazed and not to be trusted with state - too unintelligent, too destructive to be allowed to roam free. They will be given the opportunity and the reason to destroy our Istkalen. So, I beg of you, return in calmness. Collect the dead so that they may be buried with dignity; and return to your homes, your workplaces, so that they may be kept in your hands, our hands, so that we may retain our independence and may not be colonized. Return quietly, and resist, peacefully. But do not continue this madness, do not, I beg of you. If you do, you will have fallen into their trap, and then where will we be, a few months, a few years, from now?"

Minister Sepp has ordered military movement into the area, as to temporarily maintain order and ensure that those in the area are entirely safe. The Union of Audio Broadcasts, as well as the Chamber of Arts and Literature, has ordered the cessation of broadcasts of the "Northern Radio," at the behest of Ikomar in an emergency session.

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: Ikomar says J-TAI is 'useless'
(OOC: I understand the reasons for inactivity. This is not an attack on anyone, save IRP.)

Head of State Liris Ikomar has denounced the Joint Transitional Authority in Istkalen as both 'useless' and 'ineffective,' in what amounted to a tirade delivered at a recent press conference.

"We remain in power solely because the alternative is a power vacuum. When the administration of Kerel was dormant, look at what happened: total chaos! Different groups jostling for power, no one knowing the exact truth of what was happening. Various parties claimed all sorts of things; the state trade union tried to take control of the economy as communists and ultra-conservatives tried to claim that it was the time of their 'revolution;' as a result, no one knew exactly what was happening, what to do! The J-TAI did nothing! In fact, it hasn't done anything at all, in all its time here! Oh, [The Citizens' Voice] says that 'orders' have been given out, that we have promulgated them - none of this has happened! We have received nothing from the J-TAI at all!"

"Oh yes, they have their little manifesto which they are supposed to carry out, yes, yes! But they haven't done anything to deliver on it, and in any case no one in Istkalen even knows what it is! No one, absolutely no one! I don't know what is in it, the Council of Ministers doesn't, the National Assembly doesn't, absolutely no one does! And they say that they will stay here until they are 'satisfied!' What does that mean? I ask you all, what does that mean? Will they stay here, like leeches, stealing from the treasury and getting fat off of it, while continuing to do nothing of importance? Or will they try to ban us, the legal government of Istkalen, from this country, so that they have better access to that treasury and thus can run off with it? And after that, return to their state of sloth-like existence?"

"They don't even care during a time of national crisis! Hysteria in the north, who actually deals with it, we do! They don't care at all, haven't cared, and will never care! So long as they can fatten themselves with the people's money, they won't!"

"Tell me one thing that they have done, just one! You can't, because they've done nothing! No reconstruction projects - that was organized by our National Assembly! No welfare - that too by us! They've done nothing except sleep, eternally, truly eternally, in their building!"

Ikomar was then asked to take sedatives by an aide, which he promptly did before abruptly ending the conference. He has since issued an apology:

"My behavior today," he wrote, "was uncouth and inexcusable. However, I continue to hold to the fact that our Republic is the only government competent enough to govern Istkalen and stabilize it from the extreme instability caused by the Instrument of Surrender and the Hampton Declaration."

Despite the apparent rashness of this outburst, however, it has only increased support for Ikomar, who previously was unpopular as a result of his decision to remove Kerel, considered a last vestige of true independence and an unoccupied Istkalen, and thus a symbol of sorts. His recent actions, however, have shown Ikomar to be someone entirely different - a revolutionary of sorts, for the restoration of independence and the creation of a more just society, to many

Istkalen

People's Daily: The Communist Party of Istkalen endorses the CPCS

The Communist Party of Istkalen, in recent weeks, has become worried about the conditions prevailing in Czech Slavia, as well as in the Socialist Republican Party there. We of course understand the need and necessity of pursuing and consolidating socialism per the material conditions existing in one's country, rather than following strict dogmas - for example, in our development of our theory of "Socialism with Istkalener Characteristics," we have done so heavily, for the material conditions in Istkalen, which allow the landed peasant and the artisan continued security, due to prevailing societal structures and beliefs, in spite of industrialization, greatly differ from those existing in the West. However, we feel that the Socialist Republican Party is deviating from this necessity and has instead become a client-party of the bourgeoisie in Inquista.

Let it be clear, the Communist Party of Istkalen does not take issue with the liberalization ongoing in the country, as we recognize it as a critical part of developing and consolidating socialism in the country against international forces. However, it is the way that this liberalization has occurred that we take issue with. Rather than complementing socialism, it instead appears to be developing a form of capitalism in the country that is placing it under the demands of the Inquistan bourgeoisie.

Per the reports of shortages yesterday, it appears that the state is orienting itself towards, rather than developing the socialist community and society, the service of Inquista, supplying the goods and capital that its bourgeosie requires. It has allowed the labor of the people in Czech Slavia to again be made the capital of elites; rather than abolishing the remains of capitalism, which we recognize can be done through the maintenance of a free market system, to an extent, it appears to be redeveloping them.

We see, for example, that the government, rather than addressing the legitimate complaints of the people, instead tells them, quite bluntly, to shut up and be grateful. This is not the correct behavior to be expected of a people's democracy; it approaches that of the capitalist state, where the starving masses are told that they are free and should be grateful that the state is protecting their so-called freedom. There also appears to have been unhealthy glorification of the country's leader. Certainly, the revolution must be united; but not around a leader. We work for a day when class and leader no longer exist, not for one where both are deeply entrenched.

We also see this on the cultural front, where there has been a disgusting trend towards infantilizing the proletariat. The workers' culture must be well developed, not weakened to the point where it is indistinguishable from the scribblings of a child. To do this is to reveal one's true intentions and class, for it shows that one regards the workers as lowly and unintelligent - people that must be led and who cannot be trusted to form the new society. Also to be commented on is the decadent debauchery that continuously goes on in the ministries on Czech Slavia, which is disgusting and shows deviation from the socialist movement.

We thus find ourselves in agreement with the current Communist Party of Czech Slavia, led by Josef Hrzal. The Socialist Republican Party of Czech Slavia is evidently no longer serving the people, and certainly not socialist or Marxist by any definition of the two. It is a client-party for Inquista, which functions as to serve its bourgeoisie and to reverse the great advances made in Czech Slavia towards the abolition of capitalism. Its rhetoric serves to uphold the continued presence of class and state; some approaches the idea of class-collaborationism, with their glorification of the liberal democracy and their apparent refusal to acknowledge it for what it truly is.

The revolution in the Czech lands must continue. While it cannot be held to ridiculous dogmas, it must work to abolish the capitalistic system. We see only the Communist Party of Czech Slavia as recognizing this fact, and thus as the only competent body capable of continuing the revolution there. However, we dearly hope that the Socialist Republican Party, presently filled with capitalist roaders, realizes its errors and corrects itself.

Istkalen

This post is deleted!

Istkalen

Northern Radio: The evidence is here - they are coming to enslave us!

You are listening, dear citizens, to the Northern Radio. They have tried to silence us, the occupiers, we stand unbowed.

We have made, however, a disturbing discovery. The present broadcast will be quite short, unfortunately, as we are worried of discovery - and, of course, we all know what the occupiers do to those who are discovered. We will be reading the document discovered detailing our extermination, after which we shall conduct a short analysis.

We will now begin the reading:

"ADDENDUM TO THE HAMPTON DECLARATION:

The war-making power of Istkalen is to be destroyed entirely. It is imperative that the population of Istkalen is reduced to a pre-industrial state. They are very resourceful pests; we must leave them with nothing. The same machinery that is used to make furniture can be repurposed, by them, to make weaponry. We shall conduct the destruction of all factories and industrial implements over the course of a year, upon the destruction of the so-called "Republic." The population are to become peasants, entirely. We expect that between 25% to 50% of the population will perish in the period of adjustment; this is beneficial, as it crushes the spirit of the pests as to ensure that they do not make war again.
Intellectualism and education in Istkalen are to be destroyed. These two contribute to the war-making spirit; they must be removed entirely if the nation is to be safe, never to make war again, and to be exploited. The schools will be temporarily closed and repurposed. They will teach matters solely of a simple agricultural nature, and will gradually be integrated into the family so that the last vestiges of the war-making Istkalen are destroyed. The intellectuals are to be wiped out; we shall take them all, as to ensure that they cannot use their minds as to turn against us.
The morally-detestable parts of the Istkalener culture are to be exterminated. The hordes must be Westernized. Their Godless priests will be removed as to allow for Westernization; un-Christian behavior will be punished severely. The ulsikes will be abolished and the behavior of it punished; the good and wholesome Christian marriage shall become the basis of society, with the inferior woman under the superior man. Their culture shall thus be removed, making them weaker and more amenable to us, less war-like; we shall crush them until they accept, making them totally docile.
The people of Istkalen must be made dependent. We will be responsible totally for their defense; we will coddle them until they do not know how to function, apart from their farming. They will not be allowed to dispose of what they make upon the transformation of society; all their products shall be given to us as to return to them through various institutions of distribution we will set up. They are thus made ever less intelligent and thus less likely to make war, as well as more dependent and thus more likely to worship us as gods.
The people of Istkalen must be under our thumb. They will have no possessions and no control over even themselves, so that we may control and regiment them entirely. They will work on the collective farms we decide the boundaries of; marry those we order them to marry; work elsewhere if we decide for them to work elsewhere; eat from the canteens we shall set up; and follow every one of our orders entirely.
We shall engineer the division of Istkalen into two states, which shall be gradually "integrated" into the Reitzmic and Vardic cultures, although allowed to remain independent. In both, the structure of state will appear democratic, but will continue to uphold the principles of our Declaration. It will all look rosy, but we will have total control over everything.
The resources of Istkalen are to be under the direct control over the two states of the great Coalition, which once and for all put an end to the Istkalener pests. The people of Istkalen will never be allowed to use them or to partake in the benefits they will give us; they will be made stupid to the point where they will simply forget their existence and continue in their miserable existences, fully under our thumbs.
Over a period of two hundred years, we will slowly reduce the portions given out into the canteens. We will thus gradually exterminate the population of Istkalen, and remove those pests from the world. All will celebrate.
Settlement of the Istkalener territory will continue. The collective farms are to be gradually reduced in size over two hundred years, and the excess land distributed to morally and physically healthy Reitzmics and Vards. From these territories, we shall establish our New State, the experiment of which must be made as successful as possible, so that we may apply them to our own countries in turn. Liberal democracy now threatens our hegemony; we will use the pathetic Istkalen to ensure that the danger it poses is neutralized.

The document is typical of Western pigs. They are concerned primarily with our extermination, wanting to dominate us, as they see us as a threat to their hegemony. We also see, in the end, that they reject democracy entirely, revealing the truth of their system. They are concerned with the protection of wealth and power; and of course, they will do anything to protect both. Their natures are the same; they are like crows, attracted to that which is shiny. But unlike crows, they are quite brutal.

So we tell you, citizens, to be wary and remain safe; and to always be ready. One day, when they come, we must be able to protect ourselves.

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: Ikomar addresses the National Assembly

The National Assembly was today addressed by Head of State Liros Ikomar, who called for national unity and order in a period of chaos.

Ikomar argued that party-line and economic division had to be overcome for the benefit of all citizens, as to ensure that Istkalen remained one and thus able to face what he referred to as "an overwhelming crisis."

"Our Istkalen now faces the greatest struggle of its existence. To face it, to overcome it, it must be truly united. Unity does not mean conformity, nor does it mean, or necessitate, obedience to God, to the state, and so on and so forth, as so many have implied, again and again, in the past. No. Unity means the abolition of division - political division, economic division, social division, division of all kinds. It means the abolition of the tribalistic attitudes that have plagued our nation; and its replacement with respect and loyalty. We must respect each other equally; we must be loyal to our nation and the Republic, and to no other group," he said..

Several delegates, largely from the Chamber of State, asked Ikomar as to whether such a policy would necessitate political uniformity and the abolition of the present political associations. He would answer simply - no to the first, but yes to the second.

"The associations are a good way of representing in this Assembly the diverse voices of our nation, which we cannot extinguish," said he. "Uniformity in opinion must not be a goal - if anything, it must be prevented. The structure of the associations, however, are in fact a danger. Unlike the cultural associations, unlike the occupational unions, they do not serve to unite the Republic. They are institutions meant to 'fight' each other, so to speak - institutions uniting only their supporters which want only to take over the state. This is not a state that should exist in a true democracy, one which genuinely represents the people. Rather, there should instead be a single institution - not a single party, certainly not, but rather a broad-based front of sorts - that unites within it all who are politically active, whatever their cause may be. So, simply put - no to the first, no forever, but yes to the second."

He would go on to focus on the role of cultural associations, and most prominently occupational unions, in promoting unity and preserving "national ideals and morality," arguing that they allow for greater equality, in that they cause people to view each other as equal while enforcing economic equality, and thus for greater unity, for according to him, the promotion of inequality inevitably leads to greed, anger, and general instability.

The end of the address was a simple review of the new infrastructural projects, summarizing its basic goals - improving transportation, connectivity, and health - as well as much of what it has done, including the construction and renovation of bridges and tunnels, the improvement of roads, the construction and repair of electricity and communication lines, the mass construction of social housing, the expansion of canteens and nurseries, mandates to define urban planning as to make it 'greener,' and most importantly, the campaign against hysteria in the North, among others. It would conclude by tying the project to the concept of national unity, pointing out that all must live a life of dignity in order for justice and unity to be promoted, while at the same time using it as an example of the workings of the republican institutions - again, for the most part, the state occupational unions and chambers - and their efficacy in terms of general function as well as in promoting unity in the spheres of labor and state administration, glorifying "the spirit of the people of Istkalen" all the while.

The address is considered typical of the present government - making overtures towards older times which people view with nostalgia - promoting nationalism, albeit of a civic nature, as well as a soft authoritarianism, argued for as an end to political chaos which is portrayed as endemic to the country. What distinguishes it, however, from the addresses under Kerel is its focus on popular sovereignty. Kerel placed the state above the people; Ikomar has done the opposite, and portrayed the state as an emanation of the people, repeatedly highlighting them and their role in governance. More interestingly, the cultural and economic organizations of state, which were under Kerel instruments meant to control the population, were portrayed as playing four different roles in a participatory way:

of expressing the desires of the people in an orderly fashion that respects all society
of executing regulations made by the people
constituting the state
protecting the people from the excesses of the state

In essence, they have become more independent instruments of democratic expression, rather than arms of the state. They retain a conservative appearances, reflecting the structure of state before 1798, the words themselves appealing primarily to the traditionally more democratic West, peasants, and particularly Christians, all of whom are considered groups voting relatively conservatively - for the National Republican Party and the Patriotic Front.

The general content of this address reflects a movement within the government to revisit the political thought of the 1930s in Istkalen, a sharp turn away from the more authoritarian Tirakism of Kerel and towards, much more strongly, democracy, but at the same time, perhaps more negatively, one that turns towards conservatism, as evidenced by Ikomar's repeated references to the preservation of 'national culture,' 'national order,' and 'national ideals.'

Istkalen

Istkalen Information Service: the Parade for Democracy in Tartu

The Information Service is covering the Parade for Democracy, marking the 111th anniversary of the assassination of Istkalen's last emperor, which ended absolutism in Istkalen. Updates are to come.

The audience has gathered in the stands. Admission is free - the event is organized by the Chamber of Arts and Literature as a whole. This is expected to be one of the most widely attended Parades for Democracy since their inception in 1925. The reasons, as deduced by the Elder of the Chamber, are simple. People feel hopeless, as though the Emperor, or rather a worse Emperor, for such an Emperor would be foreign, is to return very soon. The Parade gives them hope, in a single dynamic display - hope that all emperors will be overcome and national democracy constructed.

The local occupational chambers and cultural associations have prepared floats for the celebration, each dedicated to how democracy revolutionized its corresponding occupation or culture. As of now, they are hidden, to be revealed during the parade - but rumors say that the display will be spectacular this year.

The event is considered one of the first major cultural events ordered by the Republic, although it did organize relatively large celebrations in a similar manner for the Day of Labor on 1 May and Mothers' Day on 9 May, both of which have long been considered major events.

The day is a national holiday, as the 1st of May laid on a weekend.

The members of the national state institutions, alongside the People's Committee of Tartu, have opened the parade. It is expected to start momentarily. The audience appears to be quite excited; people continue to enter as to watch the parade.

Planned Program

Introductory Remarks by the Head of State
Readings by Writers and Poets
Exhibition of the Unions
Exhibition of Culture
Exhibition of our City
Remarks by the National Assembly and Other Institutions of the Republic
Remarks by the People's Committee of Tartu
Performance by choir, band
Closing remarks

The Head of State, accompanied by the Council of Ministers, is presently giving a speech, regarding the importance of democracy and the necessity of its preservation. He has stated that the Republic is eternal; that it cannot be defeated and cannot be overthrown, and that even if it is suppressed forcibly, it will continue to live and eventually rebel.

Readings have begun, to great applause. They generally follow the same meaning and pattern as the introductory remarks.

The parade has begun, with the exhibition of the unions. The exhibition of culture and of the city of Tartu will follow it, after which will be remarks by various individuals and a performance by a choir and band.

Remarks have begun, to great applause, after the lengthy parade. A demonstration, perhaps, of the shockingly high approval ratings of the present Republic, now at about 90,3%.

The People's Committee is presently speaking of its grassroots nature and of the necessity of the Republic's preservation, continuing with the theme of the day.

The performance, of several patriotic songs of the Revolution of 1909, has begun.

Closing remarks, a summary of the event and importance, have begun.

The parade has ended.

Istkalen

The Citizens' Voice: The Social Democratic regime

The Social Democratic regime of this year started out relatively benevolently, despite the violence that precluded it.

Meinl-Reisinger herself, who led it, was a relatively popular and intelligent figure who managed to rehabilitate the Social Democratic Party - a member of its technocratic wing, to which Kerel, among others, belonged, and beyond all its leader. While maintaining much of the corruption that allowed it to remain in office, alongside the nominally single-party system, the vast majority of the population believed that things would soon change, and saw the coup as that change.

Indeed, Meinl-Reisinger, before the first of the government statements on the 15th of April - appeared to have managed to turn around much of the country's internal division, with evident plans to establish a more non-partisan system and restore the seven-chamber "traditional" state. Corrupt officials were stamped out, many arrested; there was a general air of hope. Yet none of this transpired; on the 15th of April, the regime abruptly re-organized itself into the form of the state that the right-nationalist wing of the party desired, away from the technocratic wing that would seize power on the 18th. Statements of a disturbing and ultranationalist nature were given out, in stark contrast to the 13th of April Address by Meinl-Reisinger. Below, the chasm that lies and laid between them is clearly shown:

13th of April:

sets out the aims of what is termed a "National Union" - a broad, non-partisan organization that is meant to somehow unify politics. Abolition of partisanship.
condemnation of "barbaric actions" in the National Assembly; states that all involved have been "taken into custody."
sets out the occupational unions as self-governing, democratic - names them as her greatest accomplishment - "intermediate bodies" between the state and individuals
courts a primarily conservative ideal of the future - based upon a restoration of an old order predicated upon union/guild and national unity and a market-based economy
sets out a plan for the establishment of cultural organizations
sets out a preference for the seven-chamber system of organization, associated with the old and with a more democratic order - denounces the eight-chamber system, seen as corrupt
support for a stronger welfare system, predicating itself on the ulsien and ulsikes, which are stated to be "diverse in their forms"
courting of mildly socially progressive rhetoric, focusing on women and the LGBT+ community
generally conservative, although not reactionary, with emphasis on a more democratic system - a center-right, possibly Christian-Democratic deviation from the ideology of the technocrats

15th of April:

abandonment of non-partisanship - absolute worship of a single-ruler
any idea of self-government, "intermediate bodies" abandoned - everything is below the state and the leader
a more modernist and revolutionary outlook to a future in which nothing except for Istkalen exists
against the existence of cultures apart from a single culture mandated by the state
against the existence of democracy as a whole
refusal to acknowledge anything beyond the state - everything is to be integrated it, and nothing except it is to exist
thoroughly totalitarian and strongly anti-conservative

The change is what caused the war - a change which can be attributed to the Minister of Defense, appointed as a result of an ongoing party-struggle between the technocratic and ultra-nationalist factions. Meinl-Reisinger was forced to choose to adopt their rhetoric while secretly keeping her own platform; this, however, could not even last through the day. Meinl-Reisinger was long a drug-enthusiast; she was seen inhaling a white powder, before sitting down and seemingly collapsing in a chair. The Minister of Defense then asked her to authorize war against Reitzmag, which she did, evidently under some sort of influence.

It was after this that everything began to go downhill. Meinl-Reisinger, in a short session after this, mysteriously changed positions quite suddenly, and began to agree completely with the aims of the conservative wing, attempting to purge the technocrats she had herself put into power, leading to the 18th of April coup against her. It is believed that she was somehow convinced of the position's merits, although this remains in serious doubt.

It is this "second change," far greater than the first more pragmatic one, that is of the greatest interest. Meinl-Reisinger was certainly not a hardliner, but she was opposed to the ultraconservatives. Why she would allow them to gain any control over her is beyond anyone's understanding. The primary belief, however, is that it was presented to her as a method of revolution, through which a new society could be created - something which, perhaps under some form of duress, she possibly would have accepted.

Eventually, as is well known to us, she was overthrown and killed.

The same happened again with Kerel, who himself abruptly turned to the statist conservatism of the right-wing of the party. The reasons for this turn, too, were relatively unknown, and and it will quite likely happen with Ikomar, although he does in theory come from a different party.

We can clearly say, however, that each of these turns, so common, have one thing in common: a desire for national unity and progress National unity was a core aspect of the technocratic ideology of Meinl-Reisinger and Kerel; a core aspect of the softer conservatism of Ikomar; so too is progress. The two of these necessitate some form of authoritarianism to prosecute easily; eventually, through some form a pressure, the result that totalitarianism is needed is arrived at.

It is an inevitability, especially in Istkalen, where so much of politics was laid by what amounted to a conservative dictatorship that sought to remake society, where time and time again the main aim of the ruling party is to forcibly change Istkalen itself, destroying the old and imposing the new.

The same strand, in different people - Kales, Tiraki, and many others - repeats itself because of this. Istkalen must thus push itself away from it, into the future, if it wishes to get out of that vicious cycle.

Istkalen

(OOC: Propaganda)

Istkalen Information Service: the Commission for the Abuses of the Occupation receives several disturbing testimonies

The Commission for the Abuses of the Occupation officially is in session, opened by the Head of State. The organization is meant to investigate potential abuses of the Reitzmo-Vardic Coalition in Istkalen; for this purpose, it called over 25 alleged witnesses and victims of brutality. Their reports were beyond shocking; many expressed worry that they would be killed for what they had said. Their identities were kept secret; even without a face and voice to put to them, their words have caused so much outrage and fear that the whole of the nation is in an uproar.

Excerpts from these testimonies are below.

WITNESS 048

"[The Reitzmic army] entered my village on the 18th of April. We had formed a committee beforehand; we were told to greet them. They were liberators, they said. We believed them. We were all mistaken. None of them were trying to trick us, mind you - many of them suffered the same fate. We were standing there, on a hill, shouting for them to come, waving, holding hastily-made banners celebrating their arrival. They did not care. When they came, they told us - the women - to separate and to go into the village square. I looked behind as we were being marched there; they were doing something similar to the children. I think the men were told to return home, although I'm not entirely sure."

"We followed their orders; we lined up in the square just as they told us to. They looked at us with greedy eyes, lustful eyes. I was scared; we all were scared. Someone tried to run; they shot her in the leg. She fell down, screaming, blood spilling onto the square; a soldier went up to her and - well, I can't say. She screamed; we all watched. We could not turn our heads; we were horrified, transfixed."

"They did not do it to us until the soldier was finished. The poor woman was screaming, crying; what monsters they were! No matter; they did not care about her. They turned to us, the soldier dressing again. They addressed us as [removed]. Then they threw themselves on us. I don't want to go into more detail; it's too much. Please.

But it ended; we were allowed to go home, crying. My children were returned a few hours later. Others were not as lucky. The soldiers would come again occasionally; they would threaten us all. We left on the 30th, crawling through the fields. We didn't know what they would do to us if we were caught."

WITNESS 033

"[The Reitzmic army] came on the 20th. They left us alone, for the most part, although there was a curfew. But they were allowed to do whatever they want. No one could close their shops; they would be taken if they did. They had to keep them open; the soldiers would sometimes come and rob them. They were not to demand payment; if they did, they would be taken. We had to leave everything available for them, basically. On the 23rd, they told the women to go to the central square. I am non-binary, so I assumed that I was not to do so. So I went to the market, and some of the soldiers were there. They asked me why I wasn't at the square. I said that I was non-binary. They told me that I was mentally ill, and marched me there. They brutalized us; I don't want to say anymore. They violated us; they treated us not as human. The one who did it to me kept shouting and hitting me. I don't; I didn't; know what to do. I tried to leave the following day. They took me and again did the same. We were supposed to be open to them, as payment for what we did to their country. I kicked them; I tried to run away, barely clothed. They shot at me; I kept running, and running. Eventually I collapsed; I was found, taken to a hospital in Liremer. I was safe there, or safer. But I don't want to go back, I can't. I don't want them to get me."

WITNESS 018

"[The Reitzmic army] occupied the town on the 22nd of April. We were lucky, I guess, for them to come so late. But they were worse, I think. They ransacked the whole of the town for three days. They took everything valuable - from the temple, from the union halls, from the schools, from even our own homes. They took everything that was gold or diamond especially. They then went for the stores. They had priority; they could take anything they wanted, without paying. The same soon applied to our homes; they would come in, take spoons and things like that - silverware, mostly - and then go out. It got very bad after the same began applying to our bodies. It was all some sort of retribution, reparation, for the war. But we didn't start it; why do we have to pay for it? They didn't harm me, thankfully, and every day I look to the heavens and thank God that they didn't; but they did so to many of those I knew; that I know. It was difficult to leave; I went out in a secret compartment of a car that one of my friends had - he worked in the city, for that he was allowed to leave."

"It's interesting to me, however, that they don't do it in the cities. Maybe it's because if they do it there, it would get out much more quickly. Who knows?"

The vast majority of the 58 testimonies delivered today describe events taking place in the countryside, where communication is significantly more limited. Those taking place in urban settings, significantly more crowded, generally occur in the evening or in the morning; however, most begin in public areas. Some of the more disturbing aspects, including looting, however, while significant in the countryside, are not reported at all in urban areas, although one witness claimed that he had been robbed at gunpoint by Vardic soldiers, while another claimed that they had been forced into labor at a metalworking plant by the same.

They remain, however, consistently brutal and horrifying, evidence of mass atrocities by the coalition in Istkalen.