Office of Premier Commissioner Cocx
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OFFICE OF PREMIER COMMISSIONER DR WALTER COCX
21st February 2021
RE: First statement, Union of Syndicates, Forthcoming legislation
"Peoples of Europe,
Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bestowing upon me this high, exalted office of Premier Commissioner. I make a sincere pledge to you, to each and every one of you, that I will not let you down. Your faith in me will not be misplaced. Thank you, and I hope you will continue to engage with me during my Premiership as you have during my campaign.
We need everyone to be involved in European politics, more so now than ever before. Our region is currently in the grip of international terrorism, of yet another rogue regime gone wild -- of which I warned time and again during the last months. The time for action, for tough action, is now. My campaign pledge to sponsor legislation to tackle rogue states is more relevant than ever, and it is therefore that I announce the following.
- In the next 14 days, I will sponsor legislation on the European Council floor to empower the whole Commission to declare region-wide sanctions against out-of-control states, after proper procedure which respects member states' rights and wishes. Sanctions will never be permanent and will be subject to renewal by vote in the European Council. This is one of the clearest, and most peaceful, ways in which we can tackle rogue regimes.
Currently, our region is plagued by several main rogue states: the USNR, naturally, which has destabilised our whole region for months. Neo-Venetia, the armed forces of which attempted to assassinate a democratically-elected head-of-state. And the Union of Syndicates, which appears to have devolved into bloodshed and murder of not just its own citizens, but of other nations'. Of these, the clear priority for the Commission currently is the latter. The violence in the Union of Syndicates must stop.
It is with that in mind that I ask willing European nations, and I am explicitly not excluding anyone here, to come together to offer humanitarian aid, evacuations of foreign nationals, and, importantly, a restoration of the no-fly zone over the UoS, as soon as possible. I have so far received assurance from the government of Inimicus that they would be willing to assist in such a mission -- this morning I spoke to Emperor Artabanos, who has pledged naval and air forces to maintain a no-fly zone, as well as millions to assist with humanitarian aid on the ground. Any nation willing to take up similar responsibilities should contact my office as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more lives might be lost.
I send my best wishes to all those affected by the violence in the Union of Syndicates, and hope that, by tough action facilitated by the Commission, we will put an end to this misery soon. Thank you."
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OFFICE OF PREMIER COMMISSIONER DR WALTER COCX
20th April 2021
RE: Failure of UNSR Sanction Motion,
"Europeans,
Before I was elected to the high and exalted office of Premier Commissioner, I ran on a platform of being tough on rogue states. On standing up for the values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. The Peoples of Europe directly elected me with the mandate to act against those forces that seek to destabilise and threaten our way of life. From my first days in office, I acted. Together with several co-operative European Councillors, I drafted and consequently amended the Sanction Act, a critical, unified way for the European Union to come to measures that have a real impact on rogue regimes' capability.
Far more nations than strictly necessary then filed a request for this Act to be applied to the UNSR, perhaps the most salient of the rogue regimes present in our region today, and certainly the one that has caused the Union the most grief over the year of its existence. I thank the governments of Montenbourg, Inimicus, the United Duchies, Nofoaga, and Leagio for engaging constructively with the Act.
Rather than issuing diktats or predetermining member states' diplomatic rights regarding the UNSR, the Commission discussed and deliberated on the appropriate course of action to take; indeed, Commissioner Birdane was instrumental in ensuring the proposed sanctions package would not target civilian populations, and would instead focus more on sanctioning powerful communist individuals in the USNR. Through this process, the Commission demonstrated a constructive attitude, which it hoped the Council would co-adopt.
Unfortunately, the Council, which I conceded should be involved in the process of sanctioning, proceeded to strike down the entire sanctions package, partially through shameful obtrusion and obfuscation of Council processes. Rather than proposing constructive, workable amendments, Councillors proceeded to introduce dozens of semi-serious nonce alterations, resulting in the Sanction Motion being put to a vote unamended, and consequently being struck down.
This is, put plainly, a failure of the Council to work at all constructively. To act against threats that affect all of us. The Commission understands there were serious, worthwhile concerns from Councillors (I note the objections raised by Cllrs Tusk and Odhinazen especially) - which, had these been translated into actual amendments, would have been thoroughly addressed. However, neither Cllr Tusk nor Cllr Odhinazen proposed such amendments, and as such, the Motion was doomed. I will not even mention Cllr Bauer's utterly disgusting conduct in the Council chamber, except by way of complete and total condemnation.
The Sanctioning Act cannot work if Councillors do not engage constructively with it, and treat any Sanction Motion as a proposed Act. Motions can be amended, parts removed, or even parts added, to make the Motion more passable. This is the way of politics. When the Act was passed, I conceded that the Council should play a large role in how region-wide sanctions should be -- this role, however, does not comprise of the Council simply uttering a Yes or No. Councillors should take responsibility regarding this Act and the Motions that flow from it, and work with the Commission to achieve a more peaceful Europe for all.
The government of the Empire of Inimicus recently lodged a Sanction Request against Istkalen, a new rogue force on the European theatre. This motion has so far received the support of two other member states. Should the prerequisites be met, I expect the Council to behave with decorum, constructively, to work for peace and stability in Europe."
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Office of Premier Commissioner Dr Walter Cocx
12th May 2021
RE: Failure of Istkalen Sanction Motion
"Europeans,
Another attempt at a peaceful isolation of a rogue regime in the heart of Europe has failed. By one vote, Councillors decided to let the terror emerging from Istkalen roam free. Representatives of our nations and peoples, whose role in the entire Sanctions process resulted from a major concession on the side of the Sanction Act's sponsors, frustrated its progress for the second time.
Although it is not my responsibility that region-wide sanctions against Istkalen now remain a distant, faint imagination, as Premier Commissioner I must, however, take said responsibility. It is with this in mind that I am announcing today that I will not be standing for re-election to a second term in this office. It has become clear to me that the basis on which the peoples of this Union elected me to this high office, a tough stance against rogue states, is not shared by the political establishment in Europolis. I cannot, in good faith, continue to operate under such circumstances.
The start of my Premiership was, in my opinion, an era of hope. The Sanctioning Act was passed and amended with liberal majorities - a comprehensive process marked by checks and balances from both main European bodies, the Commission and Council, was established. A time of opportunity for this Union beckoned, a time when reasonable, democratic, rule-of-law nations could make a joint fist against destabilising rogue regimes.
Yet, in the first attempt at making such a fist, against the USNR, the Council frustrated the legal process with slanderous and disgraceful fillibuster and introduction of nonce amendments. Conduct which sends a message of carelessness and elitism to the peoples of this Union. While they worry about the impact of a terrorist regime taking over a nuclear-armed state, politicians in Europolis thought it wise to submit 70+ amendments changing single words to a serious Sanction Motion.
Now, Councillors are debating ways in which this same hostile regime can make a re-entry into the European family of nations, an abhorrent, disgusting move which every democratically-minded Councillor should object to no matter what. This move reinforces my belief that I cannot, in good faith, continue to function as your Premier after my turn ends. I hope I can continue to support and lead you in another capacity, as my one true love remains the care for the peoples of Europe. Thank you."
