Kundrati

[hyraemous]

Kasaema Guardian - For Transparency
(16 January 5142) Protests in Jildrath City turn violent, three dead including two policemen

Protests in Jildrath City and Keita had been mostly peaceful for the last two months as negotiations for more autonomy between the Kundrati Democracy-controlled Popular Assembly of Kundrati and the Jildrath local government, though on Monday the week of the 12th of January 5142 the negotiations stalled as both sides could not agree on if Jildrath should determine immigration policy independent of the government alongside monetary policy.

This news spread around the country and was seen most in the protests in Jildrath City and Keita - policemen, most in riot gear, had stood guard in governmental buildings for two months now. There were some small clashes, one notably where five were injured. On Tuesday, however, there were clashes between police and protestors in Jildrath City's city hall, leaving a policeman dead and five protestors injured. President Hulanevek stated the following:

I will make it clear. If you kill one of our men in blue, you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. The protests must remain peaceful. We will continue to negotiate and talk to Jildrathi officials to create a better agreement.

Today on the 16th the clashes got worse - hundreds of thousands came to Jildrath City to protest, taking over the main boulevard in honour of a Jildrathi hero and calling for independence. Policemen took control of part of the boulevard, in riot gear. Here is what happened today:

(before 15:30) Protestors in the hundreds of thousands were in the boulevard with policemen in one part of the boulevard and guarding the connecting streets under their control. The policemen were in riot gear and had tear gas guns ready to disperse the protestors when it came to it.

(15:30) A banner from the police side was raised, reading "This protest is now illegal and all protestors are to disperse immediately. Tear gas will be used to ensure city security." - which was translated into Kundrati as well as the local language of the island. The call to disperse and tear gas warning came two minutes later from police chief Valko Mladenov via loudspeaker. Some of the protestors heeded the call, being visibly seen departing from the boulevard via helicopter television cameras.

(15:50) A small group of protestors wearing gas masks, some say up to 100, decide to approach the police line further where they are told to retreat. The first tear gas shells are fired and the police, now putting on gas masks, begin to with their shields move further into the boulevard. Those who were caught were arrested by policemen, taken to trucks.

(15:55) At this point, the small group begin to charge at the policemen. The policemen that faced the small group started to use their batons to attempt to beat them back, causing major injures on both sides. Some of the policemen in the back, lead by the police chief himself, attempt to push the protestors back and arrest them.

(16:05) One of the policemen is, however, taken and beaten. He was abandoned when policemen pushed the protestors back, though with force. That policemen, however, had their riot gear stolen and had clear but brutal injuries. He is later declared dead at the scene due to blunt force trauma. Two protestors were also killed in the pushback due to similar injuries. Tear gas is also used to disperse the remaining 98 and they retreat, though with both sides claiming injuries.

(by 18:00) The remaining protests are dispersed with more calm and peace, and it is decided to establish a zone where protestors are forbidden from approaching - this includes the government quarter, and the city hall, and a zone of 5 miles on all sides. Of the dead, a policeman and two protestors were killed and of the injured, there were ten policemen, five seriously, and thirty protestors including twelve seriously. President Hulanevek visited the scene later in the evening as the tear gas settled down, alongside the Interior Minister Zdravko Fontikov, both talking to the police chief and visiting the scene.

The government of Jildrath has condemned the use of violence on both sides, and so has the Kundrati People's Assembly and Kundrati Democracy. The Speaker of the People's Assembly stated their hopes for a peaceful resolution to the protests in a comment shared with the Jildrath City Council and the Keita City Council.

Protestors in Keita decided to disperse on their own, though likely to join with the protestors in Jildrath City. A request for comment to the Naprijed Party was unable to be received before print, though a comment was provided by a Ordosocialist Party spokesperson Alexi Sholokhov:

The Ordosocialist Party shall urge the government to enact more harsher methods on the rioters, such as martial law if need be, to prevent more officers from being killed by extremists who wish to dissolve Kundrati. We send our prayers to the grieving families of said officers.

The Defence Minister has stated that they would provide advisors to the policemen around Jildrath Island though would like to see the protests "calmed", wishing for no violence from the side of the protestors. Such sentiment was shared with the Jildrath Island police.

[DueWizard70]

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People's Front makes triumphant return
February 5144

When in 4889 Tazio Gomendio announced the dissolution of the New Popular Alliance, no one expected it to resurge. However, 250 later, Dragan Alexov brought the party back. Even though the only thing the People's Front shares with its predecessor is the party headquarters. After the 4143 elections, Dragan Alexov said the following at a press conference:

I am glad to bring back the party. It has come from several years of hard work that involved many people. And it has paid off. Ten per cent of the vote in the Presidential and Assembly elections is much more than we expected. We hope to do all of those who put their confidence in us proud and to prove to those who are sceptic about us that we are the best option in Kundrati.

And indeed it has been a triumphant return for the People's Front, as they achieved 52 seats in the National Assembly and Alexov came in second in the Presidential election after Hulanevek destroyed the competition with 63 per cent of the vote.

It remains to be seen if the People's Front will rise back to the top and achieve the power it had in the days of Zabalbeascoa and Aregita, or if they will disappear into political irrelevance after only a few years.


Dragan Alexov

[hyraemous]

Kasaema Guardian - For Transparency
(2 August 5144) Government proposes massive budget as Peghonai recovers from major bankruptcy

The Civil Libertarian-Kundrati Democracy coalition has proposed a major budget bill that will, essentially, eliminate the surplus that other governments have left alone. This includes a massive budget jump for departments, notably that of the Transport and Infrastructure and Education departments. Per the Prime Minister, it would be:

A budget distribution to bring Kundrati into modern age...

The budget allows for the T&I department to begin investing in the port and infrastructure facilities which are expected to increase Kundrati's import-export capacities - Kundrati has been experiencing a growth in it's economy due to it's major exports of natural resources and food - however in the technology sector already there has been a major problem which could be a problem for the newly grown Trade and Industry department.

Peghonhai-based Mikalov Parleves Publishing, a major publisher of ebooks which are a major staple in Kundrati, declared bankruptcy. MPP Inc had reported many years of losses - they were by 5144 reporting losses of up to 3 billion Kuno and were relying on reserves, though with increasing competition from Kasaema-based National Publishing, it seemed they had no chance to recover to their peak in the early 5130s. The local government hasn't responded to the bankruptcy which had cost thousands of jobs. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Lubos Mehmedic has commented the following:

We are shocked by this bankruptcy which had helped us retain a substantial electronic book publishing industry, but we will recover and with this new money we will invest the money in better port and infrastructure, alongside securing company security for such vital resources.

Already the City of Riverford in Peghonhai has decided to vote on expanding the port - it already has a huge port facility though most of it is disused due to a recession in the area. This new budget would help bring jobs to the area and, per local authorities, allow for business skyscrapers to pop up more easily. The City of Venora in Celania, another port city, has also promised more jobs in the area including a similar docklands project.

In the financial sectors, things would also improve - the new skyscrapers would allow for competition between the Kundrati Stock Exchange in Kasaema and the other stock exchanges in Venora, Riverford, and Tasmaine in Lirnak which have been competitors of Kasema but haven't been successful themselves in a while excluding Tasmaine which deals with foreign competitors with their western neighbors.

Finally in the educational sector, teachers nationwide have been pleading with the Government for an increase in the budget as Kundrati begins to score lower and lower in the math and reading sections of their national tests. The Educational ministry would be given more money which would allow them to invest in the increase of educational standards and the hiring of more and better teachers alongside adopting better education practices.

[myungggg]

[hyraemous]

Kasaema Guardian - For Transparency
(5 February 5150) Talks continue on forming a coalition between Kundrati Democracy, Naprijed and the Civil Libertarians

Former President of Kundrati Alexander Hulanevek today resigned as head of the Kundrati Democrats with one simple sentence for the new leader Lubosek Hrushovsky: "Figure out the Government. You hold the key, do not waste it." The leader of the KD Hrushovsky has told his Party Assemblypersons that progress is steady but has not ended yet, and in a press conference with media today he has stated that:

If we are to form a coalition we must do so with a open mind. The Civil Libertarians have helped us immensely and so have we to their cause, but we both do not have enough seats for a majority. We need to work with Naprijed or whomever to give us enough seats so that a caretaker government won't have to exist.

This quote comes as Naprijed, the Democrats and the Libertarians continue to negotiate on the Government almost six months into the new Assembly. In the latest Leora Steward newspaper, Naprijed co-leaders Fili Dreshaj and Yanitsa Cowles-Dimitrova asked for the KD-CLP coalition not to form a Government with the Ordosocialist Party, currently also in talks with the two parties. In the newspaper Ms. Cowles-Dimitrova stated:

The Ordosocialists are borderline fascists.

This quote refers to the Ordosocialists being in favour of military service and WMD reintroduction, alongside other hardline conservative positions.

The Guardian has reached out to the Ordosocialists for comment, their leader Tihomil Michalkova has stated:

Any attempts to call the Ordosocialist Party fascist, or anything bordering that, is simply fearmongering for the sake of preventing legitimate change needed to protect Kundrati. If negotiations can be successful, together, with the more centrist minded parties, a stronger Kundrati can be made...

The Civil Libertarian Party has been reached out for comment but could not provide one as of print.

Negotiations have started after the August 5149 elections where the People's Front, with the most seats at 100, was not too far from last place Naprijed at 67 seats - their seat difference between the two parties was 33. The most likely coalition would be Naprijed and the two centre-right parties, but negotiations continue to this day - this, as the Democrats have indicated a potential coalition with the Ordosocialist Party would be in the cards due to similar policies regarding the military and infrastructure.

The Democrats and the Ordosocialists have, however, not stopepd in their negotiation and, in fact, have seemed to struggle on a few points - the Democrats aren't fond of the Ordosocialists' race policies for one point, and Hrushovsky has stated he would tell Michalkova that in any rate such policies wouldn't be allowed in Kundrati.

However, as now six months has been reached there are calls from protestors to call an early election - a caretaker government has been around for this time. This was echoed by many social media posts in Kundrati calling for the Government to make a coalition or resign - especially in the Peghonai Assembly where several Democrat Assemblypersons walked out of a session and delivered a letter to Kasaema calling on a Government. This has been condemned by the Party's chief whip who condemned their action and called on them to deliver their protest via proper channels.

Negotiations seem set to continue into the new year.

[hyraemous]

Kasaema Guardian - For Transparency
(17 September 5163) President Manusulsky assassinated in Jildrath Football Stadium

Five shots rang out while President Krasulok Manusulsky was about to enter the Jildrath Football Stadium to throw the "first pitch" of the National Baseball League - usually done at the start of the Kundrati baseball season. The President was struck by some of the bullets and was rushed to the Jildrath City General Hospital where, after many hours of work, the Hospital Director provided this statement:

After attempting to restart Manusulsky's body for surgery, a surgery operation was attempted. Manusulsky was responsive when he entered the hospital. Unfortunately for him the situation is the the bullets struck, among other areas, his heart for which he succumbed to his injuries at some point during surgery.

The assailant was able to escape the scene - the Kundrati National Police are canvassing Jildrath Island and checking security footage. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the assailant are asked to call the National Police for which a reward of 1,000,000 Kunos will be provided.

The potential motive of the assassination is also being investigated, though the likely leads are that the assailant was involved with Jildrathi seperatists in an attempt to force Kundrati to allow the island to seperate, alongside another lead that the assassination was motivated by either anger at Manusulsky's hardline conservative views or an attempt to appease Endralonian communists. It is unknown, however, of the assailant's intentions as of this moment.

As per the Kundrati Democracy party rules, chairman Alexander Hulanevek who already held the office of President for three terms from 5140 to 5149 will take over as Acting President until the snap elections which have been approved by all members of the Federal Assembly.

Reactions to the assassination was one of worry and shock - various interviews of random persons hearing word of the assassination showed the fear that such assassination would lead to further destabilization of Kundrati politics alongside potentially a future conflict between Kundrati and Endralon, or Kundrati and Jildrath Island - this alongside shock of such an event happening for which there is no precedent in the current Kundrati Union.

[hyraemous]

The Lirnak Department of Infrastructure has announced today that, with cooperation with the local company SEU Patenek related to mining, a new industrial park will be built in the northwest of the state. The park, which will contain factories and other recreational areas, housing and office space, is expected to cost locals more than a billion Kuno and will take up to a decade to construct.

It is expected that the park will provide for tens of thousands of jobs, especially in an area hit by recession over the last few years with jobs leaving the state for Pegonhai, Celania, and even other countries like Luthori which signed a free travel agreement with Kundrati for business purposes.

Lirnak Governor Rina Patinkin has stated that the project has his full support. The President, Miluhan Krauloski, has also visited the area and will be there for the groundbreaking ceremony. Construction is expected to begin in December of this year.

[hyraemous]

The province of Jildrath has had to deal with economic trouble for a while now and, even as the province was given autonomy by the Jildrath Act, provided the government with limited rights on the economy.

This had been the case until now, when both the province and the national government in Kasæma, just two years ago, negotiated with the Luthori government on ferry service between Jildrath Island and Middenriding, a province close to the island.

Since then, and since the agreement on business related free trade between the two countries was signed last year, the amount of tourists has skyrocketed. This is to the point where Jildrath Island recorded a 18% boost in tourist traffic since the ferry opened. This has brought much needed money for the state and, as a result, Jildrath Governor Nil Eteiuk announced today that he would negotiate with Kasæma for special economic zone status, citing the island's position facing the Artenian Sea.

Such a status would bring low taxes on businesses, especially those starting up and local businesses in general. It would also bring in more investment on new businesses like IT and technology, manufacturing, and investment companies.

The provincial government hopes for a response within the year. President Krauloski supports the proposal as well.

[hyraemous]

The Governor of Jildrath has met controversy back in Kasæma, where the national government refused to provide special economic status. The governor stated that, under the Jildrath Act 5167, as an economic situation he can declare areas under the special economic zone status.

While the President of Kundrati supported the idea, the governing coalition refused to provide sanction to the law.

The governor announced today that the towns of Ciduz in the west of the island, Sarangazar in the south, and Lauov near Jildrath City would be granted the right of the SEZ. Such a right allows them to reduce taxes on exports and imports, reduce taxes on businesses, and allow companies better freedom in investment without interference.

Ciduz and Sarangazar, two Basque towns founded before the rise of the Delics, would further be allowed to set up duty free areas for the ferry service to Luthori.
In addition, the SEZ would grant autonomy in further economic matters so that they may, if they wish, meditate with other economic partners on their own. This could also include setting up competing stock or market exchanges.

Such a move has, however, caught controversy. Members of the Federal Assembly called for the Jildrath Act's last portion, which allows the Assembly and the President to rescind autonomy, to be engaged. The governor stated that were that to happen, he would sue the Government and bring the case to the Supreme Court.

[Auditorii]

Wirtschaftsnachrichten für Artania: Dorvish Trade Commission in Kundrati; efforts aimed at agriculture and financial services (February, 5195)