Deltaria

[Rogue]

THIRD GUNDIĆ ADMINISTRATION TAKES OFFICE, GUNDIĆ'S LAST TERM
August 18th 5445

President Gundić

Čahtica: In the narrowest presidential election in a century President of the Federation Adam Gundić has been reelected to serve a third term as head of state. He was directly pitted against demissionary Prime Minister Matousek who ran as the DNS its candidate. Leveraging his personal popularity Gundić managed to edge out in the second round, winning 50.1% of the vote and only 96.000 votes more then Matousek. His Union party also performed better then last election, winning 202 seats in Congress. With this (narrow) victory the president set out to form his third government, now seeking a partnership with the communist party. In order to appease the communists the new government promises to end exorbant spending on the military by ending full on remilitarization, expand social services, invest in regional economies and strengthen the public sector. The communists agreed, with the full cabinet to be inaugurated next week.

While Gundić has been a rather succesfull president, serving for 10 years if this term is fully completed, he was also controversial at his first term, putting regional partners on edge and betting fully on remilitarization. With this new, left-wing oriented government he will be forced to make concessions, thus focussing more on the domestic front rather then the regional front. We are already talking in the pre-tense, and that is because President Gundić, shortly after his reelection, announced that this will be his last term as President, simultaniously resigning party leadership in a bid to give a chance to "the new generation" to take over. Gundić seemingly hints at current party president Damir Dudaš, who is the most likely to succeed as party leader and subsequent presidential candidate. Dudaš, being party president and congressional leader, was also reelected to his Čahtica based seat and has already indicated his willingness to run for party leader. He is more moderate then the conservative Gundić, likely to become a pragmatic leader if taking the reigns.

Political commentators stand at the ready to judge the last Gundić term as the Union prepares for its first leadership election since its inception, with the election to be held at the party congress next year. Until then, the party its executive board will take over the duties of party leadership. Gundić will continue to serve as President of the Federation till the end of his term.

[Drax]

ZLATENICO OKO


DNS Chair Milos Tomasek

DNS REACTION TO BEING OUT OF GOVERNMENT AFTER A CENTURY

Naban, September 12, 5445: After a Deltarianska Narodna Strana (DNS) meeting at Party Headquarters in Naban, ZLATENICO OKO asked Milos Tomasek, the new DNS Party Chair, what plans DNS had going forward, and he responded:

Well, we are not folding our tents and going home. Fundamentally, we are going to sharpen our message to our constituency and represent it. We expect as the Union redefines itself we will see a number of issues where our position is in sharp contrast to theirs.

Further we are not underestimating the Communists. Not by any means. They are growing and know their constituency. We are quite prepared to be the opposition. And we are planning to be a responsible opposition. The strength and prosperity of Deltarska Federacija is what our supporters want.

A positive thing from our perspective is we had a deal on federalism with the Union. With no more deal we are free to evaluate whether federalism or centralized government is the better approach. DNS is looking at this question with an open mind.

[Rogue]

SPECIAL FORCES OF THE CMRF CONDUCT JOIN EXERCISES
December 8th 5445

Deltarian forces of the Z.O.G during the exercises

Čahtica: Special forces units of Beiteynu, Deltaria and other MSCO members assigned to the CMRF of the MSCO have conducted joint exercises in the wooded areas of Alazinder, Deltaria. The exercises, organized by the Deltarian led CMRF command, were primarily focussed on special operations. Sabotage missions, infiltration, guerilla warfare and HVT-extraction were all part of the three week exercise which included special forces from the afformentioned countries. For Deltaria, the new Zapovjedništvo Operativne Grupe (Task Force Command) assigned three Radna Grupa units to the exercise, with the Z.O.G being responsible for all ground based special forces units. It was the first join exercise of the CMRF in a while and meant to learn from eachothers tactics and show capabilities to the outside world. The exercises were deemed a succes, as the set objectives were accomplished and leadership was sattisfied. At least 600 men participated in the exercises which were small in scale, but valuable in the information they have provided.

The exercises were conducted in the southern woods of Alazinder, where the Deltarian Ground Forces house several training grounds. Suprisingly it was the cooperation between Beiteynese and Deltarian SFU's that caught the eye of observers, with units working remarkably well together in several parts of the exercise. Newly appointed CMRF commander Cristian Caramitru celebrated the results of the exercise, noting the "immense sense of majatran brotherhood within the MSCO" and that "these exercises once again underline the value in conducting joint exercises to maintain readiness across the board."

[Rogue]

SATURN REVEALS NEW SA-30DK
December 20th 5445

The new SA-30DK during its testflight

Čahtica: Saturn Aerospace, one of Deltaria's main private aerospace corporations, has finally revealed its newest aircraft called the SA-30DK. The aircraft, a mix between a Air superiority fighter and multirole fighter, was developed over the course of the last 9 years. The aircraft its airframe was derived from the Trigunian SU-30, with Saturn having been a main producer of that aircraft in the past. The Deltarian Aerospace Defense Forces (DADF) had ordered the development and procurement of around 100 "new, modern and capable aircraft that can be fitted in both a air-superiority and multirole form". Saturn was awarded the contract for this deal, developing the new aircraft over the span of those 9 years. Today marked the day where the world got a first glimpse of the new aircraft, which is set to be a more capable (and expensive) complement to the existing fleet of MiG-29's and SU-24's. The new variant to the SU-30 is seen as a significant step up and one of the more modern aircraft coming from the Deltarian aerospace industry. The SA-30DK will be more capable but also more expensive, with the initial order of 100 still upheld but uncertainty over additional orders due to the costs. According to the Commander of the Aerospace Forces, Brigadier Iulien Banica, the new aircraft "will be a advanced tool in our toolbox for more complex deployments both at home and abroad." He also reiterated that the cheaper, more available MiG-29 will continue to serve as the backbone of the airforce.

During the demonstration, in which the prototype conducted a variety of maneavours, Saturn CEO Benjamin Buljan detailed the improvements on the new SA-30DK compared to the original SU-30:

Thanks to our private and state partners we have been able to develop a new Heads Up Display (HUD) to be used by the pilot to get a better understanding of his surroundings. More important however are the changes to the aircraft itself. Modularity was a big goal for the 30DK, with the Ministry of Defense basically telling us they needed a aircraft they could use for a variety of missions. We have made sure the 30DK can be configured as a air superiority fighter and a multirole fighter in a support role. The electronic warfare (EW) systems, phased array radars, and optical-location systems with laser rangefinder have all been modernized compared to the older SU-30. In contrast to the SU-30, the 30DK can also be confired in a SEAD role, capable of carrying anti-radiation missiles and jamming pods. The targetting pod is a joint project between us and Pajić Avionics, being more capable and resilient then the targetting pod on our MiG-29's. All in all this is a highly configurable aircraft that will be a significant step up from previous aircraft weve developed and will be a highly valued additional in air defense and ground support.

Saturn has bought two manufacturing plants from the Deltarian Defense Federation in order to start assembly line production on the 30DK. The first batch of 20 aircraft is expected to enter service within 3 years, with batches of 20 continuing to roll off the assembly line in the years after until the initial order of 100 is delivered.

[Rogue]

REGIONAL INVESTMENT FUND TO DEVELOP REGIONS
January 25th 5446

A new bridge near the Alazinder, Dissuva border

Čahtica: The Ministries of Finance, Trade and Industry and Environment and Tourism have announced the creation of the new Regional Investment Fund, or RIF. The new fund, to be filled with the funds freeing up from an end to remilitarization, will include nearly 22 billion in funding over the next 10 years. It is the largest initiative to invest in regional economies in decades, with the federal government seeking to finally pay attention to the lack of economic development across the country. The fund will be distributed by the Ministry of Finance, either directly to a regional government or municipality or to private initiatives. Private parties can apply for a grant from the fund through the newly created website, za zemlju.dt (forthecountry.dt) where you have to state the plan you seek to gain a grant for and provide documentation to prove the significance and planning that has gone into such a plan already. A newly created governmental department serving under the wing of the Ministry of Finance will then review said application and either grant or deny it. Any application must prove they contribute to either a healthier environment, economic development in the region, improved lifeability or strengthened social cohesion.

Regional and municipal governments will be able to apply for a grant directly through the ministry of finance, with a requirement to hand in a project for which said government seeks the funding. This can range from regional infrastructure to housing projects. According to finance minister Ljubiša Ristovski the new RIF is in line with the plans of the government to focus more on the economy and domestic affairs. The fund is expected to contribute directly to more infrastructure projects and more economic activity. The federal government will also, on occasion, use funds from the RIF itself to directly invest into federal infrastructural projects that directly contribute to at least two of the regions. The fund is expected to be fully rolled out and operational within the next 5 months.

[Rogue]

MILITARY BUDGET CUT TO 5%, NORMALIZATION UNDERWAY
February 14th 5446

Deltarian soldiers

Čahtica: Deltarian president Gundić has announced that the proposal to cut the military budget from 10 to 5% has been formally put up in the annual budget. It is expected that this will easily pass congress as both coalition parties will vote in favour. It marks the official end to the "military first" policy of the previous two governments and cuts the military budget from the current 350 billion (US dollars as reference) to a, still huge, 175 billion amounting to around 5% of GDP. According to Defense minister Teodor Andreescu the cut does not endanger ongoing projects or put at risk future ones. A budget of 5% can maintain the newly build and reformed military. It will however mean less funding for rapid procurement seen in the last 6 years and less funding for research and development. The first two Gundić administrations had upped the budget from 3% of GDP to 10% as well as investing 200 billion in lump sum in order to expand the army from 120.000 to 400.000 soldiers, rapidly produce more ground equipment to fascilitate such a expansion and also investing into rapid procurement of ships for the navy, resulting in the reintroduction of Deltaria's sole carrier. Remilitarization has also helped to reinvigorate the Deltarian military-industrial complex, with companies like SATURN researching and eventually developing new and more modern equipment at a rapid pace and allowing these companies to set up the basis for future development with less funding.

The cut in the military budget still means a net + compared to six years ago, with a budget of 5% still an increase of 2. President Gundić noted that with a expanded and more modernized armed force also come increased costs for maintenance, repair and salaries. This "forces" Deltaria to adopt a strong budget of 5% to pay for these new expenses. On the question whether Deltaria's military-industrial complex would now again decline, with less investment from the federal government, Defense minister Andreescu stated that "this will not be the case, as for 6 years we have massively invested into a foundation made of steel, as you know, steel is not going to rot like our previous wooden structure." Recent reports suggest that most military designers and manufacturers are healthy financially and capable of carrying the shock that less government expenditure might bring. Current procurement projects are to be completed, using the remnants of the lump sum investment and parts of the new budget to complete them. While Deltaria is to procure less and at a slower pace, President Gundić did note that cooperation between the Defense sector and the government will continue and that a reduction in the budget "will not mean a total halt to all R&D, construction and procurement. Our Armed Forces will continue to receive continious improvements and adapt to the new situation."

While parts of the freed up funds will be put into the new Regional Investment Fund, the finance ministry under minister Ristovski noted that the vast majority of the freed up funds will be used to pay off the national debt, which currently stands at 121% of the GDP, and make the federal government more financialy stable and responsible. It is expected that in the long run with sound financial policy the newly freed up annual funding can be used to create a substainable surplus. If this is achieved, debt to GDP could be brought down to around 88% in the next 5 to 8 years.

[Rogue]

RENATO BROZOVIĆ ELECTED UNION LEADER
July 10th 5446

Brozović

Čahtica: With 42% in the first round and 58% in the second former army officer Renato Brozović has been elected leader of The Union. Brozović, who had not been expected to be a front runner in the election, was elected as party president Damir Dudaš failed to gain momentum ahead of the party wide election. While Dudaš had been a top contender for the position of party leader it was Brozović who succesfully allied with the populist and conservative wings of the party, garnering enough support on a platform of additional state investments, parliamentarism and conservatism. Dudaš, a centrist, only managed to gain the left-wing of the party behind him, coming second with 40% in the first round and 42% in the second. As a effort for reconciliation and unity Brozović, during his victory speech, announced that he would put forward Dudaš as the party its presidential candidate while he himself would run for the chairmanship. It is seen as a tactical move, uniting the left of the party under his new leadership while at the same time securing his own position in a potential future government. Immediately the parliamentary faction of the party proposed constitutional ammendments to strengthen the power of the chairmanship, moving the country towards parliamentarism.

With the leadership position filled the party now sets its sights on governing and preparing for the next federal election. President Gundić congratulated Brozović with his victory, with Brozović also coming from the conservative faction of the party similar to the president. What impact Brozović his leadership will have on party policy remains to be seen.

[Drax]

ZLATENICO OKO


DNS's Kresimir Metijevic

DNS PRAISES UNION EFFORTS TO REVIVE MA

Congress of Deputies August 15, 5446: ZLATENICO OKO asked former Defense Minister Kresimir Metijevic what his party, Deltarianska Narodna Strana (DNS), thought about reviving the Majatran Association (MA}, and Metijevic responded:

DNS has long felt revival of the MA was desirable but faced really long odds. DNS not only applauds the efforts of the Union to revive the MA but believe they have sparked some actual interest and discussion. We support them in this.

Our thinking after reviewing comments from various participants in the conference on MA is that something that might fly would be a free trade zone where a Majatran participant could have all or some of their imports and exports included. Some Majatran nations have industries they want protected for historical, cultural or economic reasons which need to be respected. Should such a measure succeed we could look at the conceivable benefits of a common currency.

In any event, DNS does support the Union in this regard.

[Rogue]

MONARCHISTS APPEAL TO BROZOVIĆ IN ONGOING DISPUTE
June 18th 5448

Brozović

Čahtica: The Deltarian Association of Heritage and Pride and the All-Deltarian Monarchist League have called on newly elected Chairman Renato Brozović to "take steps in reviving the monarchy." The calls for a return to monarchy have been higher recently as the descendent of the House of Georgijević-Tesař, Denis Aleksić, has been gathering supporters in a variety of political rallies. Other aristocrats, feeling their power diminished and their position threatened by the coming of the communists, have also been organizing actions particularly in their home regions. Aleksić, the DAHP and the ADML have all advocated for a return of a elective monarchy, in which each region will have a duke or duchess at the helm and function as a constitutional monarch in their region, while the head of state shall be a Emperor elected amongst the duchies. Brozović has in the past been a advent supporter of the monarchy, but has moderated his tone in his bid for power within the Union. The DNS also has a chunk of party members favourable to the return of a constitutional monarchy, with support rising amongst its ranks as well.

Brozović has not responded to the demands but protests grow louder and many are worried that the rising power of monarchists could fuel extremism in the long run.

[Rogue]

MONARCHISM AND HOSIAN DEMOCRACY REALIZES RETURN OF THE KDU
June 25th 5448

The crowd during the party congress

Čahtica: The Union will continue but under a new name and approach. That was the conclusion of the party congress held yesterday. The congress would determine the approach and objectives of the party, with many party members pushinf for a more conservative agenda. Party leader Renato Brozović, himself a conservative, also pushed for a similar approach. In the last few years the party has seen three distinct ideological wings develop. The moderates, led by party president Damir Dudaš, the populist/conservative wing led by Brozović and a evergrowing wing of hosian democrats led by Defense minister Teodor Andreescu. Especially this last wing has pushed for change in the party, backed up by the conservatives. That change has come as the party will be officially registered as the "Conservative Democratic Union" on ballots. Its abbreviation will remain as "The Union" to stay in touch with the party its heritage. The change means a return to form for the longest ruling party in Deltarian history. The move was facilitated by the fact that trademark rights on the name expired last year, allowing the Union to adopt it relatively easily. But the changes in the party also ensure that the move makes sense, with Andreescu citing that the hosian democratic ideals now brewing within the party allow it to reshape its policy platform and image.

Monarchism also plays party in the decision, with hosian democrats like Andreescu being staunch monarchists as well, furthering a potential political crisis in the making for Chairman Brozović in the near future. Calls to step out of the government with the communists and rekindle the relationship with the National Party have been repelled in the congress, with the current government to remain seated for the time being.