Pontesi

[Rafland]

Selucian government in chaos as Pontesi laughs!

"Those darn Selucians wont know what hit them, says President Serzh Manukyan. Its time to send a nuclear bomb to them, we will never surrender. Those eight countries who signed a treaty with Pontesi have just signed their death warrant. If those countries dare to continue with these pathetic sanctions well we will nuke them. This is a simple choice for them."

[colonelvesica]

Backdated: March 4895; Hutori Begins Evacuations of Jelbek speaking Pontesians

[zhirsk]

Restoration of Pontesi Democracy

The old Pontesi tricolor has been risen over the capital, waving bitterly in the wind. Weeks ago, representatives of the fascist Republican Party and the loose coalition of slave revolts, left-wing militias, and saboteur networks which opposed them reached an uneasy truce, bringing an end to the one party republic.

This development comes as a surprise to many foreign observers- between the closed borders, the media blackout of the past eight years, and the consistent messaging of the Republicans, the state seemed unassailable, and it's atrocities unavoidable. However, even in the early days of the fascist takeover, resistance was commonplace. Due to the efficacy of fascist intelligence networks, and the barbarity with which traitors were dispatched, effective organization between cells of resistance was near impossible. This impossibility waned as the corruption endemic to the party began to manifest- soon their intelligence and bureaucracy was rife with informants, collaborators, and party members vulnerable to bribery and threats. Anti-Republican groups flourished in the shadows these people cast, gathering support, information, and munitions until, eight years ago, they all rose in open revolt.

The civil war that followed left a death toll that rivaled that of the government's extermination camps. The breakdown of order turned the countryside over to whatever army was present at the time, and the close control the Republicans kept over the cities lead to their gradual depopulation, while maintaining a strong face for the international arena. This developed into a sort of stalemate- the Republicans had the arms, and held the factories, but with scant numbers to operate the machinery and man the guns. The rebels, on the other hand, dominated rural areas, controlling the food supply, ambushing Republican forays beyond the barricades- and their numbers were only further bolstered by people fleeing hunger in the cities. Thus, something akin to siege warfare at the national scale slowly choked the life out of Pontesi. At the brink of the total collapse of the state, a meeting behind closed doors was arranged, and there, an agreement was reached.

Open elections with civilian oversight was the demand. And while the ruling party was reticent to give up power, the position of either side was untenable. So the offer was made- Elections would be had, but in exchange, the Republican Party would be allowed to continue its operations as a competing party in this new democracy, and its leadership would be exempted from any criminal investigations for atrocities committed during the dictatorship. Neither side was particularly enthusiastic about this outcome, but the only other option was a slow death by attrition in attempting to displace the other side of the war.

And so, for the moment, the civil war is over. Recent elections place the resistance, now unified as the Progressive Alliance, well ahead of the Republican Party. They promise rapid correction of the rights of Pontesi citizens, reintegration for survivors of the camps, reparations, and an easy path to integration for expats and refugees of the dictatorship. But loyalties to the old regime remain, and the threat of fascist takeover looms, even with the idealistic impulses of the Progressive party leadership. Only time will tell if this is an end to the atrocities done in the name of Pontesi, or a mere interlude in the siren song of authoritarianism.

[Auditorii]

Pontesian National Press
BREAKING NEWS: Pontesian Republican Party wins outright, wins power from old government
September, 5055


Pontesian government troops in the capital preparing to fire on protestors.

Arevatsag Astgh, Bazileum - The run up to the September 5055 elections the country was anything but peaceful, the restoration of the Pontesian Republican Party caused some waves within the Pontesian political scene. Tateos Altunian, Chairman of the PRP, has called Pontesi a "failed state" and the now outgoing government took issue with that. Peaceful rallies erupted and the Pontesian people responded with more and more protests, the government took issue with that and responded by cracking down on the protests, harsly. Altunian stood arm in arm with Army General Sograd Garabedian, a dissident within the new government who was moved to a position in the central part of the country where he could be "hidden", however the Army General has used social media to stay atop the governments efforts in hiding him. The government relented and agreed to set a new election date, the 5th of September, 5055 following a week of protests where a number of businesses, government buildings and other property was destroyed according to the government. What the government failed to report or was under reported was the 137 Pontesian citizens who were murdered by police, security and military forces. A vast majority of them in areas where the Pontesian government attempted to use the Seluco-Ponesians to do their dirty work, causing ethnic violence between the Arev Mardik people and the Seluco-Pontesian people.

The first week of September was a rush of political campaigning on the part of the Pontesian Republican Party and the government's ad hoc coalition known as the "Civic Party" which brought together a large number of current government leadership and military, security and police officials. Both sides exchanged hits with each other, notably the PRP calling on the government to bring in observers from the World Congress which was met with opposition from the government. The PRP pleaded with the government to do so, but the government refused and the election came. At the end of the night on September 5th, the Pontesian Republican Party pulled ahead in the polls and dominated the elections. The "Civic Party" folded, a number of former government officials fled the country and the Pontesian Republican Party called for a new constitution, a revamp of the current, modifying the system.

[Auditorii]

Pontesian National Press
Government continues crackdown on former government dissidents, nationalizes natural resource economy temporarily
January, 50556

Arevatsag Astgh, Bazileum - President Tateos Altunian has held a series of high-level meetings with the new Pontesian government over the past several months following the September, 5055 election. In the month after the election, the restored National Security Service (AAT in Arev Mardik) carried out the arrest of dozens of regime officials, notably those who are charged with "...looting the coffers of the Pontesian people." Several senior officials from the Foreign ministry, Defense ministry and the Central Bank were arrested after collectively stealing roughly 3.5m LOD from government budgets and reserves. Major General of Police Vazrig Koundakjian, Commander of the Financial and Economic Crimes Unit of the National Police, was involved with the operation alongside the National Security Service. President Altunian has authorized the National Security Service to remain wholly independent of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Emergency Situations despite requests by Prime Minister Njteh Hovhannisyan and Internal Affairs and Emergency Situations Ministers Hayrabed Assayan to place them underneath the IAES Ministry. The President has also provided a platform for the development of Emergency Situations to be removed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and made a separate, Council of Ministers-level ministry on its own. The crackdown lasted several months well into the new year according to the Prosecutor General of Pontesi, with a total of 719 arrest between late September, 5055 and January, 5056.

The President issued a number of Presidential Decrees, authorized by the Constitution, to handle a number of matters of state. He appointed dozens of new ambassadors and representatives, the most notable being a new Permanent Representative to the World Congress, Azad Galstyan and a new Permanent Representative to the Majatran Economic Association, Semag Zadian. President Altunian has announced his intention to increase cooperation regionally and also internationally, but the focus is first handling the issues domestically. According to reports from the National Police there have been outbreaks of protests and violence in the larger non-Arev Mardik areas of the country, largely in the Seluco-Pontesian areas who have resisted the Pontesian Republican Party's leadership attempts. The Ministry of Justice reported that the National Police have arrested over 3 dozen leaders in the Seluco-Pontesian community for treason and terrorism charges.

The Ministry of Economic Development has temporarily assumed control over Pontesi's natural resource economy, the countries largest export is precious metals which are mined throughout the country.

[Auditorii]

Pontesian National Press
New Years celebration brings military parade, Deltarian welcome.
January, 5057


Pontesian Armed Forces parade.

Arevatsag Astgh, Bazileum - Foreign Minister Varteres Bogosian welcomed the recent nod of support from the Deltarian government and welcomed cozier relations with the Deltarian Federation. It has been reported that once the news broke in the Deltarian papers that President Tateos Altunian had a phone call with the Deltarian President and Foreign Ministry; the new Ambassador to the Deltarian Federation from Pontesi, Ardavast Hakobjanian, has reportedly held several meetings with both Deltarian government officials and business officials in order to attract Deltarian investment into the country. President Altunian spoke to reporters following a soccer match in Arevatsag Astgh, the first since the Pontesian Republican Party assumed power in September, 5055. The President stated that he had spoke with Deltarian President Ondřej Kříž and had welcomed the Deltarian President and a delegation from Deltaria to Arevatsag Astgh within the coming months. The President kicked off the New Year with a large military parade in the capital where he was joined by the new Chief of the General Staff and Minister of National Defense, Army General Sograd Garabedian, who lead many dissident officers and soldiers into supporting the PRP regime in the run up to the September, 5055 election.

According to reports from Gath Defense Collective, the new Chief of the General Staff lead a purge of the Armed Forces of Pontesi. In a order dated 17 September 5055 he formally established the Military Police of the Armed Forces of Pontesi and appointed Lieutenant General Torkom Gorgodian as the new Chief of the Military Police. Following the order, the National Assembly ratified a separate code of military conduct and military laws and raids were conducted on the 19 September 5055 which lead to the arrest of over 2,000 officers, soldiers and Ministry of National Defense officials. According the Military Police as of the publishing of this article, of the 2,000 or so arrested, over 1,500 have been convicted of charges ranging from treason, to corruption, to insubordination, to other offenses. In a separate order issued by the General Staff, the Department of Military Education and Training closed several military academies and schools, most of them empty and non-functional according to reports from the department. Education and training operations were centered around the Army General Teotig Assarian Military University, which will serve as the higher education institute for all officers and senior enlisted personnel. The Pontesian Ground Forces, the Pontesian Air and Air Defense Forces and the Pontesian Navy will jointly operate the Pontesi Armed Forces Training Center located outside of the capital of Arevatsag Astgh. The Pontesian Navy, the smallest component of the armed forces are likely to open a dedicated naval academy depending on future budgets.

[Auditorii]

Pontesii dzayny
Voice of Pontesi - News from around Pontesi
Industrialist meeting with Pontesian President and PM prompt shift
August 5057

Arevatsag Astgh, Bazileum - Increased pressure from former owners of the natural resources industry has prompted the government to return full ownership to the temporarily displaced owners. The group of 17 industrialist lead by Pontesi Aluminum (AASE: PONAL) President and CEO Noubar Arslanian met with President Tateos Altunian, Prime Minister Njteh Hovhannisyan and Economic Development Minister Arzouman Virabyan to discuss handing back total control to the former owners. The government has agreed to hand back control but maintained that the Ministry of Economic Development will "oversee" operations for the foreseeable future to ensure production remains at peak levels. Pontesi's economy has largely revolved around mining precious earth minerals such as gold, zinc, lead, and copper with other smaller notable precious earth metals being mined but not in significant quantities for export. Pontesi has struggled over the past several years to develop a industrial base to turn those precious earth minerals into products to sell; the fastest growing industry has been the technology industry which has purchased a sizeable market share of the gold in order to make electronic components. The nascent industries that have popped up over the past several years since the assumption of power by the Pontesian Republican Party have been supported by the Economic Development ministry and sponsorship to the Arevatsag Astgh Stock Exchange.

A program started back in April, 4817 which backed publicly traded companies on the Arevatsag Astgh Stock Exchange has returned, bolstered by support from the Finance and Economic Development ministries. The new program will back small and medium sized corporations that are publicly traded with 50% of funding and large sized corporations with 25% of funding backed. The hope is to draw mostly domestic investors into the fold and then focus on enticing new foreign investment. At the behest of the new Governor of the Central Bank of Pontesi, Dr. Ovsanna Antebian, the government has started to slowly withdraw Pontesi Drama's from circulation and has halted the creation of new 5,000, and 2,000 Drama's leaving only the 1,000, 500, 100, 50 and 25 Drama's in circulation. The Central Bank has also worked with the government to crackdown on illicit lending which they say violates the rules and regulations on loans determined by the Central Bank. Azbank (Arev Mardik: Azgayin bank), the largest commercial bank in Pontesi, has agreed to a new set of rules and regulations handed down by the Central Bank after weeks of refusing to agree. Sources within the Ministry of Finance report that Azbank and its CEO, Mardig Sargsyan, were threatened with arrest for failing to comply and eventually relented.

News from Pontesi
-- Government sets up commission to re-name provinces, regions and cities to comply with Arev Mardik
-- Ministry of Health and Social Services chides Seluco-Pontean refusal of Arev Mardik peoples throughout country

[Auditorii]

Hamashkharhayin Gortser
Global Affairs - News from around Majatra and the World
Pontesi ascends to the Majatran Association
May 5058


Representatives from the Majatran Association meet with the Pontesian Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative for the Majatran Representative.

Arevatsag Astgh, Bazileum - Prime Minister Njteh Hovhannisyan and Foreign Affairs Minister Varteres Bogosian welcomed the opening of the new Majatran Association mission in Arevatsag Astgh with a number of officials and representatives from the Majatran Association. The Prime Minister spoke before an assembled crowd of reporters, officials from the Majatran Association and Pontesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and civilian attendees. The Prime Minister welcomed the new relationship between the Majatran Association and the Republic of Pontesi, it confirmed that the Pontesian government and people were eager to cooperate and develop a new relationship with their Majatran partners after decades of mistrust, ethnic issues and violence within its own nation. "Pontesi today cultivates its name of the "Sun People" as we join our Majatran brothers and sisters and rise as a new, united continent and show the rest of the world what us Majatrans can accomplish. Pontesi has a lot of work to do and we look forward to working hand in hand with our allies across Majatra to do what must be done for our country."

The markets on the Arevatsag Astgh Stock Exchange boomed as news of the ascension broke and have continued for the past several months, prompting the Pontesian government to halt trading on the market several times as swathes of buys had to be processed that could not be handled by the computers monitoring the system. The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that they have, over the past several months, hired consultants to help improve the managing of trades, recording trades and ensuring that the system is secure and capable. The Ministry of Finance has also hinted that in the coming year they might seek to move the government backing from the AASE and develop a new, developing markets stock exchange with similar backing but with stricter requirements.

[Auditorii]

Pontesii dzayny
Voice of Pontesi - News from around Pontesi
Ethnic clashes in Gegarsunik, Kak'avan
August 5061



Provinces of Gegarsunik and Kak'avan - Minister of Justice and Territorial Administration Norayr Eskandarian condemned the attack on Arev Mardik builders who have been charged by the Pontesian government to construct a series of new buildings in the Kak'avan and Gegarsunik Provinces, mostly where the Seluco-Pontean population resides. According to a program launched by the Ministry of Justice and Territorial Administration the government of President Tateos Altunian will provide funding for the development of new buildings and focus on the development of jobs for Pontesians who wish to move to the provinces. Critics of the deal have cited it as "...anti Seluco-Pontean." as the two provinces possess now nearly 70% of the Seluco-Pontean population and have frequently been the site of ethnic clashes between Arev Mardik and Seluco-Ponteans. Since 5055 the Ministry of Justice and Territorial Administration have claimed that the Arev Mardik population has steadily improved, critics of the government, notably Seluco-Pontean writer and activist Vosgan Micianus has cited illegal programs offering money to Arev Mardik to have more children, to move into minority areas and other programs aimed at discrimination against the minorities in Pontesi. Both President Altunian and others have cited this as false and hate mongering, most recently in December, 5059 Micianus was charged with "Attempting to cultivate hate speech" and was imprisoned for a year and order to pay a 1,500 Drama fine.

Minister of Justice and Territorial Administration Norayr Eskandarian lauded the program and stated that the program, while primarily Arev Mardik have applied, has minorities from across Pontesi applying. The program pairs up applicants with new housing locations in the cities of Khurshalavan, Gegarsunik and Azat K’aghak’, Kak'avan. The program offers up to 5,000 Drama and preferential access to new housing locations both privately owned and publicly owned; the program has been expanded since the Altunian administration has taken over. The MJTA has plans to expand the cities, both provincial capitals and working with regional Governors to ensure the development of infrastructure within the cities. President Altunian has condemned the violence and stated that should it continue he would be deploying the Pontesian Police Troops to the region en masse, he has already authorized the deployment of the Special Purpose Police Unit (HNVB) to the region and has worked with the Ministry of National Defense to start the construction of General Ardavan Assarian Air Base, a component of Khurshalavan Airport.

[Rogue]

Deltaria and Pontesi sign major arms deal