Barmenistan

[Oakwood]

Following end of Monarchy, Nasirs and their loyalists leave economy and country in "dire straits".

Eksandr- It was doubtlessly going to happen; the rigmarole of the national economy, propped up largely by a private bank owned by the Royal Family, would one day come crashing down. Economists at the Institute for Domestic Policy (IDP) revealed Monday, following the release of papers from the archive of the Ministry of Finance, that the day in which that happened was approximately the thirtieth of August, 4200.

It was on that day that the collective budgetary surplus of the Barmenian state dating all the way back to 3870 was effectively erased; a last financial statement, dated August thirtieth at twelve p.m., shows a transfer of an amount that has been recorded as being (when rounded) at 192,299,841,000,000.00 BAR. Their foreign currency, accounting for some additional seventeen trillion ZAR, and other assets in the form of property and stocks gained from their time in power, was also reportedly transferred. The statement failed to show the current location of these assets.

According to the statement from the economists, the statement made clear that the Banks, deprived of their normal flow of currency following the departure of the royal family, would experience a run. It was likely that the nation was headed for a depression.

This statement was confirmed by none other than Ajisa Aws, former Minister for Finance under Queen Maria. She was reached while on vacation in Indrala.

"The financial system isn't built to survive without raw currency of some form." said Ms. Aws "Soon, the economy will go into shock."

Yet even many pro-Nasir economists are now begging the question; what economy?

[SelucianCrusader]

BARMENIAN LEADERS MAKES U-TURN
· Leader of Barmenian democracy claims descent from Mede Dynasty
· Mejlis prepared to proclaim "Eternal Sultanate" based on liberal principles


Süleyman Aslan(-Mede), Grand-Vizier of Barmenia.. and soon-to-be Sultan

EKSANDR/SOTOPOLIS - Following the disestablishment of the Nasir regime, the leader of the new Barmenian democracy has made a virtual U-turn regarding the question of the form of Government. Comming out as claiming to be a descendent of the Medes', Grand Vizier Süleyman is promising a return to a more liberal, peaceful and inclusive age - based on Ahmadi-Felinist principles. With himself serving as it's Sultan. The Mejlis seems determined to pass a motion calling for the establishment of his line, the "Clan Aslan-Mede" as the new Sultans of Barmenia. He comments:

I'm happy to bring about a monarchy that finally represents the people of this country - all the people of this country. The thing about Hosians is that they have about 50 countries on this planet where they're already in the majority. They don't need to occupy the heartlands of Ahmadi and Nkaia (Felinism) as well. Our diverse cultural and philosophical heritage blend together well without their interference or ethnic resettlements, their oppression. The Mede Dysnasty was an age when such things didn't matter and a Barmenian was a Barmenian no matter religion or race or lack thereof. By following its principles, the glory of the Mede Dynasty can return once again. I am proud to be their descendent.

These first basic laws, introduced after the entire previous House Nasir constitution was repealed due being considered discriminatory and dictatorial, demands that the Sultan or Sultana shall be a practising Ahmadi of the Nkaia Madhab (school of law) - in other words: belong to the Ahmadi-Felinist faith. This is thought to be a concession to the nascent Ahmadist Brotherhood of Barmenistan - a new opposition party in the country. However, the basic laws also make clear that the monarch shall "give preferential treatment to none of the religious or ethnic groups" of the country.

Regarding the Nasirs, the new soon-to-be Sultan had little but harsh words for them after they've appeared to boast over stealing billions of Barmenian dollars after leaving the country:

These scum who hoarded shall never be allowed to return to Barmenia. If we find them they shaöl be persecuted as the simple crooks and thieves they are.

We may also consider arresting the people still loyal to these crooks and thieves and banning their political activites. They have shown themselves to be enemies of the nation - after all. If the D'alyaa Aemoataa is not a political party but a criminal enterprise for the cowards who embezzled and stole the Barmenian people's wealth, we will have them disbanded.

The symbol of the Justice and Freedom Party (AÖP), the leading party of Barmenia's Democratic Revolution

[Oakwood]

Grandson granted control over estate of former monarch; "fortune" dispensed to pay off legal fees.

Josselin, Barmenia- The court of King Gideon Erastus, son of Queen Sarah II and grandson of the recently deposed Queen Marie of Nuomonde, has been left in upheaval today, as the King has once more been charged with the care of his grandmother's financial affairs while she resides in prison. The court has stated that much of the wealth, long speculated and hyperbolic yet still unproven with any form of signed document beyond a set of dubious memos, has been put into a fund to pay off of her court cases. These cases, according the King's barrister, and the barrister appointed by King for the defense of his grandmother, apparently span much of Terra; though the Queen is known to have possessed upward of ten billion LOD, it is unknown if even she could contend with them all.

The Queen was at one point said to have possessed a fortune amounting to the ludicrous sum of seventeen trillion LOD, yet her chief Lady in waiting, Lady Beitris Demeris, has recently stated that "much of this was misconstrued".

"A lot of people have fortunes of five hundred billion or more collectively....but that's the point; its not the norm of the rich to carry their assets around." said Demeris "That money was in properties in Barmenia, in Zardugal, in Cildania and Nuomonde. It resided in stock options and portfolio's; an intelligent woman like the Queen wouldn't have actually carried around her money."

Yet still, despite the lack of rationality in her claim, many in both nations appeared to have believed her; for a long time during both of her tenures, many close advisors and palace courtiers believed what she said.

"It seemed about as probable as anything else that was said" said a former aide "There had been a financial crisis; we wondered where the money had gone and she seemed to provide an answer. She seemed to prefer to be seen as the sole villain rather than one of its many victims. So the mansion was part of it; the Palaces were part of it. She created a surreal narrative where she was in control of everything, and in reality it was mostly a show."

For one person, at least, the show worked; it is a curiosity as to whether Henry I, the now deposed King of Nuomonde, married her or her money. For twenty years ago, it was well known that the Queen was quite wealthy; indeed, her own courtiers murmured that she would likely bring "support and aid" to the regime.

This is not to state that all of a show, however; a document signed by a Lady Isabella Bachera is denoted as being sent to the Weststein corporation in Luthori. The company, owned by the Marquis Weston, was reportedly asked to place in holding a share worth 1.2 Billion LOD; the form was dated on January 12th, 4231. On a form dated on the sixth of June that same year, a further five billion was to the Marquis and his company, for the purpose of "financial solvency".

[Zanz]

Another Thaller rises to prominence in Majatra

With the collapse of all government, a coalition of Felinist and Ahmadi holy men convened to take control of the lawless Sultanate and empower a government suitable for the monumental task of rebuilding law and order in Barmenia.

Those holy men, in a private convention, emerged and announced the ascension of Jens V Thaller, who shall reign as Sultan Jens I of Barmenia. This marks yet another victory for the Thaller family, which of late has branched out of Artania and taken power in Kalopia, Deltaria, and now Barmenia.

Little is known of Sultan Jens I, who was an unexpected selection on the part of the the synod. The Narikatonite Thaller is rumored never to have been to Barmenia before his ascension, and many see his enthronement as nothing more than a power grab by the ambitious Thaller family.

Nevertheless, the Sultan took a Brmék bride, Jezklune Nubaé, a noble princess from Kathuristan, and officially converted to Israism with the dispensation of the synod, and has therefore officially been crowned Sultan of Barmenia.

It remains to be seen what the first actions of this sultan will be.

[Zanz]

Ahmadism, Felinism named official religions of Sultanate in Ám'ádsrljiknstat legislation

The Sultanate took another step toward radical Ahmadi and Felinist conservatism today as legislation titled Ám'ádsrljiknstat was proposed by the ruling Srnkziklune trzy Krt trzy Nka trzy Jrlék Hnd [SKNJH] faction.

The legislation names Ahmadism and Felinism as the official religions of Barmenia and outlaws blasphemy, enforces religious dress codes, and outlaws non-religious or non-Ahmadi/Felinist schools in the Sultanate. It further makes membership in either the Ahmadist or Felinist churches compulsory.

The act was met with immediate condemnation by leaders in Barmenia's minority religions, Yeudi and Hosian, who have refused to recognize the legitimacy of Barmenia's new regime since it began requiring registration of religious affiliation with the Ám'ádsrlji Yzguk in the summer of 4266. Those leaders claimed then that religious registration was a build up to religious discrimination, and now with this legislation against Hosianism and Yeudism, they have raised an international cry for help from the world as they believe they will be forced to convert to one of Barmenia's recognized religions.

Sultan Jens I, who converted to Ahmadism upon his ascension, spoke in favor of Ám'ádsrljiknstat to reporters yesterday.

[Zanz]

OOC: see this thread for first person RP which is related to this news post.

"Massive" ring of revolutionary infidels discovered, arrested in Yntmk Ekérge and Yntmk Sísle

The Ministry of Internal Affairs today released an alarming confirmation of a string of hundreds of arrests in Strhosíék'aiék Yntmk Ekérge and Jelbék Yntmk Sísle which were aimed to "disrupt, counter, and destroy" a "massive ring of revolutionary infidels." These infidels, primarily Hosian and Yeudi, wished for armed insurrection and rebellion against the Sultanate, and have been arrested in regard to their connection to terrorist groups.

Several cells of these infidel revolutionary groups had attained high powered assault weaponry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs statement said, and many of them were openly preaching heretical teachings no longer tolerated within the Sultanate.

Police forces undertook this large-scale sting with help from specialized units in what is being called Operation Akrosmojad. The professionalism and restraint which these units showed in arresting these dangerous revolutionaries was "exemplary" according to the Ministry's statement.

[Zanz]

Sultan also concerned with rights violations, says Ministry of Foreign Affairs

After understandable concern from both Beiteynu and Selucia, Sltn Jens I released a statement through the Barmenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Sultan of Barmenia agrees with our friends in Beiteynu and Selucia, rights violations in Barmenia on the part of radical infidels are quite concerning. Hosian preachers have been raping and molesting young boys, unleashing a scourge of homosexuality upon our otherwise just and righteous youth. Yeudi financiers and agents have been exploiting the poor Brmek for centuries. When informed of the new status quo in Barmenia, wherein their disgusting lawlessness would no longer be tolerated, many of these revolutionary infidels took to the streets and, even now, incite violence against the hard working police forces of Barmenia, or, worse, against the Akim-fearing people of Barmenia themselves. We note with understanding Beiteynu's choice to further garrison its borders against those who might seeks to take advantage of their Yeudism to flee to Beiteynu and then spread their radicalism in that country. Were it only possible for Barmenia to barricade herself against the Yeudish radical tide, but, alas, they are already here.

[Zanz]

Istalian meddling in Northern Majatra not welcome, says Sultan, closer ties with Vanuku, Beiteynu, and Pontesi likely

The Sultan has spoken against the increased activity of Istalia in regards to the Barmenian, Beiteynese, and Pontesian governments, which Istalia has dubbed the "Triad of Evil".

"Northern Majatra is not a playground for some Istalian expeditionary force and this 'embargo' the Istalians have threatened is laughable," the Sultan told news outlets earlier today. "Barmenia has no need for the expensive and barely seaworthy warships which have made the militarist Istalian capitalists obscenely wealthy. We are a peaceful people, traditional Brmeks who seek only to worship Akim as according to his law, and who join with Beiteynu, a stalwart champion of the rights of nations, in condemning Istalia for her behavior both historic and contemporary. We will, of course, seek to draw ourselves closer to those nations who share our concern regarding the encroachment of Istalia on the region - Beiteynu, Pontesi, and Vanuku, all of whom are natural friends and allies for our nation in the face of such aggression."

[Zanz]

Shb Lofrkadkai to wed Hulstrian Empress, Sultan announces

Sultan Jens of Barmenia, through a spokesperson, announced the Shb Lofrkadkai von Thaller, the Sultan's youngest son through Froakai Vatím Harif, will wed Her Most Imperial Majesty, Beatrice II of the House Labsburg; Empress of Greater Hulstria and of Sekowo, Queen of the Gao-Showa, Archduchess of Hent-Kelvon, Illustrious High Warden of Dovani, Sovereign of the Eastern Sun and Defender of the Hosian Faith.

Shb Lofrkadkai is slightly older than the Hulstrian Empress, and her title as "Defender of the Hosian Faith" was controversial in a land where the open practice of Hosianism is forbidden, but the Sultan's statement made clear that Shb Lofrkadkai was not being forced to convert, was deeply in love with the Empress, and would bring strong ties between the Hulstrian nation and Barmenia.

The wedding will take place in Hulstria, and the Shb will then move to Hulstria permanently. Already he has begun the process of learning the Dundorfian language.

[Polites]

Felinist Movement Formed
Lionists join forces to form party


Táhirih Sirghastané, the chair of Barmenistan's new Felinist movement

May 4272 - Taking advantage of the Thallerid religious settlement, a new political force representing Felinist interests has entered the Sultanate's political scene. Led and founded by Táhirih Sirghastané, herself a religious leader in the Temple of Lions as a Sun Priestess, the Lion and Sun alliance represents a return to more traditional religious Felinism, after centuries during which Felinists aimed to present their faith as a spiritual and natural philosophy and way of life in an attempt to avoid persecution. The founding of the Lion and Sun Alliance is thus the culmination of the Felinist-Ahmadi alliance forged under Süleyman Aslan-Mede, who established the "Nkaia Madhab" as the dominant religious system in Barmenistan, and of the Thallerid religious settlement which enshrined Felinism and Ahmadism as the official and mandatory religions of the Sultanate.

With the rise of the new Felinist movement, coupled with the parallel emergence of a Pagan alliance in neighboring Pontesi, Barmenistan may see renewed persecutions of Yeudis and Hosians, the latter having lost their political clout with the ultimate overthrow of the Nasir dynasty and its centuries of Barmenian Apostolic minority rule. If that is the case, the former ruling minority may find itself sacrificed in the name of ending Barmenistan's oldest and most destructive religious conflict.