Pontesian National Press
Pontesian Republican Party declares victory in January election
January, 4817
President-elect Yeranos Andonian rallies a crowd outside of the Presidential Palace in Arevatsag Astgh.
Arevatsag Astgh, Bazileum - President-elect Yeranos Andonian, leader of the Pontesian Republican Party, declared victory for his party shortly after the January 5th election. Andonian, a prominent constitutional lawyer, formed the coalition of disgruntled government officials and industrialist to form the PRP. In the run-up to the January, 4817 election the PRP worked hard to campaign across the country for a number of issues, notably the lack of representation in government for the Arev Mardik people who make up a majority of the nation's population. The Seluco-Pontean peoples, ethnically and largely culturally Selucian, have dominated Pontesian politics and large swathes of the Arev Mardik people have had issues with the lack of representation by their people. Andonian ran on a platform of "...reviving Arev Mardik culture and making Arev Mardik the centerpiece of the nation's focus." The PRP, while it does have a base of Seluco-Pontean supporters, the majority of the party is Arev Mardik. The prospective Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Krikor Yeterian has proposed a "Pontesian Cultural Renaissance", and all media from the PRP has focused on re-imagining Arev Mardik as the proper "Pontesian". Yeterian noted that he would expand museums, cultural programs and would recommit funding to the Aurorian Patriarchal Church. Yeterian, a dedicated Aurorian, was spotted in meetings with Patriarch Mkhitar Poghos II Kocharian, commonly referred to as "Poghos II" in Luthorian. Patriarch Mkhitar Poghos II Kocharian is the leader of the Pontesian Aurorian Church, the branch of the Aurorian Patriarchal Chuch in Pontesi.
While the development of the Arev Mardik culture is a central tenant of the PRP's plan, the President-elect announced his intention for a new constitution, notably in the development of the Republic of Pontesi. Andonian promised an "economic invigoration program" which focused on turning Pontesi into a "...world leading trade hub..." with incentives for companies and corporations to conduct trading, shipping and other commerce from Pontesi. Incoming Minister of Economic Development Kevork Arshakuni is a former Vice President of Corporate Development from Pontesian East Trading Company, one of the many former subsidiaries of the Imperial East Terra Company. Arshakuni announced the formation of an "Economic Development Working Group" which will be responsible for the development of foreign trade and development of foreign investment into the nation. One of his first plans was to re-open the Arevatsag Astgh Stock Exchange and work on building "confidence" in the nations credit and economic systems. In cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, they announced a joint program to crackdown on financial crimes and in cooperation with the National Police, the formation of a specific unit to conduct the crackdown. The unit, headed by former anti-corruption activist and close ally of President Andonian, Pakradouhi Takoushian, will be responsible for the crackdown which she promised in a press release will be "fierce and without equal."
Pontesi, considered to be a failed state by some within the nation, faces an uncertain future and President-elect Andonian has promised a "...bright, brilliant future for the nation."