by Max Barry

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Region: The Coalition of Democratic Nations

Telhárr Nasjonal
29/02/1956
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/DOMESTIC/
Let there be light...
Despite much progress in the rest of the world, Karthspiri families still eat by candlelight, children do their homework by flickering fires fulled by the floorboards of their homes and pedestrians are guided only by dim orange glows which threaten to blow out under so much as a slight gust of wind. This is the situation in just our capital. In pushing forward the schedules for programs initiated under the previous Government, a new hydroelectric dam has been constructed on the Allyr river; just north of Elinhir. This dam alone is capable of generating enough power to feed to Elinhirs; allowing the Government to push forward with plans to electrify not just Elinhir but also the entire state of Halamshiral in a clean way. In Xiralije and Falinesti, two new nuclear power plants have recently finished construction.

Aided by Ironpakt allies and supplied with Tibetan Uranium, the Zatranair and Chernahir Nuclear Facilities will soon be able to flood their states with clean, cheap electricity and then some. In going from a nation with little electricity to one able to create a respectable surplus, Executor Ralatsén has presented the Rathá with a plan to create a "National Electricity Grid", in partnership with private companies, to allow this excess power to be distributed and stored across the nation. In doing so, plans to construct three new dams and two new nuclear facilities, to replace what few coal plants Karthspire possessed before the war, have also been presented for Rathá approval and funding. The electrification of our nation can only be the start of something greater; the beginnings of an industrial powerhouse in Karthspire.

This comes in the midst of a great clamour for national rejuvenation. Despite the progress made in building new power infrastructure, major cities still lie in ruins and their roads still find themselves composed of cobble and dirt. No major road routes exist between the great cities and only a few rail lines bind the nation together. Not only has Executor Ralatsén presented plans to further national electrification, he's also presented an Act titled the "National Reconstruction and Rejuvenation Order" which aims to pool the nation's resources and ensure urban settlements are reconstructed within a year and all settlements are reconstructed within two. This act would also provide trillions of Sovereigns worth of funding to projects to construct new "Otoratharí" (Highways) modelled on the German Autobahns. The Order also aims to rehouse slum dwellers who cramped into the outskirts of cities following the scorched earth policy employed against their farms during the war by creating new low-density residential areas around cities known as "suburbs" as well as increasing the capacity in existing high-density city centre dwellings.

To ensure these ambitious deadlines are met and these projects become reality, the Order does not only allow for the use of Armed Forces Engineers but, also, allocates funding to allow the Government to hire huge amounts of new labour and train them in the necessary areas; aiming to tackle problems with unemployment too.

Foreign Investment Reform
Under the Terai Government, Foreign Investment in the Karthspiri nation, unless explicitly permitted from the top-levels of that Government, was forbidden. Now, in an attempt to stimulate the economy and encourage industrialisation, the Sub-Executor for National Finance presented, and passed, a law to the Rathá which would reform the ban; allowing Foreign Firms to invest so long as they set up a separate Karthspiri branch of their company and had a partner firm within Karthspire which would manage 30% of that firm. Foreign firms have already expressed investment interest (such as the Ascoobian Companies Aviscia Aerospace, Hearthstone Foundries and Kaiser Steel) in the fledgeling Karthspiri economy and several major Karthspiri industrial firms, including Direnni Industries and the Nasjonal Fabrik Military-Industrial Conglomerate, have already stated they'd be more than happy to sponsor new firms entering the market.

Whilst the Reform seeks to encourage cash injections into the economy, it also aims to stem the tide of cash outflows. In this way, the Reform sets out parameters to tax savings going into bank accounts at 30% to ensure leakages from the economy are minimised as well as taking measures to create surpluses on both the Karthspiri Capital and Financial Accounts by both purchasing assets from the market and foreign governments alongside taxing outflows of cash from the country (transfers to family members abroad and so on) at 15%.

This all comes on the back of economic reforms and the implementation of expansionary demand-side policies last year which saw major economic growth which, in turn, pushed inflation up to 6.5%. This attempt to both increase Foreign Investment and Domestic supply has been perceived as an attempt to curb inflation, by increasing Aggregate Supply, whilst also continuing the expansion in the economy.

Preperations for the 2nd Hegemony Day "underway"
In a recent discussion with the press, Executor Ralatsén found himself being questioned regarding the delay of festivities for the 2nd Hegemony Day; a delay which has lasted over a month. Ralatsén re-assured journalists and blamed the delay on "teething problems" within the Sub-Directorate for Exterior Affairs which has been managing the invitations to foreign leaders. When questioned who, exactly, was invited to the celebrations of the Karthspiri National Day, Ralatsén gave no concrete answers but hinted towards Nordamy, Ascoobis, Prusswitonsiakekingkailand and The franko-italian union as potential guests.

/EXTERIOR/
Aca angered on the world stage
The nation of Aca, like our own, has long faced the onslaught of the hordes directed by the Ephyral State. In recent times, they have found themselves in such a position that not only are their people kept under the whims of the Ephyral State but that much of their claimed territory is also. In a recent demonstration of diplomatic strength, the Acai nation has been putting pressure on the Ephyral Freehold to return their lands and, in addition, has requested international assistance; going so far as to sign non-aggression and mutual guarantees of independence with the Kaiser. Although similar requests have been directed towards us, Executor Ralatsén refused to agree to or decline mutual cooperation stating, "the Hegemony wishes to have friends with which we can work to further our interests on the world stage, however, it is important for us, as a Government, to recognise that our nation is not in a position to flush its own toilets let alone forge international friendships."

STAS Operation Successful
The Government confirmed yesterday that the STAS has conducted its first operation and reported it to have been a "resounding success". According to a highly-redacted report, the new branch of the Armed Forces has "clearly demonstrated" to the Government their ability to "master covert and challenging operations whilst utilising every method available."

Nordamy, The Land of the Ephyral, The franko-italian union, and Amaseia

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