The Bastion of Stability

[Felis]

Münsterberg government under investigation after rogue foreign affairs statements
3 hours ago | The Union

The Austerean government has begun an investigation of the Münsterian Chancellor Leon Dietrich after an anonymous member of the Austerean Parliament tipped off the Court of Justice about secret correspondence with Sutherland. It is believed the correspondence regarded support for Sutherland independence, which conflicts the official Austerean statements.

All fifteen states within the Auster Coronan union are required to handle matters of foreign affairs through the Austerean government, primarily the Commission and Council of Ministers, as a result of the historic 1987 Treaty of Corona. Many officials under the Austerean member states criticise this law, and many others, which “unethically” restrict the sovereignty of the member states and hand a high amount of power to the richest member states, notably Gelders, Richelieu, and Basel. Union Council Minister-Premier Godfried Van Dijk has consistently refuted these statements, saying all member states unanimously voted in favour of the Treaty and its contents.

In terms of Sutherland, the Austerean government has declared the nation a rogue state which used the ongoing McMasterdonian civil war as an attempt to illegally secede and has refused to recognise its sovereignty; this is, officially, due to ties with McMasterdonia through trade and diplomacy. However, this has been a controversial issue internally and has seen many of the smaller member states, such as Opava and Chevreuse, become discontent and appeal to the Austerean Court about a lack of political representation.

Leon Dietrich @MunsterChancellor

Cannot believe I’ve been placed on extended suspension and put under investigation by the #AusterCorona government for baseless claims by some anonymous parliament member who refuses to show their face! #WhatAJoke REFLUTTS ~ FAVORITES 983 ~ 2,394

Fluttr statement from the Chancellor

Chancellor Dietrich refused to give further comments, to avoid statements from being taken out of context, and the Austerean Court also refused to give any comments.

 

[Felis]

Protests at the Austerean Government Palace after Münsterberg investigation announcement
1 hour ago | The Union

Over 4000 protesters are gathering outside the gates of the Government Palace in Corona, and they’ve been making the front page across the whole Union for addressing a long-disputed issue.

But what is this issue?

The sovereignty of the member states of the Union. After Münsterberg’s illegal and secret foreign affairs activities were exposed by an anonymous source on Tuesday, the Union Minister-Premier, Godfried Van Dijk, announced that Chancellor Dietrich was placed under temporary suspension and an investigation into the state’s actions would be begun and this has stirred up tensions across the Union for multiple reasons.
The first of which is local Münster unrest directly regarding the actions taken by the Austerean government, decrying the actions taken as unjust and asking the Austerean government to have more faith in its member states.
The second, and more controversial, issue relates to the power the Austerean government has over the member states of the Union. In 1987, all member states of the Union unanimously voted to give up their access to independent foreign affairs and militaries, instead conducting foreign affairs through the Austerean government and contributing to a Union-based military force. In 2002, further steps were taken by the Austerean government to reduce the individual power of the member states by instating a Union-wide currency, known as the Aust, and deferring control of the currency and many other economic functions to its Central Bank. Many observers believe that the Austerean government will use the actions of the Münster government as an excuse to further strip the member states of sovereignty, handing unwieldy amounts of power to the powerful member states of Richelieu, Basel, and Gelders.

While a multitude of news sources display the protesters as masked and armed rioters, the reality is that a significant majority of the protesters present are doing so peacefully. Only 300 so far have been deemed as potentially dangerous by the Corona Metropolitan. A range of peaceful events are present at the protests, from typical signs-and-chanting to temporary stores providing a wide array of anti-Union merchandises.
Baselian protestor Gabriel Hugenin-Virchaux told a Richelieuan agency that “The violent protesters are wasting Metropolitan time and delegitimizing the cause by making us seem like violent children who can’t contain ourselves.” but also told the agency that “But we have also been provoked, not one politician from the government has come out here to de-escalate the events out here, instead they’re throwing security at every corner and provoking people by doing so.”

The Corona Metropolitan has dealt with protests a multitude of times in the past, including during the violent Formation Day riots in 1997 and a scene during the 2005 holiday season where protesters purposefully damaged cars and shops while having violent altercations with the police throughout the week. This means that they were aware of potential issues as the spontaneous protest(s) developed soon after the investigation announcement, drafting police from Richelieu and Gelders, and carrying out operations to eliminate weapons that may possibly be used by the violent protesters.

 

[Prydania]

[img=367,120]https://i.imgur.com/jFkOXMh.png[/img]​

It is the position of the Kingdom of Prydania that the ACU has the prerogative to ensure the compliance of member states. The Union is a shining bastion of peace and security on Craviter. His Majesty's Government holds the opinion that it is in the best interests of the continent that a peaceful resolution between all parties within the Union be reached.

Respectfully,
Harold Daaé
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Prydania​

 

[Felis]

Mr. Dietrich was in his mid-seventies, an old man; his hair was almost gone, what was left was thin and grey and, like always, he wore dress trousers with a white shirt and red tie, all slightly too loose on his sagging, aged body. He was hunched over a desk, stressed.

“Yeah, and I believe anyone with the right pair of shoes can rule the world, fuck off Garen.” he told another person in the room, mockingly,
“They’re consolidating power by making up shit and then arresting the people who’ll get in their way!”

“Christsake Leon, listen to me! They won’t touch you, not yet, because they’ll set off the crowds.” Garen responded, hands in hair and stressed,

Dietrich was pacing around the room now,
“I’m leaving. Today. I suggest you do the same, they could come for us at any minute and they know it. And they will excise it sooner or later.” he said through biting his nails,

“I can’t convince you can I?”

“No.”

“You’re an idiot” Garen said, bluntly.

Chancellor of Münsterberg has fled to Sil Dorsett, Dietrich lawyer says

20 minutes ago | The Union

The suspended Chancellor of Münsterberg has gone to Sil Dorsett after rising tensions in Auster Corona, a lawyer he has hired in Sil Dorsett says.

Why has he fled the country he leads?

Certainly not to enjoy the climate. First and foremost, he fled Auster Corona to avoid the risk of arrest by the Austerean government, under belief it was their next step based on ‘threats’ he and his lawyer, Benjamin Gardet, are yet to elaborate on. He believes he could charged with ‘rebellion’, as a result of his purported illegal and unconstitutional conduction of foreign affairs. This extends to three associated who have also fled. These offences could lead to up to thirty-five years in prison, but many observers Dietrich’s fears are jumps to conclusion, as rebellion, by the legal definition, requires violent acts to be committed.

Though the judges of the Austerean Court are yet to issue an arrest warrant for Dietrich, the Austerean government has begun a process to militarise the core areas of the Münster capital, Spoitgendorf, including the Grand Palace of Spoitgendorf, the Main Square, and various government offices across the city. Corona itself has also received increased security city-wide.

While in Sil Dorsett, Dietrich is willing to cooperate with the Austerean government and hopes to begin the process of appealing to the Austerean Court of Human Rights, in Étampes Ville, if his request for political asylum is granted and further steps are taken by the Austerean government to investigate or prosecute Münster officials.

Though no declaration of support was directly given to Dietrich and his government, individual sovereignty was a hot issue in the small nation as a result of actions within the Phoenix Union attempting to pass unfavourable bills and becoming a liability rather than an asset for the nation; this means that, for Dietrich, the nation was simply fitting for his situation in spirit.
Éliane Barbier, spokeswoman for Edmund Posner, Minister of Justice told our reporters this, "Dietrich's application for asylum will be handled in accordance with standing procedures just as every other applicant. Regarding the circumstances that lead him to make such an application, we have no comment."