Quote:Comrades, this place is a much different place than when I arrived here just a year ago. We have seen so many changes already, even with our admittedly slow legislative pace. But it is a matter to be proud of, something that we should certainly continue to support and work for.

I was asked by the Deputy Premier and several members of my government to address you today to lay out thIs Government's legislative priorities. I can start with saying "Thank you" to the Comrades who will be leaving us at the beginning of February to return to the Districts and continue our Party's work there among the people. You have had a year's worth of Legislative Experience and it is my sincerest hope that you take that knowledge and the skills you have learned as you take up a new role in the District and Local Governments.

I would also like to prematurely welcome the incoming President of the Republic, who will take office for the first time on February 1, Comrade Reynaldo Carrangus, who has been so instrumental in leading the youth Cadres on the Mainland in our effort to build Socialism in Kalistan. We are still a youth Party, and our Comrade President is younger than even a lot of you all, but his experience and his skill outshine most of those of us, myself included, sitting in this Assembly. We have asked him to leave his studies to serve as the Nation's President, the first President of the Republic in nearly 10 years. We welcome him and I do not envy the Comrade his Task.

Domestically, Kalistan is headed back toward fiscal stability and zero growth. It is our intention to fully restore the National Service Program and reauthorization of the National Industries Charters. We also ask that the Finance Ministry re-capitalized the National Bank and the Kalsie and restore Kalistan to high place that we were accustomed to for so long. I also would lie to see this Assembly vote on healthy subsidies to our aircraft, automobile, and electronics industries to make them competitive once more with a world that has left Kalistan behind. We will continue to build upon our social legislation successes and will deepen the trust among the people that this society will not let them fall if they stumble, will allow them to live comfortably when they succeed, and will not allow wealth interfere with human equality, access to government or justice, or rights and liberty. I hope to pass a budget this year which reflects these priorities and allows for budgetary surplus as well.

On the foreign side, I must take a moment to address a number of points that was recently brought to my attention by the Capable Foreign Minister Sharice Mosswell. Comrade Mosswell reports that a number of events occurred on her voyage around the world which have tested the patience of our neighbors and fellow Nations of Terra. One such event was the Comrade's request for clarification with regard to the role played by Baltusia in the ongoing conflict in Ntoto. This request for clarification raised eyebrows in Baltusia, but apparently the visit itself was objected to by the Dovani State of Tropica, who has since declared Baltusia a "state sponsor of terrorism".

To Baltusia: it is important that Kalistan stand opposed to International Intervention around the world. Spreading War does not alleviate war, and the Republic of Kalistan will therefore look forward to the day when the intervention of your nation in the Conflict of Ntoto, as well as the PERCEPTION of your nation's intervention there, is ended. While this Government gracefully accepts the token gift you presented our Foreign Minister, even after her indelicately broaching the subject of the Intervention, it is not in our interest at this moment to normalize relations with your Republic. We will look for opportunities to cooperate with Baltusia in the future, following the conclusion of the conflict. But there must be a diplomatic cost to overseas intervention, as Kalistan knows very well. And therefore, as far as your closest neighbors are concerned, it is indeed unfortunate that because of this intervention, we are both bearing that cost.

To Tropica: While we appreciate the concern you have raised, and share it, Kalistan will not be dictated to with regard to whom we may treat with and under what circumstances. The Government of Tropica shall hear from our Foreign Ministry with an official Response, as is correct procedure, contrary to the course chosen by Tropica in their efforts to characterize our Foreign Minister's visit to another sovereign state in their National Press!

Ahem. Another matter which I hope can be resolved which was discovered by our Foreign Minister: The united Crown of Lourenne and Alduria still refers to its Monarch as the "Protecteur du Kalistan". We absolutely and unequivocably reject this baseless and hateful claim to a portion of our National Sovereignty, and a formal diplomatic complain is currently being drawn up. I have advised the staff to fully apprise the incoming President of the Republic on the matter so that he may be able to determine appropriate next steps, but Comrades, this is a faux pas, to use the Canrillaise term, at best... an oversight from the land of my own ancestors,, whom I am prepared, personally to offer the benefit of the doubt, but nonetheless a diminishment and infantilization of the Republic, and I assure you, we will not let this matter rest until it is resolved to Kalistan's satisfaction.

In our foreign affairs, Kalistan aims to begin rebuilding our Naval force, along the last order of march ever devised by the Republican Government. Many of the ships and our own submarine designs we can build ourselves, but the capital ships remain outside of our ability to build which means we will need to seek, once more, purchases from foreign Nations. Over the last 100 years, the zenith of our naval strength was more than 80 years ago. Technology changes. The rotting rust buckets that sit in dry dock or at anchor north of the Shipyards here are more suitable for building reefs than for defending our coasts. It is incumbent upon our Regular Military and our Ministry of Defense to take steps to resolve this deficit immediately.

I will direct the Defense Ministry to call up enough regulars to generate a Garrison Quota of land forces. This includes the commissioning of new officers and the appointment of new Non Commissioned Officers. The Garrison Quota of the Regular Army will serve as a jumpstart to the restoration of the Kalistani Regular Army. Additionally, civilian pilots will be offered commissions to serve as instructors at flight school, and we aim to get Kalistan's airforce off the tarmac once more. And most importantly, the Socialist Party of Kalistan will reform the RSMoK, for the purposes of training and refitting Most of the Small arms in the Militia's armory will need to be replaced, as will reacquisition of heavy arms, artillery and uniforms. It is a massive undertaking and this year merely represents the start of the process which will not be finished for a very long time.

Financially, the Republic will seek to acquire and send Foreign Direct Investment to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to put their capital to work, both at home and abroad. A special focus will be in the exporting of food and clothing, as well as recreational and pharmaceutical drugs, and the importation or Substitution Industrialization of consumer electronics, automobiles, and the sorts of finished materials demanded by consumers. We maintain the right to nationalize foreign investments which do not comply with Kalistani Law, but at the same time, we also wish the world to know that Kalistani Investments are never bad ones, expecially because of the low degree of competition in the Republic and the high degree of education and adaptability of the Kalistani Workforce

Kalistan also seeks once more to set its currency up as if not THE single convertible currency, at least A convertible currency which is desired overseas, and therefore generates our nation benefits by being held and traded internationally. To this end, the National Bank will establish strict currency rules which will prevent wild inflationary trends, while at the same time buttressing up the value of trade denominated in Rubles. We do not intend to prevent the acquisition of rubles overseas, but these measures are designed to give investors faith that purchase of Kalistani Rubles is a safe and profitable decision, and we will gain as a result of increased demand for our rubles.

I would also like to announce bank reform policies which will encourage spending in the economy, without the corresponding inflation that often walks hand in hand. Beginning with the Passage of the Bank Reform Act later this year, personal accounts with the National Bank will not earn interest, and nor will the National Bank collect interest on loans it provides to individuals and small businesses. Instead, it will reserve a portion of its initial capitalization to create a profitable foundation, which once fully endowed, will invest in the market, and will then pay annual dividends to its account holders and to make loans to those that seek them. In essence the National Bank will become a credit union, which is owned by those who deposit with it. As our goal is zero growth, interest undermines that effort. Other selection criteria will be imposed at the bank to make it easier to obtain loans for personal matters or to start a new business, but ability to repay will merely serve as an early screen in the process, and more weight will be placed on the social good that will be done with the loan.

All of these policies sit atop the Government's agenda, but none as high as police reform. I am thrilled to announce that the Police are to return to a correct relationship to society, to serve the people and ensure that crime is prosecuted in society. To this end, we will also be reintroducing the prison abolition bill and relegalizing a number of activities, including prostitution and gambling which previous administrations have outlawed.

These are the priorities of this Republic's government this year. We look forward to serving the people of Kalistan and we must now get to work.

Quote:FOR ARCHIVES

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
POR TO QUEEN CATHERINE III OF LOURENNE
RE: MATTER OF TITLE HELD BY QUEEN OF LOURENNE AND ALDURIA

Comrade Queen, Catherine,

Hello and Well Met.

It is unfortunate that a representative of your government did not have the opportunity to meet our Foreign Minister when she visited your country late last summer, but a matter has been brought to my attention which I think I need to raise with your government

It is concerning the title of "Protector of Kalistan" that you hold onto. I am not sure if this was a relic from the time when your Government secured Kalistan during our times of difficulty, but you should know: the generation which promoted that intervention on our behalf, the same generation that traveled to Kalistan and became the ancestors of our Premier, have all but passed away. And yet, you still hold onto this title.

The Government of Kalistan has requested that I contact you and ask you to take the necessary steps to remove that title once and for all. They feel, and I agree, that it is a diminishment of the Sovereignty of Kalistan and an infantilization of our Republic. Of all the titles held by monarchs across the Globe, Kalistan is the only Republic which is claimed to have a protector.

There are a number of benefits to removing the title: it will allow for normalization of relations between our two countries once more. In diplomatic protest, the Foreign Minister has begun to issue consultation orders to our diplomatic and consular staff in Lourenne and Alduria over the matter. She has informed me that the Government will put a stop to this effort if that title is removed from your official title. Removing the title will prevent yet another escallation of tensions which is sure to follow if our very reasonable and substantiated request is denied. Our Premier is a young Kalistani, and she is currently still building out a strategy that extends beyond Kalistan Obviously we would prefer that this international strategy includes peace and excellent relations with the Government and the Crown of Lourenne and Alduria. But her feelings on the matter were made quite explicit in her recent address to the National Assembly:

"We absolutely and unequivocably reject this baseless and hateful claim to a portion of our National Sovereignty"

I stand by our Premier in this matter.

The Premier has publicly stated that Kalistan currently sees this matter as a mere oversight on the part of the Crowns of Lourenne and Alduria.

It is my sincerest hope that indeed it is the case and the matter is easily remediated within Lourenne and Alduria, so we can move on with life, putting this small but not insignificant matter behind us, and build on a foundation of friendship, comity and equality which has characterized Kalistani-Lourennais relations for a century

Many thanks for your patience and your indulgence.

We look forward to your response.
Serenely,
Reynaldo Carrangus
Socialist Party of Kalistan
Incoming President of the Republic, United Republic of Kalistan

END TRANSMISSION

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