Royal Malgravean Times (Comments welcome)

[Malgrave]

Defence Ministry set to recieve massive budget increase

Katia De Campo (left) attends an event celebrating the launch of several new Karlino Class Frigates

The loss of HMNV Bastion and the recent inability of our armed forces to defend our nation from the orbital threat of the Atumites has put military modernisation on the forefront of the political agenda for the first time since the disastrous aftermath of Operation Swift.

In response to the growing debate outside and inside the national legislature the government has already moved to deal with the orbital threat by purchasing a battlestar from our new comrades in the Dornalian Republic, but now it appears that the government is also preparing itself to deal with more conventional threats, with the Defence Ministry reporting that the benefits of continued economic growth will be used to double with size of the military budget, with spending set to rise to 4% within the next few months.

Katia De Campo, the newly appointed Defence Minister has hinted that new equipment will be purchased for all branches of the military, the most notable being new fighters and anti-air defence platforms for the air force and new tanks and transport helicopters for the Territorial Defence Force. It’s unknown where these new weapons will be manufactured but its expected that Kouralian, Celritannian, Dornalian and Rohanian companies will be invited to compete alongside MalDef.

As MalDef is one of the smallest state-owned corporations it's not believed that the company will have the capability to actively compete with its foreign rivals on all defence contracts, but the government is still confident that the bulk of purchased equipment will either be completely constructed or assembled within Malgrave to ensure that the economic benefits of this military build-up are kept within the country.

It's also understood that the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Science and Engineering will be cooperating closely together on a future classified research project, with anonymous sources telling the RMT that the project will ensure that the country will never face the threat of orbital bombardment ever again.

[Malgrave]

Government announces minor cabinet reshuffle

Nadzieja Brzezicki, the new Minister of Finance

In a widely expected press conference Ernst Hofner, the longstanding Minister of Finance announced that he was stepped down from his position effectively immediately in order to spend more time with his family and various charitable endeavours.

Ernst Hofner was first appointed Finance Minister after the 2000 General Election by Prime Minister Nikola Tesla. Since that date Ernst Hofner has been credited with helping maintain the steady growth of the national economy, by supporting small businesses and larger state-owned enterprises and working together with the Foreign Ministry to establish fair trade deals with dozens of nations across the world.

During the conference it was also announced that Nadzieja Brzezicki, the Minister of Social Solidarity will replace Ernst Hofner with Jadzia Zdunowski taking over the now vacant Social Solidarity role.

It is believed that Nadzieja Brzezicki will typically maintain the economic policies of her predecessor but several sources closer to the Minister have hinted that the Minister will soon stamp her own left-wing policies on the Ministry, with increased support for cooperatives/workers self-managed enterprises and more aggressive directives for state-owned corporations expected in the future.

In another move signifying the strength of the left-wing PUP faction and the so-called FDY-ASG cohort it was announced that Aurelia Wyrzykowski will become the new Minister of State Security, with Katarzyna Rudawski announced as the new Minister of Cultural Sensitivity. It's not known if Aurelia Wyrzykowski will make any policy changes and considering the classified nature of the position that is unlikely but these changes have certainly solidified the power base of the left-wing faction of the ruling PUP.

[Malgrave]

Breaking: Ilan and Taros to be absorbed into the Malgravean state

Royal Marines advancing into central Ilan

The spectacular collapse of the Lubyakan state, and the subsequent expansion of the Ilean Solar Empire has been a point of concern for the Malgravean government for several years now, as aside from the economic and security impact caused by the loss of a major trading partner and political ally, the absence of a central government authority has led to the former Lubyakan provinces of Ilan and Taros becoming hotbeds for piracy, smuggling and potential terrorist operations

In order to maintain the stability of the Northern Pony Lands, and assist ongoing anti-smuggling and anti-piracy operations it has been decided that the provinces of Ilan and Taros will be absorbed into the United Kingdom of Malgrave, and forces from the Royal Marines and the Territorial Defence Force have already started operations against local hostile elements, and will soon establish central government control across both provinces.

It is believed that up to twenty new seats in parliament will be created with this development, with the majority being added by the inclusion if Ilan provinces. Representatives from all major political parties in the country have been invited by the national government to send representatives in order to find local candidates for the upcoming by-elections, but several local political groups will also be allowed to contest the elections following their approval by the national electoral commision.

Katia De Campo, the Defence Minister has been overseeing the operation and has provided the following update on the military front.

“I am proud to report that units of the Royal Marines have successfully managed to liberate several residential settlements including the city of Cambreth, with limited casualties, and after the successful deployment of units from the Territorial Defence Force they will be moving on to liberate the rest of the province from organised criminals.”

Eliot Reymont, the Foreign Minister has issued the following statement to members of the international community.

"In continuation of our efforts to maintain stability in the Northern Pony Lands region, and strike a blow against the forces of piracy, and smuggling the Malgravean government has decided to absorb the territories of Ilan and Taros into the United Kingdom of Malgrave. In accordance with Malgravean law, the population of the Ilan and Taros provinces will be given full Malgravean citizenship and the electoral constituencies of both territories will be added to the national legislature, with new elections expected to be held in approximately six months.

We call upon the international community to respect Malgrave's commitment to ensuring regional stability, and our decision to provide public services and citizenship to those oppressed by piracy and other criminal operations."

[Malgrave]

OOC: Thanks to Dorn for providing the Snider quotes and the inspiration for the post!

Professor Alejandro Snider arrives in Malgrave

Professor Snider pictured earlier this year

Professor Alejandro Snider arrived in Epping yesterday afternoon to continue his investigation into possible trade links between the Malgravean government and the Jacintistas, with the Professor claiming that weapons, ammunition and medicine were transferred between the two sides during the height of the Malgravean civil war. In the weeks following the initial announcement the Dornalian Professor has been mocked repeatedly by the national media, and the general public, with one popular internet joke saying that the Professor's next investigation will be into an 18th-century Imerian spaceship and a Kouralian meal that doesn't contain bacon.

Since his arrival, the Special Investigative Service haven't set aside time to talk about the matter specifically, but when asked during a press conference Aurelia Wyrzykowski, Minister of State Security said

"The United Kingdom of Malgrave was in a state of isolation at the time and had no contact with Jacinta or anyone else in her regime. We cannot control the actions of inquisitive Professors, but we suggest that he takes a look at the basic facts and understands that his proposals are impossible."

After the press conference we talked to Professor Alejandro Snider and asked him why he was continuing his investigation when the Malgravean government was in a state of isolation until 2000.

Standing with a bag full of books and a stern gaze, Snider, adjusting his glasses, said simply, “That is the official story. However, the practice of truthful history has no time for official stories--only truthful ones. And try as the Malgravean and Dornalian historical communities might to deny that it happened, I am uncovering evidence every day which inexorably and decisively leads me to the inescapable, inexorable conclusion that the Jacintista regime provided invaluable material aid to the United Kingdom in its darkest hour. Why the Malgravean government and the Dornalian mainstream refuse to accept this is beyond me, given the facts and evidence I have already amassed. One does not simply amass correspondence from long-forgotten archives, go to examine historical artillery pieces at a Malgravean museum and spend hours of labor pursuing research to yield to orthodoxy.”

It is not known when Professor Snider will complete his investigation but it is certain to ruffle feathers in the Ministry of State Security and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who have reportedly made multiple complaints to their counterparts in the Dornalian Republic about the conduct of the Dornalian Professor.

[Malgrave]

Breaking: ASL to become an illegal organisation

An officer of the Independent Ethics Enforcement Agency

On the 8th of May 2017 units of the Independent, Ethics Enforcement Agency raided several properties belonging to the Anti-Sex League and uncovered a horde of documentation about illegal experiments that had been performed in several ASL facilities over the space of nearly two decades. In the months following that operation the IEEA have raided several other properties belonging to the Anti-Sex League, with the prime focus of the IEEA's efforts spent on several self-proclaimed independent research centres, that have subsequently been declared sites of torture following a report by the Ministry of Science and Engineering, the Ministry of Justice, and the Department of Protective Child Services.

Despite the number and frequency of the raids carried out by the IEEA, Rupert and Kathrin Lowwe have yet to be detained by the organisation, and it is understood that they've fled the country to work for various criminal organisations in return for protection and a supply of volunteers for their experiments. Rupert and Kathrin Lowwe gained notoriety in Malgrave when documents uncovered inside the ASL revealed that the couple had tortured their own children for over ten years, with recently released reports indicating that they performed dozens of illegal surgeries and performed a multitude of disturbing experiments designed to eliminate their emotions entirely and make them completely loyal to the ASL.

In response to this newfound information, the government has started procedures to shut down the ASL entirely, and it is understood that several hundred officials in the organisation could face charges for various actions undertaken against members during the organisations' history. Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski, the Minister of Justice gave a short comment about the recent raids against the ASL

"The ASL is a barbaric organisation that has tricked tens of thousands of innocent Malgraveans into believing that the abuse peddled by the ASL will save them from the scourge of MIDD. It's time to leave them as a dark page in our nation's history and collectively move towards a better future, and in the following months the government will be taking steps to liquidate all ASL and transfer the holdings to the Gabriel Narutowicz Pioneers and the Free Democratic Youth."

Amelia and Emily Lowwe were asked to comment on these recent developments but they refused.

[Malgrave]

Work starts on two Dornalian-Malgravean film projects

Lucia Abbiati is confident that Dornalian-Malgravean films will become more common

Relations between the Dornalian and the Malgravean people have sharply increased over the past few years, with Dornalian products a common sight in many Malgravean households, with particular attention paid to the zany and wonderful selection of food and drink offered by the Dornalians. Gracie models have also become popular in Malgrave, with Sub-Lieutenant Bunsen being heralded by the population for her devotion to the ancestors and her charming personality.

In addition to the popular food and the Gracie models, a lot of cultural exchanges have also occurred with both Adventurer High and the Juanita and Lyudmila Show sharing popular crossover episodes, with the latter Dornalian production earning several awards for the best foreign TV show. It now appears that Ascension Productions and Grandee Pictures are looking to exploit this newfound relation between the two countries, with two mega films reportedly in production

The Frontier Game is reported to take place during the Southern Gata War, a time period when brave Neko forces battled against oppressive communists for control of the Dornalian region known as the Mojave Desert. The film follows the adventure of a lone Neko warrior as she is being hunted by an agent of the communist intelligence agency known as the ISB, with the music and the cinematography expected to greatly add to the narrative tension of the film, and generate key support for the brave neko fighter. Manuela Gibson, the Neko actor known for her role in the Juanita and Lyudmila Show is expected to play the role of Amelia Grimaldi--the Neko outlaw in question--and the film is widely expected to benefit from her popularity in both Malgrave and Dornalia.

Superesse is marked to be a survivalist film with Lucia Abbiati indicating that the film will revolve around a group of Dornalian and Malgravean charity workers that end up crashing somewhere in the Imerian wilderness during charitable relief efforts. It's believed that the plot will focus on the growing relationship between the members of the group, as they use their engineering skills and magical abilities to overcome natural obstacles and defend themselves against the mutated creatures created by the Atumite bombardment. Lucia Abbiati didn't confirm that the film would contain a romantic subplot, but certain insiders have said that a Dornalian and Malgravean member of the team played by Marcela Malinowski and Yolanda O’Neill will tease fandoms by getting into an on-screen relationship.

[Malgrave]

RMT Opinion: A look at the potential leaders in the Progressive Unity Party

Aurelia Wyrzykowski, the current Minister of State Security and potential leadership candidate

Since the conclusion of the 2015 General Election and the influx of fresh PUP representatives into parliament, the left-wing faction of the Progressive Unity Party has gradually exerted more control over the party, and the recent appointment of several left-wing representatives to high-profile positions in the cabinet indicate that they've gathered enough strength to influence national policy. Nadzieja Brzezicki and the other recently appointed left-wing Ministers don't just belong to the left-wing faction of the PUP, they were also senior members of both the Free Democratic Youth and the Ancestral Study Group.

It's now believed that Prime Minister Rachel Berry won't be standing for re-election in a few years time, and given the strength of the left-wing faction of the PUP its highly likely that a member of this political group will become the next leader of the PUP and lead the government into the next election.

Claudia Donovan, the eccentric Minister of Science and Engineering is considered to be the first member of the recently titled FDY-ASG cohort, and she has earned a positive reputation in the country since becoming Minister in 2009, but she has routinely stated that she doesn't want to become Prime Minister in the future, and her move to instantly silence those calling for the Ancestral Republic indicate that she just wishes to remain, Minister of Science and Engineering,.

Eliot Reymont, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs is also a potential candidate, the Minister was previous hand-picked by the current Prime Minister for the role of Transport Minister following the 2009 Emergency General Election, and her fiery speech during the Verdant Fronts conference in Liverpool certainly won her favours from the left-wing faction of the PUP. Eliot’s ability to garner a close relationship with the Dornalian Republic and the C’tani has also won her popular support across the country, and she could leverage the success of any future C’tani-Malgravean alliance in her favour.

Nadzieja Brzezicki is also another possibility, the current Minister of Finance is highly-regarded as an expert on economics, social solidarity and inequality, and according to insider sources she is well regarded by all factions of the PUP, with the same anonymous source telling the RMT that she is considered to be an adorable favourite by both MPs and regular members. Nadzieja Brzezicki's time as Minister of Social Solidarity has also been considered a massive success, with her introduction of Universal Basic Income and her decision to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education credited with recent increases in living standards and great efficiency in educational and medical facilities across the country.

Aurelia Wyrzykowski, the current Minister of State Security and Katia De Campo, the Minister of National Defence are also in the running but it's understood that the couple wishes to concentrate on their own personal lives, and wouldn't welcome the increased attention that is associated with the Prime Minister's job.

It's believed that senior members of the Progressive Unity Party will hold several meetings over the following months in order to collectively agree on the next leadership candidate, the move will prove to be controversial with those on the PUP calling for greater internal democracy within the party, but it's understood that the PUP hope to avoid the infighting suffered by the Conservative-Action Party.

[Malgrave]

RMT Editorial: A look at Prime Minister Rachel Berry's career

Nadzieja Brzezicki, the newly appointed Prime Minsiter and Minister of Finance

In the direct aftermath of the 2009 bombing of the Helas Metro Station it was feared that the country would enter a new period of instability and economic decline, the longstanding and respected Prime Minister Nikola Tesla had abruptly resigned quoting his inability to protect the nation from internal threats, and in his place had been replaced by Rachel Berry, who at that point was mostly known for reorganising the Malgravan public transport system to deal with the influx of foreign tourists, and her pre-political career as an actor and popular singer.

It was predicted that the newly appointed Prime Minister would struggle to cope with her newfound political power, and would stumble around as she lead the country for a short period until the hastily planned Emergency General Election, and then succumb to a challenger from one of the major political parties, most likely the Conservative Action Party or the Technology Party, with the newly appointed Prime Minister quickly tasked with stabilising the damage caused by the past few weeks of political instability. Instead, political analysts around the country found themselves shocked by the sheer amount of energy found in the newly appointed Prime Minister's campaign, that combined with her ability to unite the different political factions of the Progressive Unity Party and the large-scale crowds that she was able to draw for political speeches across the country, led to the newly appointed Prime Minister becoming the newly elected Prime Minister.

Despite the Prime Minister's stunning electoral upset, many still predicted that the upcoming months would be a troubling period for the new leader, after all leading a nation is quite a different experience to leading a political party during a national election, and party factions previously persuaded to remain unified during campaign periods routinely tried to make trouble during the early period of a new leaders term, in an attempt to win influence in major political decisions.

Prime Minister Rachel Berry once again bucked the expectations against her, with the progressive politician immediately moving to increase economic and cultural ties between Malgrave and Kouralia, the formation of official trade and defence agreements between the two governments, and plans to construct a tunnel between the Research Colony and the Kouralian mainland spurred a wealth of economic productivity between the two nations, and Kouralia remains one of Malgrave's most valuable trading partners to this day. In addition to the Kouralians, the Prime Minister made a note to sign official trade agreements with dozens of nations, most notably the Freethinkers and the Dornalian Republic, ensuring the continued growth of the national economy.

In addition to securing the health of the national economy, Rachel Berry also acted on a pledge that she made shortly after she was appointed Prime Minister, ensuring that the terrorist groups that orchestrated the attack on the Helas Metro Station were eliminated completely, and the Special Investigative Service was tasked with ensuring that promise was maintained. On the 7th of April 2012, the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence announced that the senior leadership of both the New Malgravean Communist Party and the Malgravean People's Party had been eliminated, and that several thousand junior members of the organisation had surrendered to forces of the Royal Marines and the Territorial Defence Force.

It was an enormous political achievement that led to the Prime Minister's approval rating skyrocketing to levels not seen since the early days of the Malgravean civil war, of course, the Prime Minister has also suffered numerous setbacks during her political career, the most infamous being the capturing of the current Queen during the short-lived but traumatic events of the Great Humiliation, although the quick brave actions of the Queen certainly prevented the heavy bombardment of Malgravean population centres by the forces of Atum, the fact that the government wasn't able to call upon forces capable of dealing with the threat of orbital bombardment caused high-levels of distress amongst the national population, especially since the Queen was heavily pregnant at the time of her kidnapping.

It is believed that the awful events of the Great Humiliation and subsequent diplomatic efforts are partially behind the recent decision of Rachel Berry to step down as Prime Minister, with the progressive politician expected to take a senior teaching position at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. In a customary move Quinn Fabray has also stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister, with the politician expected to hold a senior position in the Ancestor Study Group related to international outreach in nations like Crystal Spires, Breheim and Kouralia.

Nadzieja Brezizicki has been appointed the new Prime Minister, and Eliot Reymont has been appointed the new Deputy Prime Minister, with both figures also continuing as Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs respectively. In a short statement Nadzieja Brezizicki paid tribute to Rachel Berry's long record of service to the Malgravean nation, in addition to the statement the new Prime Minister also announced that the longstanding State of Emergency, in place since the start of the civil war in 1933 has been replaced by a Temporary Provincial State of Emergency and Reconstruction that will only impact the province of Pakosc, a movement that officially restricts the Territorial Defence Force from maintaining checkpoints outside of the Pakosc region.

[Malgrave]

Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism abolished

Malgravean Prime Minister speaking to citizens outside Pakosc after the announcement

In the aftermath of several attempted terrorist attacks against the Prime Minister and members of the Royal Family, the Second Wajda Administration passed the National Security and Stabilisation Act of 1938. The NSSA officially banned the Communist Party and the National Council for Stability and Justice for its contribution to the destabilisation of the nation and the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism was formed to counter the rise of these radical political movements.

It was during the height of the period known plainly as the Malgravean Civil War or the Great Destabilisation Period that saw the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism rise to a senior position within the cabinet, as developing methods to counter the main ideologies seen within the Socialist Republic of Malgrave and the National Workers' Republic of Malgrave was seen as a vital step in preventing the establishment of any internal threats to national security, and as a propaganda tool to be used in efforts to weaken the separatist republics, with the Ministry reportedly working closely with the Special Investigative Service.

Following the successful destruction of the National Workers' Republic and the transition of the conflict into a counter-terrorism campaign, the influence of the Ministry weakened somewhat as the Ministry of State Security took over more responsibilities that had been traditionally handled by the Ministry, and following the success of Operation Tempest and the official end of the counter-terrorism campaign that influence declined further.

Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki's political ascension and recent diplomatic overtures by Eliot Reymont, the Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have also further weakened the power and influence of the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism, with reports indicating that soon-to-be officially established alliances are dependent on the liberalisation of the Malgravean political sphere and intelligence services, with high-ranking foreign officials apparently disturbed in the strength of the Special Investigative Service and the ideological ban enforced by parts of the NSSA.

It now seems as if this diplomatic pressure is paying off as the Prime Minister recently announced that the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism will be abolished and people convincted under the previous obvious will be released, with some of its responsibilities being phased into a newly upgraded police-task force designed to monitor and respond to political violence. It is not known how this reform will be seen by the wider public, with some expected to view it as a long-awaited modernisation of a political system that hasn't changed since the start of the civil war and others seeing it as a capitulation.

[Lillorainen]

(Image)
Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism abolished

(Image)
Malgravean Prime Minister speaking to citizens outside Pakosc after the announcement

In the aftermath of several attempted terrorist attacks against the Prime Minister and members of the Royal Family, the Second Wajda Administration passed the National Security and Stabilisation Act of 1938. The NSSA officially banned the Communist Party and the National Council for Stability and Justice for its contribution to the destabilisation of the nation and the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism was formed to counter the rise of these radical political movements.

It was during the height of the period known plainly as the Malgravean Civil War or the Great Destabilisation Period that saw the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism rise to a senior position within the cabinet, as developing methods to counter the main ideologies seen within the Socialist Republic of Malgrave and the National Workers' Republic of Malgrave was seen as a vital step in preventing the establishment of any internal threats to national security, and as a propaganda tool to be used in efforts to weaken the separatist republics, with the Ministry reportedly working closely with the Special Investigative Service.

Following the successful destruction of the National Workers' Republic and the transition of the conflict into a counter-terrorism campaign, the influence of the Ministry weakened somewhat as the Ministry of State Security took over more responsibilities that had been traditionally handled by the Ministry, and following the success of Operation Tempest and the official end of the counter-terrorism campaign that influence declined further.

Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki's political ascension and recent diplomatic overtures by Eliot Reymont, the Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have also further weakened the power and influence of the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism, with reports indicating that soon-to-be officially established alliances are dependent on the liberalisation of the Malgravean political sphere and intelligence services, with high-ranking foreign officials apparently disturbed in the strength of the Special Investigative Service and the ideological ban enforced by parts of the NSSA.

It now seems as if this diplomatic pressure is paying off as the Prime Minister recently announced that the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism will be abolished and people convincted under the previous obvious will be released, with some of its responsibilities being phased into a newly upgraded police-task force designed to monitor and respond to political violence. It is not known how this reform will be seen by the wider public, with some expected to view it as a long-awaited modernisation of a political system that hasn't changed since the start of the civil war and others seeing it as a capitulation.

(OOC: Oii! I assume, the 'Comments welcome' policy hasn't changed in this thread? I decided to write one IC - I hope, that you like it! As usual, a nice one you've written there! ^^)

(Lysköpinger Almindelige Bladden, English version. October 24, 2019.)

Of Old Ministries and New Times

Comment by Lykke Hedegaard.

---

And here we go again with the question as old as states exist - how to deal with threats, internal as well as external, to the state and its leadership and society? Throughout history, nations have, or believe to have found a variety of different answers as to how to deal with elements known for causing terror and mayhem on their soils, but almost all of them agree on one of them: proper law enforcement is the be-all and end-all.
The Malgravean solution after the 1930s Civil War was easy, from a perspective of that particular era: pass the National Security and Stabilisation Act and create a ministry designed for the enforcement thereof - the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism. No fancy name, just a name directly telling you what it's supposed to be there for.
And now, more than eighty years and numerous horrible terrorist attacks later, the Ministry is supposed to pack its bags and call it a day. What will this mean for Malgrave and its future?
If I think of the younger history of the Federation of Lillorainen, I happen to find a few parallels. The establishment of the Lillorainian Federal Republic in 1948, its first attempt of establishing democracy in the Lillöer-Archipelago, the utter failure thereof. The LFR's attempt to unify all Lillorainian States under one banner - its own, of course -, and the two years of Civil War it caused in the 1970s. The successful resistance of the Lillorainian People, the Founding of the Federation in 1981 and the trouble the new state had, with various attacks by nationalist and communist fringe groups, reaching its peak with the assassination of President Marie Seelscheid in 1994. The long phase of silence with only minor attacks, and the revelation of various underground groups following the bomb attack in Utica, Kyrenaia, on the 17th of June, 2019, and the MND's investigations thereupon.
In 1996, President Rudolph Nieweiler passed an act dealing with national security as well, and his primary focus was was the law enforcement. For the first time, the fairly young Federation had a common database of terrorists and terrorist suspects for all law enforcement authorities. The Federal Criminal Office received a boost in funding and modernization; as did the MND and other intelligence services. The Federal Police opened its border control registry to all State Police authorities. In the 2000s, already under President Flemming, a license plate tracking system got developed and implemented. Within a decade, the Federation's law enforcement transited from a Cold War era dust collector to an incredibly efficient apparatus knowing where there's an attack before it's even planned.
One could now argue, that in a country, where the Meritocratic Unity Party is the only party in power anyways, an anti-extremist legislation would be a moot point, and in a country with an efficient economy providing wealth for everyone, there isn't much of a reason for most people to radicalize, but the point is clear - there is no such ministry in Lillorainen, and there's also no need thereof.
Now, what about Malgrave? There were multiple attacks during the reign of a Prime Minister who happened to have the same name as a renowned Serbian scientist and inventor, and the fact, that the current PM Nadzieja Brzezicki got just elected last year in an Emergency General Election following PM Rachel Berry's resign, initially wouldn't sound like a good sign, either. However, it is hardly possible to deny, that the international pressure did work wonders, and if the abolition of a ministry which has been rendered obsolete throughout the decades by the work and campaigns of other ministries such as the Ministry of State Security helps appeasing the officials of countries Malgrave deals with, and eventually brings peace and economic cooperation into the Malgravean sphere (with the economic growth surely being helpful to prevent radicalization as well - thus bringing more stability into the country), for what reason, in Odin's name, should anyone oppose it?
Therefore, in the humble opinion of a journalist sitting in a way too small office in the headquarters of Lillorainen's largest Danish-language daily newspaper: Good job, Malgrave! To me, this is not a step of capitulation, but an important step towards a law enforcement apparatus catching up with the times. I'm aware, that Malgrave still isn't a perfectly stable country yet, but I do think, that the abolition of the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism, as well as the release of people convicted by it (and proper monitoring thereof by the modernized authorities) is a good thing to do.
But that's just my two pennies. I wish PM Brzezicki good luck and success at leading Malgrave into a bright future!
Lykke Hedegaard.

[Malgrave]

Government pleased with Mystrian Prosperity Conference

Foreign Ministry Officials responding to questions during the conference

Over the past few days, delegates from across the Mystrian region have been assembled in Glorelheim, Crystal Spires to discuss matters of the utmost importance as part of the Mystrian Prosperity Conference, a meeting that has been described by Foreign Office officials as an opportunity to push past petty nationalist barriers of old and create a new sense of solidarity across the region.

Since the start of the conference viewers from across Malgrave have been tuning into remarks made by Prime Minister Nadzieja Brezezicki and Foreign Minister Eliot Reymont, with commenters expressing positive opinions on how the Prime Minister handled the tricky task of speaking on the earlier conflict with Atum (known in Malgravean circles as patris patriae reverentiam et ante ruinam or the national dishonour and failure before the ancestors) and on potential religious divides impacting a regional drive for sentient rights. In addition to the statements made by the Malgravean delegation, " the viewpoints of the Kouralian envoys also appear to have gained traction among the Malgravean population, with media metrics noting a sharp increase in online searches for Elena Campbell and Sir Barynel alongside requests for information on the Kouralian coupling ceremony"


Malgrave's main priority for the conference has been to promote the establishment of an international non-governmental organisation to develop and promote the creation of standards over matters of importance, a key issue since the standardisation matters such as railway gauges, shipping containers and lab safety regulations will greatly further the cause of international cooperation and trade, with the proposed organisation being called AEQ for Malgravean Ancient term for equilibrium and so that the name of the organisation will remain the same across multiple languages.

According to official sources, the Foreign Ministry is quietly confident about the possibility that such an organisation could be formed within the next few months, although anonymous sources from within the Ministry have expressed disappointment over the negative opinion that has been levelled against Malgravean Ancient and the possibility that certain states could refuse to join such a scheme, an uncivilised move which would certainly strike a blow against Malgravean plans.

Silverdalean plans for a Mystrian Wildlife Foundation also seem increasingly likely to be implemented over the coming months, with the proposal finding support from Malgrave, Imeriata, Dyste and Kouralia to name a few, with officials from the Foreign Ministry praising the Silverdalean delegation for their commitment to the health and well-being of the region. It is also suspected that this conference could serve as an ideal platform to increase ties between nations like Malgrave and Silverdale, as cooperation on matters such as the Mystrian Wildlife Foundation and the understanding of Ancestral Abilities could lead to closer trading relationships, with MalTec and MalMart looking to explore opportunities as Silverdalean financial and tourism institutions look to continue their investment in the Research Colony.

Eliot Reymont and senior officials at the Foreign Ministry have repeatedly ignored rumours of apparent tensions between members of the Dragon Sea Alliance and the Crown Alliance, with the Foreign Ministry stating that the establishment of close trading and cultural partnerships with Silverdale, Dyste and Glaristant ensures that military conflict between Malgrave and the Dragon Sea Alliance is virtually impossible. In addition to closer cooperation between Silverdale and Malgrave, it is rumoured that the Prime Minister will utilise the conference to offer international development assistance to Glaristant, with sources close to the Prime Minister indicating that funds saved from the aftermath of the Spirean crisis could be loaned to the Glaristanti government over a period of several decades to further their recovery.

Both actions would be immensely popular with the Malgravean people, as per the latest opinion polls a majority of people hold a favourable opinion of Silverdale, with the highest attributes being recorded as cute, brave, compassionate and ancestrally-tuned and Glaristant being held in similarly high regard, with the highest attributes being recorded as strong, wise, courageous and comradely.

It is unknown if the Mystrian Prosperity Conference will continue in such good stead, however, it remains likely that the Malgravean government will emerge from it with some key benefits.

[Malgrave]

Prime Minister announces sweeping reform of intelligence apparatus

Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki making the announcement

On the 12th of March 1938, armed terrorists from the National Council for Stability and Justice attempted to assassinate Prime Minister Jozef Wajda and subvert the core principles of democracy to assume the reins of power for themselves, a dark day of history that is remembered in Malgrave as being one of the last actions leading up to the declaration of the Socialist Republic and National Workers Republic and the decades of suffering that followed.

In the aftermath of this failed assault, a parliamentary investigation revealed that personal rivalries and improper communication between the Political Protection Service, Internal Security Division and the International Operations Committee almost resulted in the plan being successful, and it was only due to some last-minute fortune that the NCSJ plot was foiled. In response to this report and to deal with the emerging threat posed by the looming civil war the responsibilities of the Political Protection Service, Internal Security Division and International Operations Committee were merged into a new agency, the Special Investigative Service.

It is a state of being that has existed uncontested by major political parties for several decades now, with the intelligence service growing in size and scope during the civil war and counter-terrorism period and beyond, an era in which left-of field political analysts hoped that would merit a reduction following with the decrease in influence endured by the Ministry of Cultural Sensitivity or the Ministry of Anti-Communism and Anti-Fascism which have since been abolished by Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki in a process that has been dubbed Brzezickism.

In recent years, however, reform of the Special Investigative Service has become an increasingly popular idea amongst those in the ruling Progressive Unity Party, with current Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki recently going on record to apologise for the actions undertaken by previous governments to suppress those with ancestral abilities.

It now appears that the Prime Minister has been able to convince her colleagues of the need for wholesale reforms of the intelligence service, with the Prime Minister announcing that the pre-war Political Protection Service, Internal Security Division and International Operations Committee will be re-established, with the Special Investigative Service acting as an umbrella organisation for the sake of inter-service cooperation.

In addition to the re-establishment of these prewar agencies, the Prime Minister stated that the new intelligence apparatus will operate under the oversight of the newly created Intelligence and Security Committee, a new parliamentary committee and the Independent Judicial Review Board, a new organisation under the purview of the Home Secretary tasked with reviewing the powers utilised by the intelligence services.

In her address to the people, Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki stated that she had hope that the reforms carried out would enhance the security of the nation and put an end to a period of inefficiency and fear that has silently gripped the nation since the darkest days of the civil war, with the Prime Minister stating following a period of review financial compensation will be offered to those deemed to have unduly suffered due to the actions of the SIS.

It is unknown how much this will cost, however, anonymous officials have confirmed to the Royal Malgravean Times that at a sum of around 2 billion Malvians, a sum equivalent to around 1 billion Dornalian Dollars has been put aside for compensation payments, but the Royal Malgravean Times will keep you informed of these developments as the story progresses.

[Malgrave]

MBBC makes final preparations for end of year broadcast

Yukika Saito is expected to perform hits from her latest mini-album

In spite of the considerable difficulties currently facing the Research Colony and the wider region, the Malgravean Broadcasting Corporation declined calls to cancel its traditional end of year broadcast, with sources close to the broadcaster stating that the mood at the government-funded television network was quite defiant, with calls to delay or cancel the broadcast being seen as tantamount to a surrender to the forces of evil, especially as the traditional end of year broadcast was always held even during the darkest moments of the civil war.

It is a decision that has led to an expression of happiness from across Malgravean society, with polling conducted by the Royal Malgravean Times concluding that a majority of the population agree with the decision of MBBC to decline to cancel the new years celebration, with people on social media stating that they are looking forward to planned performances by popular artists like Aleksandra Dubanowski and Sakura Saito, with the latter being famous for her ability to calm and reunite the nation with her popular albums such as Timely and Hope from Sadness connecting with the Malgravean spirit and desire for peace.

After the traditional spate of entertainment has concluded the Prime Minister is also expected to address the nation, with sources close to the government informing the RMT that Nadzieja Brzezicki will seek to rally the nation behind ongoing attempts to relieve those trapped in the Research Colony alongside current operations to defend the Silverdalean people, with the Prime Minister expected to inspire citizens to support the efforts of the military by donating excess resources to the Territorial Defence Force which is currently activating several elements of the reserve to cope with additional requirements.

It is also known that the Prime Minister will take the opportunity to announce the results of the 27th 3-year plan in accordance with historic legislation that requires the transparency of the detailed analysis on the efficiency of the state-managed economy and the state of ongoing public works projects. It is unknown at this point just how the disruption in the Research Colony will negatively impact the 27th plan, however, sources close to the Foreign Ministry have stipulated that the report will contain a mixture of good and bad news, as while the full-details of the crisis impacting the Research Colony is unknown it is suspected the detected seismic activity and the loss of communications will not only damage existing infrastructure but harm ongoing construction projects which will dent earlier predictions on the number of completed housing units and the scale of high-speed networks.

It isn’t all bad news, however, as the continued expansion of state-run corporations like MalTec, MalMart and MalPha has reportedly been a wide-ranging success, with officials from the government confident that the increased presence of Malgravean companies in more consumerist cultures like the Dornalian Republic and The Grand Duchy of Glaristant will ensure continued support can be awarded to future reconstruction efforts in alignment with the 28th 3-year plan.

It has been a challenging 2020 for all of us, especially those that remain trapped in the Research Colony, however, we know that behind a heavy door there is always a blue sky and we at the Royal Malgravean Times wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2021, so happy new year and may the ancestors watch over you as we head into a new year together.

[The Ctan]

Great Civilization Mystrian Congress approves Enhanced Medical Exports to Malgrave

Today it was announced by the Great Civilization Mystrian Congress, the regional authority that deals with routine trade and legal interactions with the Mystria region, that the nation of Malgrave has been approved for the export of high technology devices. Coordinator Laudrina Frost, head of the Great Civilization Mystrian Congress, attributed the change in policy to the substantial progress that the nation had made in restraining the former excesses of its infamous clandestine police service the Special Investigative Service.

“One of the main concerns that the Great Civilization has with technology export is the proliferation of weapons technology, as well as technology that can be used for coercive or disruptive purposes. While this always presents a moral dilemma between outreach and concern, there are few branches on the tree of technology that don’t have a leaf of weapons technology attached. Although we export medicinal technologies in finished form with very few direct impediments, we do not export full production cycles of over-rung technologies even for pharmaceutical purposes.

“While the Special Investigative Service retained operational freedom in Malgrave to operate without efficient legal oversight this posed a substantial risk, as while it would take some effort for Malgrave to directly work back from our own pharmaceutical technologies the chain of custody and asset control of such items could not be guaranteed, potentially allowing them to reach the black market due to the actions of unsupervised state security apparatus.

“Such a thing has happened before, with the Special Investigative Service being involved in the illegal hijacking of a battle-cruiser hull belonging to the Dornalian Northern Ordnance Industries Corporation, believed to be in cooperation with Dornalian state actors, acquiring this hull for the Malgravean government.

“With the Special Investigative Service’s apparatus having been divided into several new agencies and brought under civilian oversight this is no longer a concern. We are confident that the risk of asset control failure with select Malgravean partner organizations is acceptable, and would now require criminal activity. This will, of course, be periodically reassessed by the Mystrian Congress.”

Key technologies approved include one hundred and six specific medicinal compounds, including certain molecular treatments, blood-nanotechnology, micrite repair technologies, nanoscarabs and other internal biological technologies, as well as sixty-seven major families of medical technologies including auto-diagnosticating and surgical platforms. The requirements of these include non-proliferation and controlled usage, as well as an asset control regime to ensure the more dangerous of these are kept securely.

While all these technologies have been used and found to help combat the Immunodefieicney Endemic in Malgrave, they have previously been accessible only by remote treatment, which has been a factor in keeping the City of Isasrach, which has substantial hospital facilities, and the Ayu-class Hospital Vessel Errand of Mercy in the region for the last decade. The ability to situate these directly in Malgravean hospitals and treatment facilities will provide peace of mind, and quality of life upgrades for patients.

Additionally, as Malgrave is already a culture with the widespread use of neural implants in the form of MalTech ascension devices, this is likely to be considered a possible testbed for transfer of further related technologies; one long term solution to the MIDD Endemic is bioconversion, the conversion of human bodies to machine, which is, of course, a famously difficult topic to the Great Civilization. The Great Civilization is unlikely to endorse such an option or to provide technologies directly for this procedure, nor to make it available domestically within Malgrave without further discussion. Despite this, the Mystrian Strategic Interest Congress has confirmed that such technologies can be discussed for a partner program if interest is confirmed.

[Malgrave]

Malgrave mobilises for war

Epping

It has been theorised that the crisis that has befallen both the Research Colony and the Kouralian mainland is the work of an individual known as Grogar, a sentient goat creature that was imprisoned by the combined power Celestia and several regional powers hundreds of years ago while on a quest of destruction and chaos, with the return of Grogar being prophesied during an incident that took part in the nation of Hippocratia involving the scientist-adventurer Amelia Lowwe.

In the face of the growing feeling within government and wider society that this crisis was sparked by the return of Grogar, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to hear Grogar mentioned by name during the address, however, in line with the Prime Minister’s academic background, she refused to name Grogar directly during her remarks to the nation, with Nadzieja Brzezicki instead referring to an as of yet unidentified assailant that has struck against the citizens of the Research Colony and our Kouralian allies.

In her speech to the nation, the Prime Minister confirmed that the blackout impacting the Research Colony wasn’t the result of a simple breakdown of communications equipment or an error in the electricity grid as theorised in the early stages of the crisis but the result of the establishment of a technology exclusion zone, a bubble that currently stretches over large parts of the Research Colony and renders all technology dependent on the axle and the hinge obsolete within minutes.

Prime Minister Brzezicki stated that research conducted by the Royal Institute for the Understanding and Advancement of Ancestral Abilities located in Luban had worked to confirm the existence of the technology exclusion zone and its characteristics, such as the refresh rate of the zone and its impact on the use of ancestral abilities which has resulted in an indefinite ban being placed on teleportation magic within or to a place in the zone.

In spite of the challenges posed by the existence of this technology exclusion zone, the Prime Minister confirmed that the planned mobilisation of the Territorial Defence Force would continue on schedule, with orders being dispatched across the country in accordance with the planned upscaling of military activity. It is unknown at this point how these mobilised forces will be deployed to the Research Colony in a safe and efficient manner given the exclusion zone, however, it is expected that such a solution will come from the desks of the Royal Institute for the Advancement of Universal Technology.

In a time of great crisis and unrest such as this it is important that all loyal citizens do their best to protect their comrades, this can easily be achieved by accepting the call of mobilisation, however, another way this principle can be maintained is through efforts to ensure that the state has the resources it needs to support the mobilisation campaign, in Malgrave this effort is being led by the joint efforts of the Gabriel Narutowicz Pioneers, Free Democratic Youth and the Ancestral Study Group.

In addition to these organisations, the group Eclipse which went on hiatus in 2018 announced that they were temporarily suspending their hiatus to perform music for a special charity album with artists such as Yukika Saito and Aleksandra Dubanowski, with the news temporarily causing social media services to stop working. It is a strategy that appears to be working as over the past few days tens of millions of Malgraveans across the country have donated non-vital household items, volunteered for emergency civil defence duty and donated surplus Malvians to bolster the war efforts.

It is hard to predict how much these charitable efforts will raise for the government's mobilisation efforts in the long term, however, it is expected that their continued presence will provide valuable moral support to soldiers awaiting deployment to the frontline, with the return of Eclipse predicted to create much jubilation within the ranks of the military, however, in terms of the economy things are more uncertain.

In peacetime, Malgrave maintains a rather small army, with the majority of TDF divisions being classified as part of the Active Reserve, as seen in response to the Silverdalean crisis elements of the Active Reserve can be activated and deployed in times of tension, however, full mobilisation is something that hasn’t been actioned since the civil war and its impact on the economy and the state's ability to maintain said war effort is unknown.

Eliot Reymont is expected to travel to the Dornalian Republic and the C’tan to request financial support for the war effort, a move which is expected to alleviate concerns in corners of the Lower and Upper Chambers that regional powers could try and use this crisis to suit their own needs.

As of today, all funds raised by the Royal Malgravean Times will be donated to the ASG-led campaign to finance the war effort, may the ancestors watch over our comrades and guide them to victory against the enemy.

[Malgrave]

War of the Car? Dornalian docudrama earns fame in Malgrave

Rhee Chae-Yeong (pictured in Ancestral Guest House) is a known fan of the series

Is it possible to fight a war over a car? In the past disputes between Regional Social Solidarity Councils (RSSC's) over their collective car ownership schemes have occasionally led to petty fights and other such criminal actions, however, anything beyond these acts is quite unthinkable. It is perhaps the outlandish nature of a war fought between the ownership of a single car that has led the Dornalian docudrama series, the aptly named War of the Car to quickly become a fan-favourite on MBC, with social media metrics praising the channel for going above and beyond in the search for new cultural products to put online.

Both factions of the series have been praised by those on social media, with netizens as they are known praising the unique idea of an organised gang forming around the image of one Tupac, a musician who was unfortunately killed before the establishment of the Dornalian Republic but still possesses a certain cultural influence in the country due to his musical abilities and inspiring quotes. It has led some netizens to formulate their ideas about a Malgravean version of the popular docudrama, with netizens editing pictures of the bonks seen on the show alongside Rhee Chae-Yeong and other members of Eclipse, with the gang of Shadows being proposed, a shadowy organisation which engages in all manners of ancestral energy and sneakery to protect the collection of memorabilia that the group have collected from the various mini-albums.

It can be said with confidence that the Partisans are the most popular faction with the public so far, with netizens praising the ideal of brotherhood and unity showcased by the bonks in show, a concept which seems to be quite familiar to the notion of social solidarity that has been used by successive governments to try and foster a sense of common national identity. In addition the commitment of the bonks to defeating the evils of fascism has found approval within communities across the country, with certain Malgraveans even going back to bringing back old styles of greeting, the most notable of these being the traditional death to fascism, comrade greeting which was slowly replaced with the simple comrade greeting following the collapse of the NWR.

Despite these common agreements within the viewership, a passionate debate has started to form within fan communities of the show over how the docudrama series should conclude, one group calling it self Titoists have said that the series should end with the Tito-supporting bonks emerging victorious after a violent battle with the Tupac-supporting bonks in which their criminal nature is destroyed, however, another group calling itself the Smol Apple (a play on the famed short stature of Malgraveans and Tupacs home city) have said that the Tupac-bonks should emerge victorious after a campaign of subterfuge and superior music leaves the Tito-supporting bonks crushed. If that wasn't confusing enough a third group has emerged calling themselves Bonk Solidarity, the group says that the image of Tito and Tupac should appear in the final episode and it should be revealed that the pair are good friends in the afterlife, with both groups being chastised for pointlessly spilling the blood of fellow bonks before peace is made and everyone walks away happy.

Furthermore, the show has received an additional increase in popularity due to a recent Capybara broadcast made by Rhee Chae-Yeong and Janina Pasternack, with the pair confirming that Eclipse has been watching War of the Car and had found the show enjoyable, although when asked which group they were supporting by curious viewers Janina simply winked at the camera, an act which resulted in a flurry of rather flustered messages from viewers and led to the session being joined by Park Eun-Ji and Amelia Ricci, a positive sign for the return of the group who are currently raising money for an ASG-led charity effort.

It is not yet known how the series shall end, however, it is quite certain that quite a few sections of Malgravean society shall be watching these developments closely providing a welcome relief to millions of household across the country.

[Malgrave]

OOC: Many thanks to Ara for inspiring this article!

Victory through defeat? How the Royal Navy has developed thanks to naval exercises

An older piece of Glaristanti coastal artillery

It is a common belief within Malgravean society that the Royal Navy is by far the most capable and professional service in the country, with its historical deeds during the exodus and their steadfast refusal to join either one of the seperatist republics combining with more recent heroic actions undertook during their campaigns against pirates, slavers and other reprehensible organisations adding to the sense of pride that Malgraveans feel about their naval history.

In spite of this history of successful actions, the Royal Navy themselves have gone out of their way to recognise that plenty of nation's around Mystria boast a similar level of pride on their naval service, and have recognised that simply resting on past glory and refusing to cooperate and train with regional powers could lead to the Royal Navy becoming overly confident and unaware of potential weaknesses which could provide a genuine detriment to future conflicts against such naval powers.

Since the end of isolation in 2000 it is perhaps this understanding that led to the Royal Navy entering into a series of naval exercises with their counterparts in Kouralia and Breheim, with the former leading to some improvements in the manner in which aircraft were launched from aircraft carriers while the latter apparently confirmed reports that the Breheimians are very serious about fishing, with at least one destroyer being virtually “sunk” after accidentally entering an area of waters used by the Breheimians for fishing.

Of course, the Royal Navy haven’t just engaged with the Breheimians and Kouralians during these naval exercises, as such engagements have been held with the Silverdaleans and even the Imerians in recent years, however, the most surprising and informative of these new engagements has been with the Glaristant military.

Since 2008 Malgrave and Glaristant have engaged in frequent military exercises, initially these exercises were quite small and limited in scope to a few naval vessels, however, since 2015 the exercises have started to increase in scope including the extensive and well-respected Glaristant fortification networks alongside elements of the Malgravean Royal Marines in order to properly and accurately simulate conflict.

It has been reported that the Royal Navy have been suitably impressed with the conduct of the Glaristant forces, with much praise being saved for the aforementioned Glaristant fortification networks which on several occasions have recorded “sinkings” against ships of the Royal Navy including the HMNV Monika Chmiel and HMNV Progress.

At the same time the Royal Navy has been able to record its own victories against the Glaristanti military, with the HMNV Portmon, an Admah class submarine recording several success after successfully sneaking through the detection network and the HMNV Monika Chmiel managing an effective drift to score hits against a Glaristanti fort, a series of events that has sparked a friendly rivalry between the fortification operators and the crew of the Monika Chmiel.

It is highly likely that the trouble impacting the Research Colony and Kouralia will see the next series of planned naval exercises cancelled, however, through virtual success and more importantly virtual failure the forces of the Royal Navy have garnered a greater understanding of their own capabilities and stand more prepared to face the challenges being brought against them by the forces of the unidentified assailant.

[Malgrave]

OOC: 100% of the inspiration for this article comes down to Dorn! Thanks Dorn.

2021 Cairo-Luban Rally to go ahead with minor alterations

Promotional material released for the 2021 Cairo-Luban Rally

It is commonly known that a collective passion for scientific development was one of the cornerstones of the foundation of the Malgravean state, however, in addition to a deep burning passion for science and the involvement of the Ancients or Ancestors, the modern Malgravean state was also founded on a love of engineering and the challenges associated with building things for the greater good.

It is this deeply rooted passion that has been credited with the development and construction of the nation's extensive highspeed rail network, the development of a vast renewable energy apparatus alongside other impressive engineering accomplishments such the construction of the Formidable Jellyfish, a mobile undersea research station which is currently in service near Silverdale.

Yet, not all of these accomplish are primarily focused on making progress on the everpresent journey towards ascension, as engineering talents have also been utilised to facilitate the development of skiing infrastructure near Omsk and Portmon and help the development of sailing in Aurora and Cerne, however, one of the more recent developments has been the development of rallying, with various mechanics vying to create the best rallying platform across several types of vehicles from motorbikes and varying sizes of car.

Since the 1980s Rallying has become increasingly popular in Malgrave, with a series of events taking place in the mainland and since 2000 the research colony, however, following the establishment of the Dornalian-Malgravean Friendship Association led by Marika Wyrzykowski, a serious effort began to try and develop some manner of collaborative rallying event involving both nations.

In 2008, the first Cairo-Luban Rally was hosted, the event comprised several categories as competitors took to varying types of motorbikes, cars, boats and aircraft to take part in a series of long distance rally stages between Cairo, a city in the Dornalian Republic and Luban, a city in the Malgravean Research Colony, with the rules stipulating that the crews involved in the race must comprise of both Dornalian and Malgravean nationals, an attempt to further develop the bonds between the two nations.

In line with the tightening of relations between Dornalia and Malgrave, the Cairo-Luban Rally has also increased in scale, with the event now boasting a series of events involving various classifications of spaceworthy vessels, with a mixture of crews taking part in runs that are mostly focused around space occupied by Dornalian Republic but typically end up in or around the Sol system.

It was thought that the crisis impacting the Research Colony would mean that the 2021 Cairo-Luban rally would have to be cancelled, however, following a series of negotiations between organisers and officials in both the Dornalian and Malgravean government's it was decided that the end stage of the race would instead be switched to Busan, a region in the Dornalian Republic.

In addition to the slight reorganisation, the organisers of the Cairo-Luban Rally have also said that all profits earned during the event will go towards the ASG-led charitable effort which has been organised to finance relief efforts and aid mobilisation to the region impacted by the technology exclusion zone.

It is hoped that the 2021 Cairo-Luban Rally will provide a welcome distraction to many and work to raise valuable funds for relief efforts being organised in Malgrave.

[Malgrave]

OOC: 100% of the inspiration for this article comes down to Dorn and Ara, so many thanks to them for helping out

MalDef expansion? How the company has developed since partial-privatisation

A Karlino-class frigate, an example of the advanced surface vessels offered by MalDef

Malgrave is rarely brought into conversation whenever someone starts discussing the powerhouses of the arms industry in Mystria, a combination of the nations focus on civilian scientific advancement and engineering projects, the fallout from the violence of the civil war and the positive disinterest that various governments have had in the affairs of MalDef being blamed for the current state of affairs.

Yet, this perception does not accurately portray the state of the defence industry in Malgrave, for example, a majority of the vessels currently in service of the Royal Navy are considered to be of an advanced nature and have conducted themselves with efficiency and honour during numerous engagements over the past few decades, with these vessels being constructed at naval facilities in Aurora and Portmon, the most recent additions being the Paragon-class Fleet Carrier and the Admah-class attack submarine.

Despite the lack of interest from officials in Epping, MalDef has been able to develop a series of research facilities both overseas and on the mainland, with the naval complex in Aurora, their presence in the MalTec facility Electronictopia and the testing ground near Luban and Portmon being the most notable examples.

It is a development that has been partially credited to the nations former isolationist stance and the civil war, as the long nature of the conflict meant that that the state had to develop its military equipment or face the real possibility of losing ground against the separatist forces who naturally maintained their own arms development projects, with a notable example being the ATC61, an armoured troop carrier that was developed in the 1960s and performed admirably during the remainder of the conflict.

Furthermore, the decision of the government to sell a stake of MalDef to KAE Systems, Azura Industries and Lumen Arms has also been linked to the continued performance of the now partially state-run enterprise, with both KAE and Lumen Arms being able to properly coordinate the research assets of the company into more focused and achievable aims, both Kouralia, Glaristant and to a lesser extent Aravea have subsequently engaged in a series of collaborative research projects, such as the involvement of KAE Systems on a series of design improvements that extended the life of the AR-2 rifle after a series of AR-3 prototypes were rejected.

In the years following the involvement of Lumen Arms, the level of cooperation between Glaristanti and Malgravean government has increased rapidly, with MalDef working with Lumen Arms on a new Designated Marksman Rifle, Carbine and Battle Rifle, with the former two going into service with the TDF with the designation DMR-4 and LR-3 respectively, although arguably the branch that has most favoured from increased Glaristanti-Malgravean cooperation has been the air-force, with a new generation of carrier-based fighter, naval strike aircraft and land-based interceptor aircraft in the works.

Recent developments in the Research Colony have also brought the idea of a potential replacement of the AR-2 to the forefront of political discussion. It is known that over the past few decades numerous designs have been proposed to replace the AR-2, a weapon platform that was first introduced in the early 1940s to act as the primary service weapon of the Territorial Defence Force but concerns over cost and other political arguments have meant that these projects have been abandoned, with simple life-extension projects of the AR-2 being favoured over a wholescale replacement.

Yet, the reports of the creation of a technology exclusion zone in the Research Colony have prompted the government to start the production of a prototype referred to as the Tesla Rifle 2, a system that has both beam and arc configurations for lethal and non-lethal methods of firing, with the rifle going into service as the AR-3, alongside a whole host of other prototypes that will go into service with the designation ST-1 and ST-2 with ER-1 and ER-2 being the best translation from Malgravean Ancient to Mystrian Common. In order to ensure that these weapons are distributed to the front an agreement has been reached between MalDef and Dornalian arms manufacturer Colt to produce these weapons in the Dornalian Republic, with the agreement allowing the Dornalian company to produce variants of these platforms for their local civilian market.

It is expected that the decision to replace the AT-7, an anti-tank platform, the SR-3, a sniper rifle and the P-5, the current service pistol with variants all manufactured by Dornalian companies has been made as part of an agreement to increase the number of Dornalian products being exported to Malgrave, with the most notable examples being the number of cargo vessels purchased by the ASG for off-world research missions and the numerous Dornalian consumer goods that have been sold either through MalMart or the Dornalian cooperatives that operate within Malgrave.

Given the prevalence of shipbuilding in both Aurora and Portmon it does not come as much of a surprise that this is an area of arms production that has seen a notable increase in exports, firstly with the export of commercial ships such as freight and passenger-carrying ships including a series of experimental ground-effect/hydrofoil container ships that saw action during the recent deployment of military and civilian assets to Silverdale during a rather fierce internal security operation, however, it has also seen the construction of new military vessels with Admah-class attack submarines, Paragon-class fleet carriers and an assortment of smaller Karlino-class frigates and smaller Maestoso-class corvettes being prepared for the Dornalian Republic.

It is a series of collaborative research projects and arms sales that are unlikely to majorly change the importance of MalDef to the wider Malgravean economy, with the successes enjoyed by MalMart, MalTec, MalPha alongside some other interesting joint ventures in banking in tourism and banking with the Dornalian and Kouralians being viewed as more valuable, however, it is something that analysts at the Project for the Analysis of International Relations see as a continuation of the NESDRUKMMPPR strategy formulated by Seo Yi-kyung, the current Director-General for Mystria at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is unknown how these forms of military cooperation will continue into the far future, but it is suspected that Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki and Foreign Minister Eliot Reymont will seek to build upon these successes to increase cooperation on other matters such as scientific cooperation on planar affairs and ease of business between Glaristanti, Dornalian, Aravea and Kouralian companies with their Malgravean counterparts.