Donation Controversy and More

Day 696, 22:48 Published in Austria Austria by Rangeley


Donation Controversy

The possibility of theft from Austria's treasury is a very serious issue. I'll be honest, it was discouraging to see a Secretary General of PEACE GC state he saw no difference between someone who is president spending money from the treasury, and someone who is no longer president spending money from the treasury. Of all the arguments put forward, the 'so what if he did take it without authorization?' argument was both the most surprising, and the most disappointing to see.

With that being said, I found out about the donation only a few days ago. I was not informed about it either in private, or obviously in public, because no public explanation, discussion, or notice was given of the donation of 250 gold. I tried to contact Metallon about this, to get his side of the story, and we were finally able to talk today. He told me that the donation was made a few hours before the end of his mandate by Olorum - and Olorum corroborated this. Further, he says he changed the password to the bank about an hour before his mandate ended, to prevent anyone else who had access from using the account. As to why the donation list makes it look like the donation happened on the 6th, not the 5th, he says its just a bug with the time. He went on to say he realizes that spending money, beyond his mandate, would be theft and wrong, and insists that he did not do this. For what it's worth, I believe he's telling the truth.

He certainly could have handled this situation a whole lot better. By even making a note of the donation at the time, he could have likely headed off much of the recent confusion. Even better, a discussion could have taken place prior about whether the donation was a good idea, and what amount would be a good amount for a nation of our size. That discussion never got to happen, and that is too bad.

This has been another frustrating illustration of why it is important for the government to be open and transparent, which I hope to take to heart, and hope will be remembered by others in the future, too.

Mother Theresa Project

Marie von Gablitz has unveiled the Mother Theresa Project, which aims to raise money for the Austrian Red Cross. The plan entails asking for small donations of 1 ATS every Monday, to help give a regular supply of funding for the organization to help out Austrians in need. While 1 ATS may not seem like a lot, if everyone steps up to the plate, it can make a big impact. And of course, larger donations will be welcome as well!

Law Passages

I would like to thank everyone who has voted on the recent laws, especially the issuing of ATS and the later donation of this ATS, the new citizen message, and the peace proposal with Italy. This proposal was also voted on in the Italian congress, and passed, so we are now officially at peace with the nation of Italy for the first time since the spring. The trade embargo has finally been lifted, and open commerce can occur between our two nations. This is a great step forward for Austria, and one we can be proud of.

On the Agenda

After some discussion with the Czech Republic, they have expressed their wishes to maintain good relations with us, as a neighbor, and share the desire to keep war out of our region. I am currently working on drafting a "shared statement of principles," or a list of principles our nations agree with, and will pledge to follow. Chief among these is respecting the territorial integrity of both of our nations. When the details are finished being hammered out, I plan to make the full terms public, and bring the statement to congress where it can sign on if it so chooses.

Additionally, the Constitution will finally get a public posting tomorrow. Apologies for the delay!