Re-Election and Slovakian Statement

Day 717, 16:56 • Published in Austria Austria • by Rangeley


First of all, I would like to thank everyone who participated in yesterday's election. Once again, the turnout was record breaking - along with closeness of the election. It went down to the wire right to the end, and I am very thankful that I was granted a second mandate as President of Austria. I would like to thank Querb helping to keep this a clean and respectful campaign. This the second presidential election I ran in, and the second time it has remained this way, so for that I am grateful once again.

Changes to the cabinet continue to be finalized, and I expect to announce the full cabinet tomorrow. For now, however, there are a few announcements.

Mutual Protection Pact Change

Today, we learned that the rules of mutual protection pacts are changing. Activated MPP's no longer will remain in action indefinitely - rather, they will end with the expiration of the MPP itself on a monthly basis. The significance of this is very large. Whereas previously, wargames involved a one time signing of an MPP, now they will require a monthly renewal. With the change in MPP prices, this means a joint monthly cost of 200 gold per nation just to keep the MPP's active - in addition to any further costs associated with being involved in a wargame.

For small nations such as Austria, this could prove a very large price indeed. But the implications go on - this leaves small nations particularly vulnerable to invasions from larger nations when combined with the price change. Continued security, in a state of open war, would be reliant on having the resources to renew a sufficient amount of MPP's on a monthly basis. The task of defending smaller nations from aggression has become all the more difficult. This is a vital opportunity for PEACE GC to rise to the occasion, and return to the founding principles around which it was created by devoting its energy towards their defense.

Statement on Slovakia

Shortly after the announcement on mutual protection pacts was made, we were greeted with the news that our ally, Hungary, had completed its invasion of Slovakia, destroying the small neutral nation. This act was done under the stated guise of 'freeing Slovakia' of the 'threat of invasion.' And it comes after a previous diplomatic proposal, to join Hungary in a form of a union, was rejected by Slovakia some time ago in favor of continued independence. Not only have the wishes of Slovakia been ignored, but the very goal and mission of PEACE GC has been ignored in pursuit of empire.

These disappointing acts set a horrible precedent. If PEACE GC turns a blind eye to the naked aggression shown by its own members towards much weaker nations, it will have absolutely no credibility to then criticize others who later do the same. The recent invasions of Croatia, Greece, America, and Finland were defended most frequently through stating "at least they aren't small neutral nations." This rubicon has now been passed. It is our responsibility to both call for the Hungarian withdrawal from Slovakia, and condemn this shameful act of aggression against a much smaller nation.