Solar farm to be established on new Territory
An Act of Parliament passed yesterday evening has annexed a new Territory to Austenasia from Turkey, joining that of Laranda, which joined Austenasia in May. The new Territory is situated near Silifke, a town which was known as Seleucia in antiquity. It has therefore been named Seleucia ad Cilicia in reference to its past. Seleucia ad Cilicia consists of a plot of uninhabited land owned by Lord Dionisiy Tezdhzan-Smahin, who – as with Laranda earlier this year – claimed the land for Austenasia. Lord Tezdzhan-Smahin, who was appointed Governor of the new territory by Parliament, has announced his intention to install solar panels in Seleucia ad Cilicia. These solar panels will produce renewable electricity which will be sold to the neighbouring country of Turkey, making Seleucia ad Cilicia one of the only areas of Austenasia to produce an export in this way.
Austenasia grows with huge Turkish annexation
The size of Austenasia’s territorial claims more than doubled yesterday after the annexation of the new Territory of Laranda. Laranda consists of 165 acres of farmland. Now an enclave of southern Turkey, it is the private property of Lord Dionisiy Tedzhan-Smahin, who inherited the land from an ancestor who was a local landowner. Laranda is so large that it now makes up 59.7% of Austenasia’s total land area. Lord Tedzhan-Smahin, who also serves as Representative of Theodosiopolis, has been appointed Governor of Laranda, but as he no longer lives nearby the day-to-day administration of the land will be undertaken by his cousin, the Deputy Governor. The name Laranda is derived from the former name of Karaman, a nearby Turkish city.
National Liberal Alliance established, forms coalition with Imperial Party
As partisan politics sees a resurgence in Austenasian political culture, the National Liberal Alliance has been established by Lord John Gordon, Viscount of Thetford and HG Duke Bradley of Dullahan. The National Liberal Alliance, or NLA, describes itself as a classical liberal and monarchist party. The NLA registered with the Secretary-General’s Office earlier today following weeks of deliberation between its founders. Lord Gordon, who currently serves as Representative of Palasia and has previously served as Deputy Prime Minister, was selected as the party’s first chairman. Duke Bradley, who currently serves as Minister of Defence, Princeps Senatus and Commissioner of the Border Enforcement Agency, has been named party secretary. In the hours following the establishment of the NLA, talks were held between the party’s leadership and the Prime Minister Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy – Leader of the Imperial Party – in regards to the creation of a coalition between the two parties. A decision was reached, and the newly formed coalition now holds five out of eight Cabinet positions and three out of seven seats in the House of Representatives. The establishment of the NLA follows the establishment of the Fatherland Party, a socially conservative organization, last month by Lord Dionisiy Tedzhan-Smahin, Count of West Frisia – the Representative of Theodosiopolis – and Lord Edward Gundersen, Count of New Grémmia – the Representative of Dragovina. The Fatherland Party currently holds two seats in the House of Representatives.
March sees territorial changes for Austenasia
Austenasia has both annexed and ceded land and residents so far this month. A new town, Theodosiopolis, and two new territories, Bregusland and Green Gate, have both been annexed to Austenasia, and the city of New Richmond has expanded with a new property being claimed. Meanwhile, the crown dependency of Jovanovo was ceded to Montenegro on Thursday 21st. Jovanovo had previously been a town, but was made a crown dependency a year ago in order to prevent its founder, Daniel Dankovsky, from influencing the central government after having made various racist statements. Dankovsky was stripped of Austenasian nationality in July last year, and since then Jovanovo had been governed completely autonomously by its own residents. With Jovanovo having no contact with the government, the decision was made to cede all claims to the land. The two new territories of the Empire, Bregusland and Green Gate, are enclaves of Arizona and Greater London respectively. Green Gate is a relatively short distance from the capital, Wrythe, and there are plans for its governor, Lord Zarel Smith, to visit in the near future. Theodosiopolis, the newest Austenasian Town, is an enclave of Amsterdam. Founded by Lord Dionisiy Tedzhan-Smahin – who helped to design last year’s commemorative coins – the town is comprised of two properties and has a population of four people. Finally, Saturday 2nd saw New Richmond expand with the annexation of a sixth non-contiguous property, named Alexandria and currently used as the residence of the Prime Minister. Although the cession of Jovanovo has on paper resulted in a drop in the number of Austenasians (with the population now standing at 83), the new annexations have for all practical purposes greatly increased the population in terms of those who will take an active interest in the government and in their Austenasian identity.
