All Roads Lead to Slovograd

[Hadash]

Slovograd, Republic of Mordvania | Marth, 1591

The decisive and tense 1590 presidential election ended with the victory of former Foreign Minister Aljaz Martelj, the candidate of the Mordvanian Republican Party, defeating the left-wing candidate Vladislav Kozina in the final run-off. The election was followed by a period of apathy and relative paralysis, as Martelj surprisingly fulfilled his electoral promise not to call snap elections "without a justified reason", and his year in office was marked by a period of cohabitation between the center-right president and a left-wing parliament. This exasperated many Martelj's supporters, but the relation between the president and the President of the Republican Council Vladislav Kozina became highly heated in the following months as President Martelj blocked many laws passed by the parliament exercising his right to veto.

The left had an already poor result in the Alvan 1591 Voyvode election. One month later, this was confirmed as the left-wing parties lost their majority in the parliamentary elections. Martelj's Mordvanian Republican Party was the most voted party but it obtained a poor result than expected, while the centrist Centre Democratic Party ending surprisingly close. Kozina's left-wing Lavika Party obtained their worst result to the date, down from 34.8% to 14.1%, while the Bunesgan nationalists were able to come back to the national parliament as it was a far-right party for first time since 1573.

It was unclear which kind of government was going to be formed -either a Mordvanian Republican Party-minority government, a MRP-Centre Democratic Party coalition, or even a centrist All-Republican coalition- but an important shift on domestic policies was expected.

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Not exactly a strange in Mordvanian politics, Miroslaw Wolinsky entered for first time into the Assembly of Representatives in Slovograd as an elected politician. He had officially visited the building many times in the past, but certainly this was a new role for him, as it was the last electoral campaign as Mordvanian Republican Party candidate - although he had only a minor role during the campaign. Wolinsky was considered the founder of the MERSEK, the Mordvanian military intelligence, being its chairman for ten years. From 1581 to 1586, he was appointed ambassador to Khibland. His inclusion as candidate for the center-right Mordvanian Republican Party was surprising, although he was not expected to play a minor role in the parliament. It was rumoured he was likely to be appointed as Minister of Defense in Martelj's administration, although such decision was not confirmed by either President Martelj or MRP leadership.

As he crossed the parliament halls, Wolinsky suddenly saw a strangely familiar face. After a few seconds, he was able to recognize that changed but resembling face. It was not other than Bogdan Paharc, who he had not seen in more than twenty years. Paharc had belonged to Wolinsky's inner circle during the Mordvanian civil war. However, the revolutionary years radicalized him, and Paharc would join the far-left Communist Party of Mordvania. As the Communist Party was banned in the early 1570s, accused of foreign funding, Paharc left the country. It was said that Paharc was living in Severyane and Kyrzbekistan.

Paharc did not returned until 1584, three years after the Mordvanian Communist Party was allowed to register as a legal political party. That year, the Mordvanian Communist Party agreed to join a left-wing electoral coalition with Zvezdana Serebryak's United Progressive Socialist Party and other left-wing political party, until its disolution in 1587, in which they merged forming the Lavika Party. Paharc, however, did not become politically active until 1588, when he served as advisor to President Zvezdana Serebryak, allegedly on national security. As Wolinsky, he entered for first time to the Mordvanian parliament.

"It has been certainly a long time", Wolinsky said.

"Indeed, Citizen Wolinsky", Paharc replied, using the etiquette of the early republican years, now considered outdated and rarely used, after a long silence.

"You wouldn't believe the stories I heard about you", Wolinsky said. "How is Darija?".

"Yes, I can imagine. I guess I could say the same", Paharc answered. "Darija is fine. She is increasingly tired but pleased, as most of us".

"Of course", Wolinsky replied. "I need to leave now. I may see you later".

[Hadash]

Stanislav Gorshek to Alena Judnich | March, 1592

"Dear Little Alenka, I will try to answer as many of your questions as I can. Contrary what you imagine, the climate here in Neiliao is delightful, even though they are here still in the cold, rainy season. The town and the island is not as cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic as you may imagine although -of course- many Hoinomese refugees settled here in the last years. Not far from the hotel where we are staying, there are lovely beaches where one can swim. So far the food has been delicious, although there is no easy to find good alcohol here. The Oslanburgan and Kortoan wines are popular here, but rather awful to my taste...Outside the center of the city, where the conference is being held, I am often the only Brigidnan person outside of Army and police personnel of Oslanburgan ethnic background. The local people seem to be of very happy and friendly natures but I feel that the fact that they are only able to speak Oslan at best (this was an Oslanburgan colony) is one of the reasons they seem to be less intelligent.



"You asked me about the funeral. You may remember the funeral march on television, thousands of people walking or seeing the hearse, many crying, sad faces, or simply respectfully out of curiosity. I have to say that the final funeral ceremony in Rožna Nasvytis State Cemetery was something different. While there were some cameras and journalists around, obviously, it was a more private ceremony. You haven't been there, I guess, but the Rožna Nasvytis [cemetery] has turned in both a solemn and impressive place, where thousands of soldiers are buried, but also the old mansion -now turned into a museum- in the background gives the place a strange mix. Chairman Bozidar Strnad became the first person to be buried there who didn't die in a military conflict -except a few Mordvanian citizens whose corpses were moved there after the invasion of Khibland. Most of the graves, obviously, were from casualties -both civilians and soldiers- died in the republican revolution and the Mordvanian civil war in the late 1560s. During our interviews, Bozidar told me that he did not enjoy the idea of his bust appearing in every town of the country, and apparently he gave some instructions about it. As far I know, a restrained but big statue was built in front of his grave in the cemetery, inaugurated by President Aljaz Martelj, and another monument is being prepared in the Republican square -recently renamed Bozidar Strnad square- in Mestarka, but I am not sure about if such will is to be respected in the future.

"The ceremony was headed by a Mordvanian civil officer from Visnja, I believe, as Strnad was not an active member of any church since his 20s. As you can imagine, although the crowd was reduced, being a private ceremony, it was very easy to recognize most of the faces, even for someone who may not follow politics very seriously. Of course, along the coffin were Strnad's first wive Iva and their two children -both already more than a teenager- and the other side, Darjana, his personal assistant and probably one of the persons who spent more time with the Chairman in the last decade. When my book is finally published, which I hope it will be before Nueva, you may realize that her name is not mentioned in the book. I have to say that was mostly the only condition that Strnad really imposed me for the publication of the book. Not surprisingly, military officers, and members from the Republican Guard, many of them wearing their uniforms, were an important majority in the attendees, including war veterans and the Director of the National Guard, Ljuba Baragek. Of course, there was also Admiral Gintaras Baravykas, Milan Kravanja, the Senk brothers, and all the General Staff of the Mordvanian Republican Armed Forces, just to mention a few names. Along with a few businessmen and members from the culture and the arts, there were some retired politicians as former president Zvezdana Serebryak and every President of the Republican Council, including Bogdan Privsek, who looked more upset than sad I must say, and obviously President Aljaz Martelj, and most of the members of his government. Between them, the Minister of National Security, Miroslaw Wolinsky, who was close to Bozidar before even the war. I remember very well that his wife Ida was inconsolably crying - even more than Strnad's widow, I would say. Iva read a personal and emotional speech, and the President of the Republic followed with a very short speech -but you probably already listened to or watched that clip. A minute of silence and the national anthem followed. Then we left the place. I needed to talk with the publisher, so as you know well, I left immediately to Brzedina.

"...I have work to do before this conference is finished, so I need to finish here. I don't think it will be a long time, Alenka, so I believe I will be back in Amsberg in two weeks. I hope we are able to have a short holidays after that. The next months are going to be a bit busy, so I hope we have at least some time to relax together. Being so far has given me so many ideas about my next projects..."

[Hadash]

Slovograd, Republic of Mordvania | Septem, 1592

"This could be truly a bomb!", Max Kuharc said. Kuharc was the editor-in-chief of Slovogradski Zvon, one of the most prestigious newspapers in the Republic of Mordvania.

"It seems a big story", journalist Milena Hamsek replied. "But it's unclear what we could do about it. The report and interview in the Vallish newspaper seems a bit vague, I'd say. It shows little more than we already knew, and it's complicated -not to say almost impossible to verify most of the claims".

What did your sources in Slovograd and Brzedina tell you about it?", Kuharc asked.

"They are not willing to talk much about it", Hamsek answered, "although some openly denied the source. But they seem nervous about it".

"I have talked with a journalist I know from Lauren...", Kuharc said. "I met him while we were both correspondent in Florinthus, twenty years ago. Obviously, the story had a rather limited impact in Valland, although foreign media has already started to show some interest in the story. He told me that he knows some journalists in that newspaper, but it's unlikely that they will share more information for now. But I think they will be willing to cooperate if someone who knows what they are dealing with offers some help".

"So do you want me to travel to Valland?", Hamsek asked.

"It would not be a good idea for now" Kuharc answered. "We don't know most about the situation, and it's unclear what we could find there. It's likely the source is under protection by the Vallish state. But I may talk to Vera Matrusek, who worked in Valland for a while and know the country well".

"Let's see", Hamsek replied. "I'll try to find any information here meanwhile".