Political online game and economic simulation

(Viktoras Pranckietis - Speaker of the Altai Parliament)

Altai Parliament approves Bern Agreement with ORMEC

The Altai Parliament has approved the Bern Agreement signed by Premier Pryzbyla and ORMEC Chairman Guaido. The agreement will now come into effect the next fiscal year for the Altai Republic although some provisions will begin immediately. Although, the Premier has indicated her approval for greater cooperation between the Atlantic Pact and ORMEC Altai's Atlantic Pact Parliamentary Delegation has vehemently signaled that they are unsure if Atlantic Pact's European civilization will integrate smoothly with ORMEC's mostly Islamic nations. The MPs indicated that they would be open to immediately approve the additional economic expansions proposed but will not support greater political integration if that means religious restrictions over regular Altai citizens.

Critics point to East Altai as an example of European and Islamic civilizations peacefully intermingling however, East Altai has largely become secularized despite being a majority Muslim nations within the Altai Federal Republic with 57% of residents reporting to be with the Islamic faith. That number has dropped from 75% 20 years ago as migration throughout the federal republic and now the greater Atlantic Pact has reduced the share of Muslim residents. East Altai is expected to become majority Christian within the next 10 to 15 years.

(Altai Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen)

Altai mulls defense hike as traditional powers wane

Casablanca, East Altai Federal District

The Altai Defense Ministry has concluded that its traditional security arrangements have deteriorated to a point of no return due to the economic contagion sweeping its traditional partners. While our partners maintain robust defense capability the growing economic and fiscal imbalances have reached a critical point for many of our partners which will endanger their political stability and thus their ability to help safeguard Altai's neutral status.

As such, in lieu of incremental defense improvements, the MoD has produced a new 3, 5, and 10 year State Armaments Plan (if approved by Parliament will become a program) as well as an updated National Defense Doctrine to include nuclear weapons as the primary means of deterrence against foes. However, rebuilding a credible conventional defense has long been the intentions of the MoD but with the government prioritizing its surplus the MoD has been starved of funds. The MoD has also concluded that economic and political stability should remain ahead of conventional defense needs as Altai if needed can mobilize millions of citizens into a war of homeland defense while constantly bombarding enemy territory with an endless rain of nuclear weapons. After the enemies, economy has been destroyed and the enemy destroyed along our shores; Altai's massive 4+ trillion yei reserve can be deployed to restore the nation's destroyed infrastructure.

The new plan developed by the MoD envisions between 4 and 6 million additional men and machines within the Altai Armed Forces. Since the MoD has determined that North America remains free and friendly towards Altai the vast majority of the built up capability will be to boost marine, naval, air, and space forces. East Altai would host at least a total of 3.5 million troops while North Altai would host the remaining additional forces. However, the South Altai Federal Territories would receive an additional 100,000+ troops and would see expanded naval bases. NASA would partner with the Altai Space Force to develop additional spaceports in the territories to accommodate the MoD's plan to create space supremacy as traditional powers collapsing on earth have relocated their governments to their space settlements. As a neutral power, Altai must ensure it has the capability to retain trade lanes from earth to these now entirely space-based colonial governments.

Altai policymakers warn Arborea on rogue finances

Gorno-Altaysk has issued a stark warning to Arborea that it will be unable to support it's massive debts; fueled by its out of control government spending. The primary reason Arboreas fiscal state has degraded is due to the sharp reduction of revenue collected by the central government.

The Altai Ministry of Finance strongly rebuked any suggestion that it would bail out it's union state ally's finances. Altai did make clear that Arborea could make use of the nearly 600 billion in shared resources within the Atlantic Pact Bank. The Altai MoF would contribute another 1 trillion towards stabilizing Arboreas finances if Arborea demonstrated good faith towards restoring it's fiscal position. It said in a statement:

"The State Reserves of the Altai Federal Republic are to be used for the development of the nations citizens. Deviations from this constitutional obligation requires the MoF to request Parliament approve extraordinary use of these reserves, Parliament must then approve by a simple majority, after which the Premier must sign the legislative act into law. This is all assuming that the Supreme Court does not get involved in the basis of the legality of the use of funds."

The Altai Security Council is drafting plans for scenarios where Arboreas finances trigger a financial crisis. Since Arborea and Altai have heavily integrated economies; the risk of potential economic contagion spreading to Altai is high. Therefore, Altai authorities are formulating plans to limit exposure to such a collapse which could fatally impact the Altai Republic. The government is already aggressively building up it's reserves again with a massive 2+ trillion yei surplus and will begin implementing preemptive stimulus measures. Further, the Ministry of Finance and the Altai Central Bank are deeply analyzing the banks and the wider financial system to determine how much funds will be required to rescue the economy. Lastly, with unemployment already high in the nation due to automation the collapse of Arborea could trigger another wave of unemployment. Incentives for corporations to boost higher will be implemented but there are enough resources to absorb any fallout and keep the economy going.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested meetings with the Federal Union, ORMEC, and the Swiss Confederacy to consider ascension talks in the event Arborea collapses. The Altai Republic would be forced to either implement militarization or join an alliance thus stripping it of it's vaunted neutral status due to having a relatively small military despite having the world's 5th and almost 4th largest largest economy. The State Armament Program recently announced cannot cope with the surprise by a potential Arborean collapse since it relies on certain production capacity coming online in a phased approach over a period of time. While certain processes can be accelerated Altai cannot raise a millions of professional troops in less than a year nor can it produce the equipment, planes, ships, and spacecraft needed to field such a force in a brief span of time.

(Port Miami, Phlordia Federal State)

Altai exporters brace for loss of Handstedt, a critical market

Miami - The Altai Association of Ports has issued a warning to the government that its revenues will fall by 11.3% year over year with the collapse of the crucial export markets of Handstedt. It warned that without aggressive government support to open up demand in foreign markets or without direct financial assistance; Altai ports and the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support directly and indirectly would be at risk.

The Altai Ministry of Commerce responded by guaranteeing the solvency of Altai Ports and assured the AAP that state and private investment would continue in ports via a 13.8 billion budget appropriations from the Altai National Parliament. The North Altai District Assembly has also taken a larger commitment to support its ports pledging 50bn yei investment and guarantees over the next 3 years. North Altai lawmakers have agreed to boost economic development spending on projects such as hyperloop expansions into Magica and Illusien. The Commerce Ministry also reports that the Altai EXIM Bank will have its capital boosted to 300 billion from the current 100bn in capital to support expanded foreign trade operations. The Commerce Ministry will request another 200bn from the Altai National Parliament in the upcoming budget session for the EXIM banks' trade financing operations.

The Federal Ministry for Industry has requested a study on how to incorporate the nation's ports into the burgeoning space economy. It stated that regulating the transportation of goods from outer space to earth would allow existing supply chains to remain relevant. For instance, limiting spaceports to the proximity of bodies of water would allow incoming freight from orbit to utilize the bulk carrying capacity of ports to then transport unfinished and finished space goods to ports of call around the world. The Ministry believes the independent study will confirm its beliefs that merely optimizing the current supply chain infrastructure will save consumers around the world trillions in lieu of building excessive spaceports when the world is already awash with spaceports that run the risk of being underutilized and thus creating another risk factor for the global economy. While Altai banks should be free to invest their capital where they wish, state regulators can support the economy by declining the construction of all but the most economically viable spaceport plans.

(Kais Saied - Governor of East Altai Federal District)

East Altai request additional 200bn in federal transfers

Casablanca - The Governor of East Altai has formally submitted a request for an additional 200bn yei in federal assistance to the region. The fresh spending request comes as East Altai sees another large spike in crime and corruption despite the tremendous progress made in prior years. The Speaker of the Altai National Parliament stated that the appropriate legislative committees would review the request before bringing an appropriations bill to the floor; but mentioned that there was plenty of funds available for the nations subnational entities.

The South Altai Federal Territories as of late have been able to reduce their need for federal funding. The expanded Vanama Canal has increased revenues since expanding now being able to handle increased cargo flows from the Asia-Pacifics remaining functioning economies. While the territories still depend on a smaller share of federal transfers, they still require Gorno-Altaysk to fund 40% of their budget down from 80%. But with Altai running a massive trade surplus that fuels a booming budget surplus the federal government has little concern over funding issues and will continue to provide solvency for all national and sub-national entities that require support. The Altai Supreme Audit Chamber has been given boost investigative authority to ensure funds spent are well spent keeping with the elite reputation in Altai of brisk management of the nations finances.