Inactivity, idleness, stagnation, lethargy: these are just some of all the potential words that could be used to describe Ashukovo during the last year-and-a-half. A headless country, abandoned and left to die. The once glorious Federation, and later Empire -Tsardom, as it was called- was simply not even near to that former glory any more. Is that, however, really the case, or did we all quickly jump into conclusions without paying any attention to the details?
Ashukovo descended into inactivity around February 2015. Prior to that, 4 months earlier to be exact, Ashukovo had shifted towards a new direction by changing its type of government from that of a Federal Republic to that of an absolute monarchy. The Tsardom of Ashukovo, as it was named, was headed by Tsar Emmanuel the First (Emmanuel Tsompanoglou), who was appointed into the newly created office. At the time, the idea came as a solution to a similar problem of inactivity and, indeed, it did solve the matter at hand. Ashukovo became more active, got back on track and the new aim Ashukovs were heading for now, slowly yet steadily, was to repair the damage caused by the period of inactivity. The goal had been achieved for the most part by December 2014, with lots of work having put on several aspects, mainly those of culture, by emphasizing on heraldry and the Ashukov language, and economy, with the Ashukov Stock Market being announced on late December. At the dawn of 2015, and taking into consideration the latest successes, the Tsar promised to he Ashukov people that 2015 would be a much better year. However he did not deliver on the promise, as evidenced just a month later.
Personal obligations as well as loss of interest held everyone involved with Ashukovo far from it. Months were passing the one after the other and Ashukovo’s Skype convesations were more empty than ever. The situation didn’t change until August that year, when in a conversation between prominent Ashukovs it was decided that Ashukovo would be revived as a republic and the Tsar would abdicate. A flag, a Coat of Arms as well as the necessary document for the transition were prepared, however loss of interest struck again and the act of the Tsar’s abdication was never signed.
Since then, Ashukovo was only periodically mentioned in conversations between its former rulers, and the common factor of each was that of nostalgia. Until the 29th of January this year. That’s when former (and current) President of Ashukovo, Edward Jacobs, said it: he was going to revive Ashukovo.
As he stated,
In these times of hardship and desolation, as a Founding Father of the Great Nation of Ashukovo, I, Edward Jacobs, in order to bring this Land its former glory, hereby take the office of President of the Ashukov Federation and restore its federal system.
Emmanuel Tsompanoglou, now renamed to Manolis Afentoulis and former Supreme Judge, was the first to subscribe to the idea, quickly replying positively to the President’s call. He renounced his claim on the Ashukov Throne, and he was appointed to the newly created office of the Vice-President, replacing the old office of Prime Minister. He was also appointed to his past office of the Ministry of Culture, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Soon, more former Ashukovs came on board: Jacob Huff, former President and Minister of Defence, was appointed to the new office of the Ministry of Federal Affairs, itself a merge of the former Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs. Nathan Ford continued presiding over the Supreme Court from his familiar position of the Supreme Judge and took over the leadership of the Orthodox Party, while Former President Sebastian Schriber became the Governor of the District of St. Constantine, the successor of Akharnes, and the one out of the two constituent states of Ashukovo, with the other being the District of Mouzilo.
The Ashukov officials immediately got to work so that everything would be ready in the shortest time possible. A provisional Government and a Federal Assembly were formed, the official website of the Federation was updated and 2 new parties were established in the place of two former parties: Afentoulis’ national conservative and Ashukov nationalist Conservative Party succeeded the Social Patriotic Party of the I. Federation, whereas Huff’s fascist Fatherland Party is considered the successor of the Honor Party.
The Federal Assembly in its provisional formation of 3 members representing each Ashukov party also approved President Jacobs’ Decree on Recognition of States last night, itself being decreed last Thursday. The Decree recognises all member-states of the United Nations, the Empire of Pavlov, the Republic of Abkhazia, the People’s Republic of Donetsk as well as Transninstria, South Ossetia, Sealand, Seborga and Talossa as independent states.
It is quite obvious for anyone, whether that be Ashukov or foreign, that Ashukovo is heading towards a new direction, that of prosperity, growth, success and restoration of its former glory. And whether that goal will be achieved, only time will tell.
As the lyrics of the former national anthem of Ashukovo, “Ashukovs, march on!” read,
Come, let us go forth from all our lands
To the one that’s ours alone!
Make it glorious with our own hands;
Make this song of liberty known!
Ašukovski Vesti 