Eurogate
| The Eurogate | |
|---|---|
| |
| Date: June 20 - July 2009 | |
| Events | |
| The Triune Alliance The St.Charlian article The Flandrenses article The New European Response The New Euro-Erusian War | |
| People | |
| Fabiana Gallo della Loggia L.Desmet Wilhelm Von Hartmann | |
The Eurogate controversy is a political controversy that began after two articles that were published on the St.Charlian Observer and the Flandrensis Times at the end of June 2009 had allegations against the political system of the Empire of New Europe.
The argument started when Fabiana Gallo della Loggia, leader of the St.Charlian Socialist Movement a social democratic left wing party of St.Charlie, at a closed meeting in the St.Charlian Parliament, condemned the current New European system and referred to it as a "shameful regime". It also criticised the fact that New Europe claims parts of the United States as they have a rich European heritage. The speech was made mainly to encourage the Reinhardt Administration to suspend its ties with New Europe by withdrawing from the Triune Alliance, but it later became a smear campaign against New Europe by the SCSM. What later looked just like an internal debate later became an intermicronational argument.
In fact the declarations were later followed by Flandrenses journalist L.Desmet, that, inspired by the article on the St.Charlian newspaper, published on the Flandrensis Times of the 28th of June, an article criticising as well, the "extreme atmosphere of fascism and extreme-right ideology around New Europe". Despite the similarity between the two articles, Desmet's point of view was more aggressive than the one of the St.Charlian Socialist leader, and directly refers to New Europe as Nazis, since it discusses about their possible dream to restore the Third Reich.
It is supposed that the Eurogate was one of the main causes that lead to the war between New Europe and Erusia.
The term Eurogate was coined by Gallo della Loggia herself, while privately discussing with the St.Charlian Prime Minister, and clearly comes from the 1972-74 Watergate scandal and its derivates.
Intermicronational response
The debate involved in the beginning, only officials of the three nations concerned by the articles: St.Charlie, Flandrensis, and New Europe. However, due to the important position of New Europe in the MicroWiki community, the argument was later followed by comments of other micronations interested in the topic.
St.Charlian response
The speech by the St.Charlian opposition leader was followed by various comments from the National Party of St.Charlie, in which there was a general division and confusion. The party members, indeed, were divided into categories of people that agreed with the SCSM, and others that rather believed the opposite. Prime Minister and leader of the party, Alexander Reinhardt, commented on the speech by judging it "too excessive", but agreed with the matter regarding European heritage.
Furthermore, he reacted to the matter of the Triune Alliance, by reminding that being part of it means also to protect the other members of the treaty that are not forcedly New Europe.
Flandrenses response
Since the beginning, the Government of Flandrensis clearly stated that the opinion of Desmet were not forcedly the same as theirs.
Following the response by New European officials, Grand Duke Niels I of Flandrensis replied on the edition of the next day of the Flandrensis Times, by reminding the freedom of speech in the Duchy. It also denied the presumed "plot" stated from the New European message, and the so-called "anti-white" policy created by the two articles.
Erusian response
Although not being directly involved in the controversy, Erusia was, being one of the biggest Communist micronations in the community at the time, still an important character in the argument.
Neither the Erusian government nor the Erusian National Communist Party initially declared an official stance on the matter - however, Vice-Premier Laura Williams and senior Communist official Kenneth Maisano both condemned the New European response, with the latter echoing the statements of Fabiana Gallo della Loggia on 29 June. On July 1, 2009, following an hour-long meeting between Robert Lethler and Fabiana Gallo della Loggia, the Central Committee of the Communist Party issued a joint-statement concerning the controversy:
Following talks with our comrades in the St.Charlian Socialist Movement, and also acknowledging the current state of diplomatic tension between the Democratic People's Republic and the Empire of New Europe, the Central Committee would like to note that it is sympathetic to the Socialist Movement and that it recognises comments made by the Movement's leader were not without justification. From an ideological perspective, the Communist Party of Erusia does concur with the statements made in Comrade Fabian Gallo della Loggia's address to the St.Charlian Parliament, and rejects New European propaganda denouncing Comrade Gallo della Loggia and Mr Desmet's comments as "anti-white". The Central Committee is of the opinion that such propaganda is dangerous and poses a serious threat to intermicronational peace, as well as to the reputation of the Empire of New Europe as a genuine, non-racist white ethnonationalist movement.
The Central Committee urges New European officials to remain calm and respect the right of the citizens of the Federal Republic of St.Charlie, the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis and the Democratic People's Republic of Erusia to freedom of consience, speech, expression and demonstration. Freedom of speech is a garaunteed right in these nations and it is not the place of New Europe to interpret the statements of any non-governmental officials as being incitement to aggression against the Empire. Comrade Gallo della Loggia is leader of the St.Charlian opposition and as such her views are not reflective of those of the ruling National Party. Should the Empire of New Europe impose any kind of "strict policy" against Comrade Gallo della Loggia, the Communist Party will interpret this as an act of aggression against the Socialist micronational community and a direct infringement upon the rights of Miss Gallo della Loggia. We remind the Imperial Government that political reconciliation is a two-way process and that these comments have all ready lead to the Emperor's invitation to the Erus City Local Party Congress and to the 4th National Congress being rescinded by Comrade Roosevelt. For the sake of intermicronational peace and mutual cooperation, we aks the Empire to reconsider it's stance before the situation escelates.
— Excerpt from Document CC-D/34789
Sandefreistikhan response
Same as Erusia, Sandefreistikhan, though its media not commenting, His Majesty Guillaume le Premier stated that should New Europe be a Fascist, Nazi, and Racist government, that Sandefreistikhan shall end, and prevent future, actions and relations with them. HM Guillaume le Premier stated that Sandefreistikhan shall invest more into the matter, stating that Sandefreistikhan Law declares that Sandefreistikhan shall not have relations with far-right, fascist, Neo-Nazi, Nazi regimes or regimes which have a past history of espionage or genocide.
Wilhelm's Statement on July 1st, 2009
Following an evaluation of the situation, the New European government refuses to accept that it is in the wrong on this. I do however admit that perhaps my statements regarding this issue have been critical, if not harsh. I think though I was misinterperated. I at no time demanded apologies from the article writers or the people involved. This was stated in our response to Flandrensis article. And so, my statement regarding our future responses to this still stands.
However, I am willing to simply put this in the past and move on. I make one simple request, that these sort of statements not be made public on the MicroWiki unless they are important in a certain time. And that those who wish to view them subscribe to them and read them privately. If this cannot be done then so be it, I cannot and will not atempt to hinder the practices of individuals and rights within foreign governments.
In response to the Emperor's statement, Robert Lethler - at the time still Chairman of the Grand Unified Micronational and General Secretary of the Erusian National Communist Party - has called on the Emperor of New Europe to "elaborate further on the nature of these 'strict policies' in future responses by the Empire" in order to "alleviate concerns that have been raised by no fewer than four leading member states of the [Grand Unified Micronation]".
Timeline
- On the 20 June, the Observer published a critizism of New Europe made by Fabiana Gallo della Loggia
- The 28 June, L.Desmet, published an article on the Flandrensis Times against New Europe, having been inspired by the words of the St.Charlian politician.
- On the same day, Wilhelm I of New Europe read both of the articles and condemned theword of both Gallo della Loggia and Desmet, and talked about the "Anti-White" policy.
- On 29 June, two senior Communist officials in the Democratic People's Republic of Erusia declared their absolute support for the statements of Fabian Gallo della Loggia
