Kingdom of Sabia and Verona

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Kingdom of Sabia and Verona
raiakurói sabiann i veronann (Sabian)
Royal anthemtenar ñoaibari
"All Gold and Nacre"

Anthem: limañ valtirgeninnán
"March of the Valtirians"
Location of Sabia and Verona (dark green)
Capital
and largest city
Alios
Official languagesSabian[a]
Ethnic groups (2017)88.63% Plush toy
11.36% Human
DemonymSabioveronese • Valtirian
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary elective constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Tarik
Apollo Cerwyn
Félix Gauvier
Léon Jens-Galieri
LegislatureParliament
Establishment history
20 October 2012
23 February 2014
28 February 2016
21 April 2017
Area
• Total
0.047 km2 (0.018 sq mi)
• Water (%)
2.65%
Population
• 2017 census
131
EPI (2019) 2.7[1]
medium
CGSC (2019) 4.2[1]
very high · ???
CurrencyGroxi () (SVG)
Time zoneART/VET (UTC-3 to -4:00)
Date formatdd/mm/yyyy
Calling code+54, +58
Patron saintSaint Jason Momoa[2]
    1. The official and national language is established in Article 5 of the Constitution of Sabia and Verona; the same article grants official status to the Lycene and Castillian languages.

The Kingdom of Sabians and Verona (Sabian: raiakurói sabiann i veronann, pronounced: [ˈdoɡä ˈsaːbjanː veɾɔˈnara]), simply known as Sabia and Verona (/ˈsæbiə ən bɛrɒnə/; sabia i verona), also referred to by the acronym SiV, and known poetically as Valtiria, is a plush toy and Valtir sector micronation claiming sovereignty over territories in Western Venezuela and Argentina. Sabia and Verona has a total population of 113 as of November 2015 and claims a territory of 0.047 kilometers square (km2). Since 2015, the nation's capital is the city of Alios, which alongside the Gonn Region comprises the Southern claims of the Kingdom in Argentina.

The South American kingdom was founded as an overseas territory of the Kingdom of Juclandia, another micronation based in Romania. The Alios Agreement, signed in 2016, resulted in the complete independence of Sabia and Verona as a micronation from Juclandia. Sabia and Verona is still a full member state of the Federal Union of Juclandian Lands, and the Kingdom maintains a close relationship with Jucărești. Both nations share a long history together and have many cultural traits in common, the most notable of which is the recognition of stuffed toys as citizens, and their active participation in the nation's society and politics. People from Sabia and Verona are known as Valtirians.

Sabia and Verona is a parliamentary democracy and elective constitutional monarchy. The executive nominally rests on the Monarch (the head of state), officially styled as "King/Queen of the Valtirians" (rai valtirgeninnán). The head of government, by convention a stuffed toy, is the Prime Minister. The unicameral Parliament (atanói) is the Kingdom's legislature, and the Supreme Court, composed of three judges, is the head of the judiciary. Since 2015, Tarik of Kârjasary has been King, and Apollo Cerwyn of the Democratic Party is the current Prime Minister. Elections are held on a yearly basis; the last parliamentary elections were held on 24 May 2020.

History

Background and formation

Napoléon Bleuberrie, who played a pivotal role in the early development of Sabia and Verona as a nation.

The Kingdom of Sabia and Verona is the descendant of a long line of short-lived micronations established in the Valtir Sector, known as the Garrshirian micronations for their common founder, Tarik Kârjasary (formerly known by the pseudonym Richard Garrshire). The Republic of Cizland, the first Garrshirian micronation, was established in March 2011. The Republic soon became an absolute monarchy as the Cizlandeese Empire. Vast instability, sockpuppeting and corruption often defined these ephemeral micronations. Some of the most known Garrshirian micronations were the Berinese Confederation, the first of these states to become an active member of the MicroWiki community, the Archduchy of Montriac, a territory of the Kossian Empire that rose to prominence as one of the protagonists of the Kossian Civil War, and the Union of Artaghe, one of the founders of the second Union of South American Micronations.

Sabia and Verona surged as an idea after the separation of the Colony of Listva from the Empire of Würdigeland. Listva had succeeded the vastly inactive Principality of Artaghe, which was officially dissolved in August 2012, and it too met the fate of its predecessors when arguments between Kârjasary and Würtige emperor Arthur I broke connections between South Würdigestadt and the Valtir. Proposals of a new overseas territory of the Kingdom of Juclandia arose in October 2012, and Sabia and Verona became the new project's name. As Juclandia began preparations to install a territory, in the Valtir a systematic plan was organized to carry out censuses of plush toys, legislative arrangements, local elections and territorial divisions: the overseas territory known as Sabia and Verona was materializing. The first meeting of the Courts of Sabia and Verona, the new regional parliament, was held on 18 October 2012. Its 20 members met in Saint Enric (the chosen capital of the region) to define the objectives of the new Sabioveronese state, debate on what the Sabioveronese identity would entail, and declare the emancipation of the Valtirian plush toys from their human oppressors.

On 20 October 2012, Juclandian legislative bodies accepted Sabia and Verona as an overseas territory and the King passed the respective law approving so. The treteté flag was raised in the city of Alcabala and the Local Government declared 20 October to be a national holiday.[3]

The Socialist–Unity hegemony

Bleuberrist propaganda for the May 2013 election.

Napoléon Bleuberrie became the first leader of Sabia and Verona. At first, the Kingdom was intended to be modelled after North Korea, and Korean was chosen as Sabia and Verona's national language. The Socialist Party, founded by Bleuberrie, led Sabioveronese politics in the predominantly left-leaning Courts of Sabia and Verona, the Kingdom's new legislature. The opposition to Bleuberrie and his Socialist Party unified in November 2012 in the form of the Unity Party, headed by Graham Müntz and Osez Kóvérsz. Political stability between these two factions was secured on 16 December 2012, when Müntz and Bleuberrie signed the Karasal Treaty, which effectively created the Commission for the Preservation of Democracy,[4] which acted the Kingdom's judiciary. The Socialist Party's rule over Sabia and Verona ended at the 2012 election, when the Unity Party won by a landslide and Kóvérsz became Prime Minister of Sabia and Verona. As the nation drifted away from its initial inspiration on the DPRK, Sabian language, a conlang designed for the region of Sabia became much more popular and in December 2012 it was chosen as the nation's sole official language as Korean failed to settle. This consolidated Sabian nationalism, as Sabians began to distance themselves from Veronans, who were perceived as completely different individuals. The Unity Party embraced Sabian nationalism, which brought forth dissidence and opposition to the new Kóvérsz administration. The Free Suyu Front was founded by opponents of Bleuberrie and Müntz. The FSF acted as a clandestine group until its legalisation by the Courts in January 2013, when it became the country's third political party.[5]

Ann Stefanović, 4th Prime Minister of Sabia and Verona.

Three social phenomenons deeply impact the Sabioveronese society during this era: the revival of Pahunism with the enthronement of High Priestess Senna Ashminasuunu, the establishment of the neighbouring Realm of Lycem to the north by Kârjasary, and the rise of Pashqari (Veronan) nationalism with groups like the Pashqari People's Party.[6] As these factors diversified the Sabioveronese culture, Sabia and Verona became a melting pot with contrasting groups of people that would shape the Kingdom in a unique way. Though initially the Pashqari were stigmatized, especially by far-right Sabian nationalists,[7] they eventually became integrated into the new Sabioveronese society.

Bleuberrie won the May 2013 election, though he would fail to complete his six-month term. On 25 July 2013, Bleuberrie and a group of loyal SVRAF generals attempted to overthrow the system and declare independence from Juclandia,[8] but he ultimately failed as he lacked support from sectors of the military and the general people. Air Force General Rubén D. Hernández took over the nation as interim Prime Minister until elections were called again. This happened on September 2013, when former Unity Party Caenia politician Ann Stefanović and her newly founded Progressive Coalition won by a landslide against Kóvérsz.[9] This represented the end of the control of the Socialist and Unity parties in Sabia and Verona, as the Socialist Party split into smaller factions such as the KMCW and the Roots Party and Unity lost the population's support. Stefanović proved to be a decisive and effective leader, driving Sabia and Verona back into stability as the nation coped to restore from the aftermath of the July coup. The new Prime Minister successfully led Sabia and Verona through the February reforms in which the Kingdom went from being an overseas territory of Juclandia with limited autonomy to a nearly independent province of the Federal Union of Juclandian Lands,[10] and overseeing the transfer of power from King Ciprian to the new Queen of Sabia and Verona, Isadora of Annenak, on 23 February 2014 amidst riots and civil unrest in Venezuela.[11] A new constitution was approved, and a great number of reforms came into effect as the nation became its own Kingdom within the FUJL.

The Isadoran era

Isadora Regina by Tarik Kârjasary, 2014. Graphic arts flourished during the Isadoran era.

Stefanović concluded her term on 1 October 2014 and gave way to the leader of the newly founded Left Alliance, Léon Galieri.[12] The Left Alliance had been founded as a merger between the dying Socialist Party and the KMCW. Galieri's term was stable and calm; the political stability enjoyed during these six months allowed art and literature to flourish, and Valtirian mythology became a popular subject among Sabioveronese intellectuals as part of the cultural exchange with the recently annexed region of Lycem.

At the September 2014, Unity's Bertrand Rivière was elected as Prime Minister.[13] Rivière, described as an "agressive Sabian nationalist and fiscal conservative", made massive reforms in the Kingdom, aided by his mainly Sabian Legislative Courts. He renamed the upper and lower houses of the Courts, demoted the Pashqar and Lycene languages to "national languages", while describing Sabian as the only "official" language of Sabia and Verona, and "nationalized" the Pahunist Church, naming Queen Isadora the new High Priestess of the Pahun.[14] A new peerage system was introduced, a move clearly opposed by the constitution but approved by the Courts nonetheless. Rivière also oversaw the territorial expansion of the Kingdom: Sabia and Verona's reclamation of the Sournêliádin Gardens and the Eastern Lands into the TANSUX, the Special Territory of the Eastern Lands, was one of the most popular moves of the Rivière administration.

But Rivière's reforms couldn't derive attention from the predominant inactivity Sabia and Verona had submerged into. By mid-2015 the legislative power of Sabia and Verona was completely dormant, and the system Rivière had devised proved to be a failure in praxis. Since the judicial power in Sabia and Verona was directly dependent to the Legislative Courts, two of Sabia and Verona's three political powers had been frozen for months. In 12 July 2015 Rivière met with the Lt. Secretaries of the Sabioveronese prefectures and after obtaining approval from the Queen, effectively dissolved the Sabioveronese legislature. Although the move was not precisely constitutional, Rivière defended the decision by saying the 2014 constitution had not foreseen a scenario in which the legislature could render itself deedless. A popular referendum to elect a new leader in the nation was organized, and though the turnout was considerably low (at 64%), it was recognized as legitimate by the Crown. Rivière was elected to become High Commissioner of Sabia and Verona as an interim head of state. Rivière's cabinet became a transitional council in the meantime. Sabioveronese authorities called the act the "official fall into inactivity", admitting the problem had been a reality for months.

Modern era

Participants of the Congress of Salisse. From left to right: Monteverde, Kóvérsz, L. Jens-Galieri, Cerwyn, Schubert-Moss, Rivière, S. Jens-Galieri, Müller, Bleuberrie, Boulin and Xiongmao.

As the economic and social situation in Venezuela worsened, Sabia and Verona suffered the side effects of being enclaved and almost entirely dependent on the South American country, and effectively led Sabioveronese politicians to devise the Haronos Plan. Haronos was presented as an initiative to allow Sabioveronese stuffed toys to emigrate to Argentina to form a community outside the Valtir. Haronos consisted of two stages: Haronos I, which was executed between August 24 and August 25, and Haronos II, which would be executed between September and October. The division of the plan into two stages was due to the limited capacity of stuffed toys that could be transported in each travel. Over 20% of the Sabioveronese provincial population became part of Haronos I, as much as could be transported from the Valtir to Argentina in the direct flight.[15]

Fearing for the state in which the Kingdom would be left once the plan was executed, Rivière summoned the Sabioveronese people to the "Congress of Salisse". The congress was a public meeting of important political leaders of the region, many of which were involved in Haronos. Two main objectives were set for the congress: deciding what the fate of the Sabioveronese state would be and and writing a new constitution if needed. It was decided a new constitution would be written and it would be adopted in case Kapakoxouny was carried out. In the event of Jarâman being executed instead, some minor reforms to the 2014 constitution would be enacted instead. The new constitution, written from August 15 to August 20, was initially known as the "Konstitutsios reporas", the "Just-in-case Constitution".

On August 17, during a visit to Salisse Queen Isadora signed an Instrument of Abdication (Érianos Metavrosann) which was to come into effect on 23 August 2015, on the 18 month anniversary of her reign. The Instrument was signed in face of the complications of having the ruling monarch live 4800 miles away from the country's administrative centre,[16] one of the reasons Isadora was crowned in the first place: to replace King Ciprian who had ruled from Juclandia. On 23 August, Tarik Kârjasary was crowned the new King of the Valtirians by lack of any other suitable electors. On 25 August, Haronos I was executed, and as it had been foreseen, Kapakoxouky was carried out.[17] The newly founded city of Alios became the new capital of Sabia and Verona, and the "Just-in-case" constitution became the new official constitution of Sabia and Verona. The National Artists' Guild was founded, and soon became the majority party in Alios and as such the main political party in Sabia and Verona due to the new constitution's concessions, after winning the 2015 election in which DSN leader Shounn Virny won a majority government in the nation's new Parliament.[17]

Virny's premiership saw the development of the Sabioveronese economy, with the creation of the National Bank and the introduction of the groxi, the Kingdom's first stable currency. Another major development was the signing of the Alios Agreement in February 2016, which officially disestablished the FUJL government and re-established the Federation as an economic and cultural union between Juclandia and Sabia and Verona. This represented the last step in Sabia and Verona's road to micronational independence, as the nation was now in charge of its own foreign affairs and internal administration.[18]

Government and politics

Sabia and Verona is a unitary, parliamentary democracy with an elective, popular, constitutional monarchy headed by the King of the Valtirians (Sabian: rai valtirgeninnán). The basic law of the Kingdom is the Constitution, which holds precedence over all other laws. The current Constitution was adopted in 2017 by a Constitutional Assembly following a referendum held on 18 March 2017. The Constitution grants executive power to the Monarch. However, most of the Monarch's powers are in practice delegated to the Government (kuragi), composed of a Prime Minister and a number of Secretaries (ministers). The Prime Minister forms the Government with consent of the Parliament (atanói) and governs through its accord.

Government

Main articles: Government and Parliament of Sabia and Verona

The Parliament of Sabia and Verona (atanói) is the unicameral legislature of the Kingdom; it is responsible for adopting the state's budgets, approving the state's accounts, appointing and exercising control of the Government, and approving mutual recognition treaties. Bills may be initiated by the Government or by members of parliament. All bills passed must be presented before the King to Royal Assent in order to become law.

Apollo Cerwyn, the current Prime Minister of Sabia and Verona.

Sabia and Verona is a parliamentary democracy. Elections to the Parliament are held on a yearly basis, and seats are allocated using a proportional representation system. It is within the powers of the Prime Minister to ask the Monarch to call for an election before the 1-year term has elapsed. On a vote of no confidence, the Parliament may force a single minister or the entire government to resign. Only citizens of the central regions of Sabia and Verona may vote and be candidates in parliamentary elections; citizens and residents of autonomous regions of the Kingdom are not represented in national politics. Historically, the Parliament has always had 20 seats, however, there is no set number of MPs in the Constitution. Electoral boundaries are prone to change between elections.

As the executive branch, the Government is responsible for proposing bills and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of Sabia and Verona. The position of prime minister belongs to the person most likely to command the confidence of a majority in the Parliament; this is usually the leader of the largest political party or, more effectively, through a coalition of parties. Sabia and Verona has often been ruled by coalition governments, themselves sometimes minority governments dependent on the confidence of useful opposition parties.

Since 2019, Apollo Cerwyn of the Democratic Party has been Prime Minister, leading the 12th government, which holds a majority in Parliament.

Law and judicial system

The Hon. Léon, Baron Jens-Galieri, magistrate of the Supreme Court of Sabia and Verona.

The Constitution of Sabia and Verona (toagaki), which stands as the supreme law of the Kingdom, sets the framework for Sabia and Verona's judicial system. The highest court of law in Sabia and Verona is the Supreme Court (raitoanobók), which also serves as the Kingdom's constitutional court. The Supreme Court is made up of three politically independent judges, chaired by a President, presently the Honorable Léon Jens-Galieri. Members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Monarch on the Prime Minister's advice, and must be confirmed by Parliament.

In addition to the Supreme Court, the Kingdom is divided into "judicial districts", which serve as jurisdiction for District Courts the basic judicial unit of Sabia and Verona. Between the District Courts and the Supreme Court stand the Courts of Appeal.

Foreign relations

As a result of the Alios Agreement, signed in 2016, Sabia and Verona became responsible for its own foreign affairs. Foreign affairs are handled by the Diplomacy Division, which is considered one of the main divisions in the government cabinet. The Diplomacy Division was created by Shounn Virny, who was Prime Minister from 2015 to 2017, after the introduction of the Alios Agreement into the Kingdom's politics. The King often plays an important role in Sabia and Verona's external affairs, as he commonly acts as mediator and representative of the Kingdom abroad and before other micronational governments.

Presently, Sabia and Verona has mutual recognition agreements with several micronations, and maintains informal relations with many others. Its closest ally is the Kingdom of Juclandia, as both nations belong to the FUJL and are in an economic union together. Sabia and Verona also keeps friendly relations with Austenasia, as it's the only other micronation it has physical borders with, through the crown dependency of Esmondia. Esmondia is directly administered in the name of the Austenasian Crown by King Tarik.

Sabia and Verona was a full member of the Grand Unified Micronational from 2017 to 2019,[19] and has been a member of the Konmalehth since 2017.

Military

Following an extensive reform in the military corps of the Kingdom in 2017, the Sabioveronese military has been organized into a single branch, the National Guard (dogasennañán). The Commander-in-Chief of the SVRAF is HPM Tarik as Monarch of Sabia and Verona, while the minister responsible for overseeing the National Guard's activities is the Secretary of Defense (presently Suipom Goyo). The National Guard is present in both the Northern and Southern territories, and there are military bases in Salisse, Caenia and Alios, as well as minor outposts in Bal and Kotavari. Throughout its history, the Sabioveronese military has been organized into a number of branches including the Land Army, the Royal Auror Corps, and the short-lived Navy and Air Force.

Historically Sabia and Verona has been a peaceful state. There is no history of military conflict with external threats, and the only armed conflicts the Kingdom has seen within its own borders were the Three Kings' Revolt in 2012 and Napoléon Bleuberrie's failed self-coup attempt of 2013, both of which were easily appeased without bloodshed. Since then, Sabia and Verona has remained a peaceful entity, and the original militarism seen in the early days of the Bleuberrie regime has mostly faded into history.

Geography

Aerial view of the Valtir, where most of Sabia and Verona's claims lay.

Sabia and Verona's claimed land consists of two separate portions of land in South America, divided into the Northern Territories (akudogakurekói) and the Southern Territories (batudogakurekói). Originally, the Kingdom's claimed land consisted only of the Northern Territories, which are enclaved by the Libertador Municipality in Venezuela, in the heart of the Venezuelan Andes. Sitting on the valley of the Chama River, the Northern Territories are composed of the regions of Sabia, Verona and Lycem. In Sabian, this sort geographical area is known as a tirenshin, the heart or central part of a Valley. The particular area of the Chama River tirenshin in which Sabia and Verona was founded is nowadays known as the Valtir, and it's the place where all of the former Garrshirian micronations were established, including Sabia and Verona, Lycem, Artaghe and the First and Second Berinese empires. The Northern Territories comprise 0.072 km2 of claimed and controlled land.

The Southern Territories were established in 2015 as a result of the Haronos Plan, which involved the creation of a Sabioveronese outpost completely enclaved by the Argentine Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and promoted mass migration from the Valtir to the new settlement. The only administrative divisions in this territory are the region of Gonn and the City of Alios, which is considered a "region-level municipality". Both of these administrative divisions are directly dependent on the central government.[20]

By constitutional convention, only the Southern Territories may actively participate in the Kingdom's politics. The central government and all of its dependent institutions are all elected from among the population of the Southern Territories and by the population of the Southern Territories. The regions in the Northern Territories, on the other hand, are much more autonomous than the regions in the south, and although they are still subjected to the Kingdom's law and government, they are considered "self-reliant parts of the Kingdom".[20]

Climate

The Northern Territories have a tropical climate, but with cooler temperatures than other nearby locations thanks to its high altitude. Pollution has caused a considerable rise in the region's average temperatures in the past decades, with readings that vary between 19 °C and 24 °C (75 °F), with an overall average of 22 °C (72 °F). Precipitation is heavy during the rainy season, from April to November, though the region does receive more sunshine than most places in the Northern Andes, since the Chama River valley is too narrow for fog to accumulate.

The Southern Territories have a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with very humid summers and mild winters. The warmest month is January, with a daily average of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F). Most days see temperatures in the 28 to 31 °C (82 to 88 °F) with nights between 16 to 21 °C (61 to 70 °F). Heat waves from Brazil can push temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F), yet the territories are subject to cold fronts that bring short periods of pleasant weather and crisp nights. Relative humidity is 64–70% in the summer, so the heat index is higher than the true air temperature. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are generally mild and volatile, with averages temperatures of around 17 °C (63 °F) and frequent thunderstorms, especially during the spring.

Winters are temperate, though frost may be experienced from May to September. Relative humidity averages in the upper 70s%, which means the territory is subjected to moderate to heavy fogs during autumn and winter. July is the coolest month, with an average temperature of 10.9 °C (51.6 °F). Cold spells originating from Antarctica occur almost every year, and combined with the high wintertime humidity, conditions in winter may feel much cooler than the measured temperature. Most days peak reach 12 to 17 °C (54 to 63 °F) and drop to 3 to 8 °C (37 to 46 °F) at night. Southerly winds may keep temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F) for a few days, whereas northerly winds may bring temperatures above 20 °C (68 °F) for a few days; these variations are normal.

Spring is very windy and variable: there may be heat waves with temperatures of 35 °C (95 °F) even in early October, as well as periods of much colder weather with highs close to 10 °C (50 °F). Frost has been recorded as late as early November, although this is unusual. Severe thunderstorms are likely between September and December.

The territories receive 1,242.6 mm (49 in) of rainfall per year. Rain can be expected at any time of year and hailstorms are not unusual.

Flora and fauna

The Northern Territories comprise a vast and biodiverse area. The prefectures of Elinore and Bal (both in Sabia) are Sabia and Verona's main green areas, with the Elinore Prefecture housing over 90% of Sabia and Verona's flora. A study conducted by the University of Elinore Department of Botanical Studies in 2014 revealed that the most common plant species in the region are Arachis pintoi, a type of peanut locally known as "forage peanut", St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) and Ipomoea vines.

The fauna of the North is wide and rich. Most of the animal species in the Sabioveronese region are insects such as common spiders. Other common species include the common house gecko and the domestic dog. Among the bird species that pass through Sabia and Verona are common passerines and hummingbirds. Like with the flora, Elinore is the most animal-populated prefecture in Sabia and Verona, though there are several gecko settlements in Bal, particularly in the parishes of Nicoya, Saamark and Sainte-Claudette-Nord, as well as an aquarium in Vadenbourg. It is common to see butterflies in the Vaaitos prefecture of Lycem, where they tend to form their cocoons.

On the other hand, flora in the South is sparse and select. While there are some projects to expand the green areas in the city, such as the Alios Royal Gardens, most of the area remains deserted, despite being close to green areas (such as the Austenasian Crown Dependecy of Esmondia). Fauna in the Southern territories is also considerably less diverse than in the North, with only a couple of invertebrates having been recorded in the area.

Political geography

Sabia and Verona is divided into two groups of claimed land: the Northern Territories and the Southern Territories. Both territories are divided into Regions (akurekói). The Northern Territoriers are composed of three regions: Sabia, Verona and Lycem, all surrounded by Venezuela. The Northern regions count with their own governments and a degree of autonomy from the central government; the constitution calls them "autonomous regions".[21] On the other hand, the Southern Territories are made up of the City of Alios, capital of the Kingdom, and the region of Gonn, which lay 4800 miles south of the Northern Territories, enclaved in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Unlike the Northern regions, which count with are autonomous and self-sufficient, the Southern regions are dirctly administered by the central government, but also count with many political benefits. In practice, the "dependent regions", the constitutional term for the Southern Territories, dominate the nation's political landscape.[22] Only Sabioveronese citizens in dependent regions may vote in national elections and participate in the Kingdom's politics. Citizens in the Northern Territories may vote and participate in elections for their individual regions, but they lack official representation in the national parliament.

The largest and most populous region is Sabia, which counts with 41 citizens (both provincial and federal) and 0.057 km2 of claimed territory. The second most populous is Verona, which counts with a little over half of Sabia's population. The least populous region is Lycem, with only 8 provincial citizens registered as citizens. Population disparity has been a main concern of Sabioveronese governments since the inception of the Kingdom.[23] The largest and most populous city is Alios, with a size comparable to the other regions at 0.031 km2.

Regions of Sabia and Verona

The four regions of Sabia and Verona are subdivided into eight Prefectures and three Dependencies, the latter of which which are directly administered by the regional government of the region they belong to. The City of Alios, though counting with the status of a region, counts with a single prefecture (that of Alios itself). A subdivision for prefectures, municipalities, existed from 2012 to 2017, and a further division level, the parishes, were in place for a short time from 2014 to 2015. They lacked any sort of particular governance, existing only for geolocation purposes.

Regions of Sabia and Verona
Regions of Sabia and Verona
Flag Mon Region Code Capital Joined the Kingdom Pop. Area (m2) Official language(s) Leader
Sabia SA Salisse 20 October 2012 42 107.82 Sabian, Lycene Carla Mora (J)
Verona VE Tegula 20 October 2012 25 84.95‬ Sabian Petyr Cohen (HG)
Alios AL Alios 25 August 2015 23 19.32 Sabian Andreina Rossini (HG)
Gonn GO Kotavari 26 November 2015 32 46,865.06a Sabian Dovedán Pashor (HG)
Lycem LI Vaaitos 23 February 2014 9 104.32‬ Sabian, Lycene Liam Sanfloss (HG)
Sabia and Verona SV Alios 20 October 2012 131 47,181.47 Sabian, Lycene Apollo Cerwyn (HG)
a: Most of the Gonn Region's territory consists of the Doga Runann nature reserve, which acts as a dependency of the region. Without Doga Runann, Gonn is 63.04‬ m2 in size.

Economy

Sabioveronese groxi banknotes.

In practice, Sabia and Verona has a mixed economy in which most companies are run by the state. The Sabioveronese government owns most of the nation's enterprises and manages them as "4th-type bodies" (4T gakinar), institutions at the responsibility of the central government. Some private companies do exist in Sabia and Verona, such as the Starlynn & Co. Enterprises and its subsidiaries. However in most cases, these private enterprises are also closely related to the state, through the involvement of their owners in the Kingdom's government or by other means. With a score of 2.4 in 2015, Sabia and Verona is ranked as a micronation with a "serious potential for a basic economy" using the Economic Potential Index.

The National Bank is the Kingdom's central and reserve bank. Plans to establish a Sabioveronese currency had been in place since early 2013.[24] The groxi has been the Kingdom's official currency since 2016.[25] The groxi is pegged 1:1 to lollipop in what is known as the "lollipop standard" (KJi).[25]

Sabia and Verona is heavily dependent on imports from its neighbouring nations, and "economic sovereignty" has been a topic of concern for Sabioveronese governments since early 2014.[24] Trade of metals such as aluminium and copper and seeds and spices briefly took place between Sabia and Verona and Lycem, shortly after the creation of the latter state and up until the annexation of Lycem into Sabia and Verona.[26]

Culture

Meghosiin Vaaitos, a small monument in Elinore Prefecture. It dates from the times of the First Cizland, when it was erected.

The diverse culture of Sabia and Verona has been influenced by elements of many other cultures, most notably the customs and traditions of Venezuela, which surrounds the micronation entirely. The nation could be considered a melting pot of contrasting cultural currents. The three original regions of Sabia and Verona, Sabia, Verona and Lycem, have counted with different cultural influences each. Modern Sabioveronese culture, as a whole has been greatly influenced by Spanish (particularly Catalan, Basque and Andalusian) immigration to Venezuela, as well as artificially introduced elements of other cultures, such as the Persian culture in Verona and Eastern Asian traditions in Lycem.

Plush toys

One important element, if not the most important, of Sabia and Verona's culture (and one shared by all of its regions alike) is the recognition of stuffed toys (plush toys, plushies, etc.) as citizens with rights and the ability to make conscious decisions on a personal and social level. These citizens, known as buni in Sabian, are a major element of the day to day life in Sabia and Verona. There are currently around ten times more plush toys than humans (known as vali) in Sabia and Verona.

Formerly, the terms "provincial citizen" (in Middle Sabian, védalou) and "federal citizen" (fédelou) were in place to differentiate between plush toys and humans in Sabia and Verona. These terms originated in the Federal Union of Juclandian Lands, as it was the terminology employed by its legal code. It stemmed from the fact plush toys were only recognized at a provincial level, while human citizens enjoyed the status of a "federal" citizenship throughout the entire Federation. This system was abandoned when the Alios Agreement came into force. Today, védalou and fédelou are considered politically incorrect terms, with bun and valo being their "PC" counterparts, respectively. The use of the terms is intermittently recorded in modern-day Juclandia.

Media

The SiV Phonograph and mbirág aliosin are presently the Kingdom's only media outlets. The first, an online periodic site that delivers news from the region in English, was originally established in October 2012 shortly after the foundation of Sabia and Verona as the mouthpiece of the ruling Socialist Party, but was later bought by the Starlynn & Bennet group after the Socialist Party's dissolution in 2014.[27] The chief editor and main contributor of the Phonograph is Tarik Karjasari, now King of Sabia and Verona.[28]

mbirág aliosin, also owned by Starlynn & Bennet, is an Instagram account publishing Sabia and Verona-related news both in the Sabian language and English; it was founded in 2020 to promote and showcase the conlang abroad.[29] Formerly, Sourg ê Mourg (lit. "ink and paint"), the official newspaper of the National Artists' Guild, also delivered news in the Sabian language (more specifically, in the now obsolete Middle Sabian that was discarted in the Great Language Reform of 2017).

Locally, Venezuelan and Argentine media is usually read and/or seen. Though for some time Juclandian radio was broadcasted in Salisse, the project to establish a full-time radio has since died out. The monthly economy and business magazine Businesstoy was issued up until June 2013.

Languages

Languages spoken by the human population of Sabia and Verona in December 2015.
The outer ring shows native languages. 92% of the population spoke Spanish as their native language, while 8% spoke English.
People who spoke a second or third language (inner ring) made up 54% of the population;
71% spoke English, 43% spoke German, 14% spoke Sabian and 14% spoke Spanish as secondary languages.

Both Venezuelan Spanish and Rioplatense Spanish are spoken natively in Sabia and Verona. Most of the plush toy population speaks either Spanish, Sabian or Lycene. Human citizens rarely speak these languages and prefer to use their native Spanish. The Government uses Sabian as the nation's official and national language, while Lycene is regarded as a national language and a part of the nation's cultural heritage. The Pahdur language of the Church of the Pahun is also commonly used for religious purposes, and the now extinct Pashqar language greatly influenced the culture of its native Verona.

The Sabian and Pashqar languages were developed in Sabia and Verona, while Lycene (also called Sabiolycene by some older sources) was developed in Lycem. Sabian, as its name indicates, was developed in the Sabian region, and it was first used by Sabian nationalist movements before being adopted by the socialist government of Napoléon Bleuberrie. It is the main language in cultural and political issues in Sabia and Verona. The government has historically introduced several programs proposing the use of the Sabian language in the day to day dialogue, starting with simple vocabulary in objects found in the daily life. The Pashqar language was formed as an a priori in Verona, which is also commonly known as Pashqaria. It was not as commonly seen as the Sabian language and it was only used by the small Pashqari community in Verona until it finally became extinct in 2015. The Lycene language is mostly used for cultural purposes in its place of origin of Lycem, but many Lycene language-speakers inhabit Elinore and use it as their conversational tongue.

The Sabian and Lycene languages, both related in their grammar (Lycene has its origins in Dozenal Sabian) use the Latin script, while Pashqar used an Arabic-based script with elements taken from the Persian alphabet. Archaic Sabiolycene was rendered in two writing systems based in Chinese characters (hanzi). The one that commonly used and accepted as the "default" Archaic Sabiolycene script was the Lycene Chinese Syllabary (LCS; 朸权, Xixu). The LCS is an abugida-like syllabary consisting of 845 characters. The other script is the Xinsuu, which relies on ideograms. Unlike the LCS, Xinsuu does not use modern Chinese characters, but the ancient Chinese "seal script". Though these scripts were used by the Archaic Sabiolycene language, they must not be confused with the Archaic Lycene script, a script dating back from Artaghe and commonly known as Miasaa Toobosu ("Ancient Script"). Miasaa Toobosu is commonly seen as one of Lycem's most important cultural assets and due to its employment by the Church of the Pahun and its Pahdur language it has gained popularity throughout all of Sabia and Verona.

Religion

The Constitution of Sabia and Verona guarantees freedom of religion, though the Church of the Pahun is the official state religion of the Kingdom and the Monarchy. The Church is supported by the state, and Pahunist religious institutions are protected by the Constitution as well. Pahunists pays tribute to the High Priest of the Pahun, by default also Monarch of Sabia and Verona (currently King Tarik under the miikosehur of Haerpyer).

The second most practiced religion is Christianity, with the Catholic faith being the most popular among Sabioveronese Christians. A large percentage of the population is also Atheist or Irreligious. There are also small communities of Jewish adherents and followers of the Faith of the Seven.

National symbols

Sabia and Verona's national symbols are of great importance to its culture. The Sabioveronese flag, known as the treteté, dates from the times of Nemkhav Berin and has been traditionally associated with the Valtir Sector. The seven-pointed green star originally represented the seven provinces of the Cizlandeese Empire, but it has acquired meanings of its own with the time. It now stands as one of Sabia and Verona's most recognizable symbols. The royal coat of arms is chosen by the reigning monarch, and is not usually considered a "national symbol" due to its monarchical nature. The Kingdom's national tree is the "red milker" (Euphorbia cotinifolia), known for its red/burgundy leaves and the latex they contain, though technically E. cotinifolia is a shrub, not a tree. The national flower is the Ipomoea indica flower, also known as morning glory or valsu in Sabian. Sabia and Verona's national symbols are protected by the Arts Division and the Constitution.

Each region of Sabia and Verona also has symbols of its own. The coat of arms of the Region of Sabia depicts a Lycene mermaid or rama, called Nir, over a golden field. Nyr had formerly been used in Sabia and Verona's coat of arms, and a stylized rendition of the rama is depicted in the flag of Sabia as well. The emblem of Verona shows a green hand over a red field, representing the Pashqari people. The symbol of Lycem is that of the House of Kârjasary, a green sun bearing the Eye of Darmo.

Cuisine

Traditional Venezuelan arepa, with perico and cheese.

Sabia and Verona's cuisine is undoubtly a mix of different cultures, being influenced mostly by Venezuelan dishes. It is characterized by the use of spices such as black pepper and garlic powder, and most Sabioveronese meals (especially Lycene ones) are strong in taste. Olive oil is commonly used for salads such as the ħešremái, which consists of lettuce, strips of carrots, cheese, hard boiled eggs, dronasi, peanuts and occasionally raisins, coated by olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A common dish in the Sabian Region is the velaharoñ, scrambled eggs with slices American cheese and jamón serrano, spiced with black pepper and prepared with olive oil.

A common element of Sabioveronese cuisine is tenervu, a type of milk tea with origins in Lycem. The original Lycene form of tenervu is drank throughout the Northern Territories, and some variants have been developed in the Southern Territories, such as the Sato tenervu (with honey) and the Divedrinari tenervu (with cinnamon). Banana milkshakes (kvurumog) are also common in all the Sabioveronese regions, with variations like hakvurumog (with kiwi) and arrukvurumog (with strawberries) becoming popular in recent times. The consumption of mate (mati) and tereré is widespread in the Southern Territories.

Literature

Sabioveronese literature can be categorized by langauge: Castillian (or Spanish) Sabioveronese literature, Sabian literature, Lycene literature and formerly Pashqar literature. Literature in Sabia and Verona started to bloom in 2013, when it became popular to write poems in any of the Kingdom's conlangs. Since the Region of Lycem became part of Sabia and Verona works in the Lycene language have been published as well.

Common examples of Castillian Sabioveronese literature include the play La Súper-Increíble Historia de los Héroes poco convencionales y los Siete Cubos de Azúcar Diamante en Verdelandia (The Super-Amazing Story of the Unconventional Heroes and the Seven Diamond Sugarcubes in Verdiland), co-written by Tarik Karjasari and Saria Josephine. Commonly known as Los Siete Cubos, the play is usually performed on Christmas and has been popularized by the usual participation of award-winning actress Florenia Boovuzela. Ískandu Hasaraši is another revered author in Castillian Sabioveronese poetry.

Lycene literature is commonly based around the diverse styles of poetry that have been developed in the age of the Freehold, such as the hiidram (lit. "songbird") and its numerous variants. Mythology is a recurrent topic in hiidram poetry.

Visual arts

Aidargho Aghamiin Reeghas (The Great Bear, King of the Night), suumuu ink painting. The Suumuu current is an example of the fusion of styles and trends that has taken place since the beginning of the aquatic era.

The Valtir has a long-standing tradition of favouring aesthetics over other cultural aspects. The Sabioveronese design firm RA&V, which originated in the golden age of Artaghe, is a respected firm in the MicroWiki Sector and has often been commissioned by other micronational governments. Painting and calligraphy, particularly, are a characteristic trait of the culture of Lycem, where these arts have prospered both before and after its annexation to Sabia and Verona.

The earliest styles of Lycene painting date from the late copper state and the early gold State of the metallic era (the period before the annexation of Lycem). The steel state saw the popularization of the tencoxu (lit. "golden line") current, which became known intermicronationally by its use in royal portraits and images of Valtirian mythological creatures. As its name indicates its most notable feature are the golden lines bordering the images in the pictures. Other styles of this state include the niscoxu (lit. "no lines") and the aimuu (lit. "grand painting"). These currents survived well into the aquatic era and have since then bonded with other painting styles to form new trends in Lycene painting. In this sense, the arrival of the aquatic era has represented syncretization and modernization in Lycene art, which has now become symbolic of all of Sabia and Verona.

Sabioveronese films have also been produced over the years; the most prolific filmmaker in Sabia and Verona is Pomme-Gabrielle Gauvier, who is widely known for his 2013 short film Amor de Octubre and his 2016 autobiographic short film Proun.[30]

Naming conventions

Sabian naming conventions are generally the rule in Sabia and Verona. Sabian names mostly derived from conventional Western naming traditions, and are usually composed of one or two given names, a last name and a matronymic. Though traditionally, Sabians preferred to adopt names and surnames of English, Spanish, Italian and French origins (many of which are still in use, such as Blackhorse, Bleuberrie, Lockhart, Galieri, Rossini, Quintero, among others), it's become increasingly popular in Alios to adopt Sabian language names. Prominent or common surnames of Sabian origin in Alios include Kârjasary, Virny, Noajasê, Gouraesy and Soriony.

Another prominent feature of Sabian names are matronymics, which are always Sabian and are a legal requirement in three regions (Sabia, Gonn and the City of Alios) regardless of the origins of the rest of the name. Sabian matronymics are composed of the first two or three syllables of the mother's name plus the suffix -vái, meaning "child". For example, Urru Sanħaso's children would bear the matronymic Urruvái. Matronymics are always placed at the end of the given name (before the last name) and are rarely used outside very formal or legal contexts. In many occasions, instead of the mother's name, another word is chosen instead. These are known as "false matronymics", and are often actually toponyms or names based on personal preferences or beliefs. For example, the chosen matronymic of politician Napoléon Bleuberrie is Maravái, as he is originally from the city of Maracaibo. His full name is thus Napoléon de Hélène Maravái Bleuberrie, in which Napoléon de Hélène is the given name, Bleuberrie is the surname and Maravái is the matronymic. Additionally, sometimes matronymics can be chosen in agreement by couples to show compromise: politicians Léon Jens-Galieri and Snø Jens-Galieri both bear the matronymic Ašuvái, from ašu, "love".

Holidays

Sabia and Verona counts with a varied range of holidays, festivals and celebrations. Most Sabioveronese holidays are of either Pashqar or Lycene origin, but many Pahunist celebrations may be observed by followers of the Pahun. In December 2015, the Parliament passed a law which stated there had to be at least one holiday per month, excluding the full moon festivals, which prompted the creation of at least seven new holidays.[31]

Holiday Date Origin Sabian
Moon Festivals Every full moon Lycem nadarri
Peace Day 12 January Sabia vašivesa
Union Day 28 February Juclandian bakañivesa
Ice Cream Day 9 March Gonn ekegruvesa
Queen Isadora Day 27 April National isadoravesa
Workers' Day 1 May International asaragivesa
Berin / Micronation Day 6 June Berin berinivesa
Good Day Day Third tuesday of June Iceland gruvesa
National Sabian Language Day 9 July Sabia tairovesa
Southern Festival 17 August Alios batarra
What 24 September Alios xe
National Anniversary 20 October National dogavesa
Friendship Day 29 October National daroñvesa
Magic Day 11 November Lycem bedruvesa
Nagaír Day 20 November Lycene nagairivesa
Treteté Day 30 November Berinese tretetevesa
Christmas Eve 24 December Christian kristiago
Christmas Day 25 December Christian kristivesa

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Jens-Galieri report: economy grew in 2019, but only due to public spending". The SiV Phonograph. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  2. "Stefanović: our patron saint will be Jason Momoa". The SiV Phonograph. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  3. "Alcabala sees the tricolour flag rising". The SiV Phonograph. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  4. "Language reform, Karasal Treaty and Ryəmoništa". The SiV Phonograph. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  5. "FSF declared official party; Schubert-Moss in controversy". The SiV Phonograph. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  6. "Tegula recognises Pashqar language, PMM celebrates". The SiV Phonograph. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  7. ""Righteous Faith League" ceases operations". The SiV Phonograph. 1 June 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  8. "Failed self-coup attempt: the end of Bleuberrie". The SiV Phonograph. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  9. "Stefanović wins the race". The SiV Phonograph. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  10. "All good things must come to an end". Scânteia. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  11. "Stefanović: the situation in Venezuela is affecting our internal affairs". The SiV Phonograph. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  12. "Left Alliance wins the election". The SiV Phonograph. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  13. "Conservative victory: Rivière to become Enkâkourak". The SiV Phonograph. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  14. "Dreaming big: The Aishayerovê and the beginning of a new era". The SiV Phonograph. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  15. "The eternal laurels, the peculiar Exodus and the Braganza way". The SiV Phonograph. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  16. "Triangle Triceratops Trimester Trivia: Three years of Sabia and Verona". The SiV Phonograph. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  17. 17.0 17.1 "Virny and the Guild take the lead". The SiV Phonograph. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  18. "Risen from ruins: the future of the Juclandian community". The SiV Phonograph. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  19. "GUM accepts Sabia and Verona as full member". The SiV Phonograph. 17 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  20. 20.0 20.1 ""Impossible to manage": Alios-Capital region to split". The SiV Phonograph. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  21. Constitution of the Kingdom of Sabia and Verona, article 42, section a.
  22. Constitution of the Kingdom of Sabia and Verona, article 42, section c.
  23. "Bleuberrie's "top 10 issues to solve"". The SiV Phonograph. 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  24. 24.0 24.1 "Virny: "Economic development is my goal"". The SiV Phonograph. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  25. 25.0 25.1 "Government reveals new currency designs". The SiV Phonograph. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  26. "Economy rises as Lycem exports copper and aluminium". The SiV Phonograph. 22 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  27. "Blackhorse’s cabinet: who is who in the 11th government". The SiV Phonograph. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  28. "About". The SiV Phonograph. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  29. "Starlynn & Bennet to launch Sabian-language news blog". The SiV Phonograph. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  30. "“Disappointed”: Gauvier on “Ashar af qafër”". The SiV Phonograph. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  31. "Parliament approves the creation of new holidays". The SiV Phonograph. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.

External links