WARSINA — The interim chairman of the Inicjaciwa Czywiła, Dr. Żowan Sasomętany, has addressed the Sejm yesterday. He was invited to do so by the bloc of parties who are in favour of the withdrawal of the Republic from Southeast Florida. In a concise speech, which lasted fifteen minutes, Sasomętany warned the MPs for the consequences of a continuous occupation of the Zona, and offered them several alternatives for leaving the region.
"It is clear that we have failed in our approach. We have failed misarably," Sasomętany said. "We were supposed bring peace in Southeast Florida. But is there peace now? Seeing how many people are still being arrested on a daily base, the answer is clearly: no! We were supposed to restore the country's economy. But did we restore anything? Unless we count the immense black market, the country doesn't even have an economy yet! When we arrived in Florida, the country was in ruins. Nowadays, it still is. We haven't rebuilt anything. Our task was to monitor Florida's transformation into a democracy. But all we accomplished successfully is that all Bush statues have been demolished, all streets named after him have been renamed, all his books have been burned, and thousands and thousands of people are in jail. Is that our concept of democracy these days?"
"The Floridians are a proud nation," Sasomętany argued. "but instead of liberating them, we are now trying to colonise them. They should be treated with respect. They suffered a lot under the Bush regime. Why should they suffer under the regime of other overlords now? It is clear that our paternalistic approach hasn't worked out in Florida. We can't save the world with banquets and dinner parties only. That is about the last thing the people in Florida are waiting for."
Sasomętany offered several suggestions for a quick withdrawal off all the Republic's armed forces from Florida. In his opinion, the best solution for Southeast Florida would be if either the League of Nations or a consortium with representatives of the Federated Kingdoms, Ireland, the NAL, France, Louisianne, the Scandinavian Realm and the RTC would temporarily take over the administration. "Our first priority should be free elections in Southeast Florida," Sasomętany said, "and the primary task of the administration will be to monitor them."
"What will happen next won't we for us to decide," he continued. "If it is the will of the Floridians to become part of the NAL, then so be it. If they will prefer to germanise Florida, as Ireland propose, into several smaller statelets, then that must happen. Even if they decide to reelect Jaime Bush or Adolf von Hessler himself as their president, that will be their fullest right and we must respect that, whether we like it or not."
"A very convincing speech," WWPS leader Katarzyna Parydżanka said afterwards. "I don't think the government will listen to him, though. But you never know. Perhaps some members of the ruling bloc will be responsive to the voice of reason after all. Majorities come and go. It won't take that many people to create a breakthrough."
Chancellor Aldendorf was unavailable for comment.