Vinix
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| Flag of Vinix | |
| Motto: "Una, Sancta, Catholica et Apostolica!" | |
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| Region | Catholic |
|---|---|
| Capital | City of Vinix |
| Official Language(s) | Vinician |
| Leader | President of the Republic Dr. John Greig Winton |
| Population | about 400 mio. |
| Currency | Vinician Coin |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Vinix, officially the Republic of Vinix (IPA: [ripəblək əv vɪnɪks]) is a country of southwestern Catholic, comprising the Island of Vinix, the Island of Vinicula and the outlying Vinician Islets in the Gulf of Vinix of the Catholic Ocean. It has been in the news in April 2007 because of a surprising attempt to overthrow the government in what was regarded a stabile exemplary democracy. The CSCO, an international conference on stabilty in the Ocean of the Region is to be held this year.
Contents
Country
The Republic of Vinix is a a very large, pleasant, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its compulsory military service. Its compassionate, hard-working, population of about 300 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality and enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.
Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare.
Its capital and largest city is the City of Vinix. Registered in the National Census of April 1st, 2007 was a population of 5,053,607, but due to the widespread religiosity among the population, the birthrate is enormous. Its most famous citizen is multitalented artist Chirhao.
Vinix's national animal is the Vinician Chamois, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Vinician Coin.
Economy
It is difficult to tell where the government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Education, Healthcare, Defence and Social Welfare. The average income tax rate is around astonishing 55% and raises according to income. This has led to some critics to call the government "too left-wing". The private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry, which is known mainly for its religious and liturgical publications, followed by Soda Sales and Automobile Manufacturing. All citizens are organized in unions, what many criticize as "socialism". The Unions are divised after the Sector theory: Extractor's Union - Primary Sector, Manufacturer's Union - Second Sector, Servant's Union - Third Sector, Public Servant's Union, Freelancer's Union and the Catholic Worker's Union.
Government
Vinix is a semi-presidential democracy with a Civil Law system. This means that Dr. John Greig Winton, the current President of the Republic is the head of the state, but shares power with Dr. Richard Edison, Prime Minister and head of government. They represent the Executive Power of the country, while the Legislative is represented by the Parliamant of Vinix, who holds a veto right on the Executive's decisions.
State
Traditionally, Vinix holds a large number of state-owned or state-shared companies to guarantee it's cizizen a decent living standard. These include ares such as Public Broadcasting and Media, the Postal Service and Communications, Public Transportation, Energy and Water, Finances and Health/Sports.
The Social Services of Vinix are very diverse and ensure an almost carefree living. This has often been critized as well as cheered upon as being the beginning of a welfare state. Child Welfare, Domestic Violence, Family Planning, Homosexual, Bisexual and Transgender, as well as Immigrant, Refugee Religious and Spiritual Minorities receive special attention and counseling. The state provides special benefits and social insurances such as Child Benefit and Scholarships, Pension plans, Health and Care Insurance, Compensation and Unemployment Insurance, Liability and Legal Expenses Insurance, Travel and Household Insurance. The Welfare and Income Assistance Program takes care of Income Assistance, Job Training/Placement, Social Housing and Homeless Sheltering, Food Programs and Clothing Recycling, as well as Substance Abuse and Criminal Rehabilitation.
Interior
Interestingly, there is no Fire Department, but a Safety Department instead. This well organized and takes care of all duties concerning citizen's life hinderance in day-to-day living, such as Firefighting, Explosives Rescue&Disposal, Search&Rescue, Mountain Search&Rescue, Urban Search&Rescue, Lost and Found, Emergency Sheltering, Public Utility, Emergency Road Service, Park Rangers, Animal Protection and Welfare, Lifeguards and Maritime S&R, Waste and Recycling Management.
The Police Department has a general police as well as different branches such as Health Inspection, Traffic Police, Family and Public Order, Criminal Police, Customs, Military Police and the Coast Guard.
Vigilance Committees and Volunteer Fire Departments are common, but are looked upon with suspicion.
Military and National Security
Vinix is renowned for its compulsary military service at the age of 18 years. Vinix has three branches of Intelligence: Domestic, Foreign and Military.
Armed Forces
General Military consists of the Vinician Army, current manpower: 400,000 drafted (est.), the Vinician Navy, current manpower: 17,000 enlisted (est.)and the Vinician Air Force, current manpower: 3,000 enlisted (est.), as well as the Vinician Armed Medical Service, current manpower: 50,000 drafted (est.). Territorial Armies consist of the Vinician National Guard, current manpower: 50,000 drafted (est.) and the Vinician Reserve Forces, all males age 18-49: 70,000,000 (est.), total fit for service: 30,000,000 (est.). The Reserve is not an active army but is drafted in the case of big calamity. It relies on the military trainig given in youth as well as military exercices done regularly as well as surprise drafts that generally last merely a few days.
Society and Religion
Religion: Overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. More than 90% of the population consider themselves Roman Catholic, but only about one-third attends mass and takes the sacraments regularly. Yet a much larger number wishes to be baptized, married in the church, and receive last rites.
Church
The Church of Vinix has its See in the Capital of Vinix, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its headed by Cardinal Prof. Immanuel Joseph Gresham SJ
Orders and Organizations
- Augustines, Order of the Hermit Friars of Saint Augustine
- Benedictines, Order of Saint Benedict
- Caritas Vinix
- Carmelites, Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
- Catholic Youth Vinix
- Dominicans, Order of Preachers
- Franciscans, Order of Friars Minor
- Jesuits, Society of Jesus
- Josephians, Congregation of Holy Cross
- Maltese, Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta
- Marianites, Congregation of Holy Cross
- Oblates, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Salesians, Society of St. Francis de Sales
- St. John Ambulance Association of Vinix
- Temple Knights, Poor Fellow-Soldiers of the Temple of Solomon
- Vinicians, Order of Vinix
- Vinician Samaritan-Workers Association
Humanitarian and Political groups, as well as NGO's, are widespread, since Vinicians always love a good election. Among these one can find
- Greenpeace Vinix,
- PETA Vinix,
- World University Service,
- Aerikon Fund for Vinix/Free Vinix,
- Worker's Welfare,
- CARE Vinix,
- World Hunger Relief,
- Lions' Mission,
- Rotary General Help Fund,
- Red Cross Vinix,
- Handicap Vinix,
- Medication for the Third World,
- Médecins Sans Frontières,
- Vinixwatch,
- terre des hommes,
- Vinix Human Rights Watch,
- Amnesty International Vinix,
- TransFair Vinix,
- World Vision Vinix,
- Development Aid Fund for Social Housing and Seddling
Foreign Relations
Vinix is a member of the UN and used to be categorized as 'New York Times Democracy'. A national debate was going on, whether the signing of The Catholic Charter should be held for a referendum, before the current government crisis. Dr. Winston has signed this charter from his exile in unknown whereabouts in Aerikon in May 2007.
National Crisis in April 2007 and International Reactions
After a government overthrow on April 25th, 2007 by a group known only as "The Party", the Republic of Vinix has seen the biggest riots in it's history. The elected government has applied for asylum in The Holy Empire of Aerikon and issued messages appealing to the polulation to maintain law and order and to avoid the outbreak of a civil war. This is a very freightening situation considering that Vinix was a country that was declared a "New York Times Democracy" not more than a week prior to the events. Right-wing activists have been commenting that this situation is the result of a way to handle politics, considered by them to be too liberalistic.
Vinicians were ruled with an iron fist by the dictatorship government for a few weeks, which ensures that no-one outside the party gets too rich. In their personal lives, however, citizens are relatively unoppressed; it remains to be seen whether this is because the new government genuinely cares about its people, or if it hasn't gotten around to stamping out civil rights yet.
The Catholic Empire of Aerikon has demonstrated its desire to help by moving an entire carrier battle group to the Straits of Vinix to secure the zone and ensure the safety of refugees and pilgrims. Aerikon has openly not recognized the 'new government which has surreptitiously taken Totalitarian control of the nation' (Dougan Kellerbee, Minister of Comm. Cath. Emp. of Aerikon) and granted President John Winton safe haven along with Prime Minister Richard Edison and the remaining elements of his cabinet.
Since early May 13th the Banner of the Republic is seen raised on top of the Palace of the Republic, seat of the Vinician Parliament. No official press release has been issued so far, though several prominent persons have critized the government's way to fight terrorism without open public knowledge.
An international Conference on stabilty has been proposed by St. Jerome's Palace, the seat of the government of the Catholic Commonwealth of Osbaltium, on May 19th, shortly after reopening the diplomatic mission in the City of Vinix. All interested parties are invited "including, but not limited to" the Republic of Vinix, the Catholic Empire of Aerikon, representatives from the Catholic Council and the Regional Delegate. The Conference is going to take place at the Osbalite legature in the Vinician capital at an yet unknown date.
