Xanthal to end free trade

[Xanthal]

Xanthalian national news release : 327-3-21 7:91
Distributed internationally in Galactic Standard 327-3-21 9:27
Broadcast by the Xanthalian Ministry of Communications

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In a long-awaited policy decision from the Xanthalian Council, it was decided today that in addition to standing policies preventing the sharing of Xanthalian technology and sensitive data the Socialist Republic will no longer practice free trade. The decision, made 337 to 161 just hours after another narrow vote that broke Xanthalian ties with the Temporal Accord, concluded a historic day of nationalist legislation. The bill passed institutes a 50% tariff on all goods imported into the Socialist Republic with the exceptions of goods "with no domestically available equivalent" and "imported as aid in times of crisis."

Emmit South, Council leader of the Nationalist Collectivization Party, expressed relief at the "shirking of international obligations." Lanalphin Eiko Oishi of the Xanthalian Socialist Party approved of the "endorsement of fair trade that must be in place to protect Xanthalian social policy," but when questioned expressed reservations about the end of the country's Temporal Accord membership, considered a turnaround from early opposition to continued TA participation. Democratic Capitalist leader Innis Meshnom, who along with his party formed the primary oppostion to the discontinuation of free trade, delivered a short statement after the end of today's session expressing dissapointment in the legislature's lack of faith in market economics, something he fears will damage international relations and possibly endanger the Republic's membership in the Extra Solar Union of Systems.

Proponents of the new tariff, which will go into effect at the beginning of next year, project that it will reverse the trade deficit that has persisted for over a decade, almost the entire duration of the modern Republic's existence. At what cost the economic boost, only time will tell for sure. As the political battle over the future of Xanthalian internationalism continues in the Alphin and Council, more and bigger questions will continue to surface; questions that must ultimately be answered not only by the Xanthalian government, but also its sovereign partners.