Volkia: Difference between revisions

Military service is voluntary though conscription can be implemented in times of "national crisis when the voluntary force has been overwhelmed." This is done through the Emergency Conscription System, which provides a list of military aged Volkian males to the Ministry of National Defense. Volkian males are required to register in this system from ages 18 to 26, with penalties for failure to register.

Provinces may freely organize their local governments and ratify their own constitutions so long as they are in line with the requirements of the federal constitution. Each province also owns and maintains their own natural and financial resources, though the federal government does own land and resources in each province; this amount varies across the provinces. Each province has a bicameral legislature, organized in a similar fashion to the federal legislature.

The constitution mandates that the provinces must maintain a representative, republican style of government and obey the constitution. Provinces may not unilaterally secede from the federation and they must remain subordinate to the federal government. Provinces are also forbidden from making war, engaging in their own foreign relations, or printing and issuing currency. Provinces may pass their own laws as long as they do not conflict with a current federal law. If a federal law contradicts a provincial law when it is passed, the federal law supersedes the provincial law. When conflicts arise regarding these situations, provinces have the right to request the Federal Supreme Court to step in.

There is a single territory (''territoriya''), which is located in the country's far north. [[Kurilsk Territory]] is the country's furthest north, least populated, and newest administrative division. It joined the federal republic in 1922 as an unincorporated territory. It has since organized a local government, though federal authorities are responsible for many services. While individuals born in Kurilsk Territory are full Volkian citizens, those who are residents of Kurilsk are not able to vote in the presidential elections.

Roughly 87% of residents have confidence in Volkia's security institutions. The overall crime rate in Volkia is relatively low, though some types of crime are above average for a developed nation, such as {{Wp|homicide}}. Corruption in business and government overall remains low, largely thanks to sweeping reforms passed in the early and mid-1970s following rampant corruption in the 1960s.

Much of Volkia's environment is protected in the form of national parks and nature reserves, and numerous endangered species receive protection from the government under the Protecting Endangered Species Act of 1965. Volkia has received praise in some international studies for its protection of such species and their environment, though it has also received harsh criticism for its over-exploitation of the country's fisheries, as well as extensive gas and oil drilling and mining.

[[File:Korona Symbol.png|thumb|right|150x150px|The [[Volkian korona|korona]] (Ӄ) is the official currency of Volkia.]][[File:Izumrud.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Izumrud is a major shipping port of Volkia.]]Volkia has a {{wp|mixed economy}}, which has resulted in a prosperous capitalist {{wp|welfare state}} with a combination of {{wp|free market}} activity and large state ownership in certain key sectors. This was influenced first by liberal and socialist governments in the late 1920-30s and fully implemented by [[Social Democratic Union|Social Democratic administrations]] starting in 1972. Public healthcare is free and parents receive 40 weeks of paid parental leave. Volkia also guarantees its workers a minimum of 30 days paid vacation (20 paid days off, 10 public holidays). The unemployment rate is 3.4%, with 66% of the population aged 15-74 employed. Nearly 8% of the population aged 18-65 receives a disability pension and 25% of the labor force are employed by the government. The vast majority of workers are unionized, totaling nearly 73% of the labor force in 2020.

All eleven federal holidays are also provincial holidays. A holiday that falls on a weekend is observed on the closest weekday. While the federal government is officially secular, four of the eleven holidays are religious holidays. A Federal Supreme Court ruling allowed the religious holidays to remain federal holidays, noting that these holidays celebrate specific events that also happen to be important to Lunarists. These four religious holidays (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Festivals) have been increasingly celebrated by non-Lunarists, which have become celebrations of Volkian culture.

|Last Friday in April||Presidents Day <br>(День президентов)||Traditionally held on April 29, [[Aleksey Pushkarev]]'s birthday, this holiday honors all of Volkia's presidents. Volkians typically celebrate with parades and barbecues.

|Last Monday in May||{{nowrap|Defenders of the Federation Day}} <br>(День защитника Федерации)||Honors all members of the [[Volkian Defense Forces]]. Wreathes and flowers are laid on veteran graves and special parties and concerts are held for veterans. Firework displays are held in the evening.

|Last Monday in August||Labor Day <br> (День труда)||Honors and celebrates the Volkian labor movement and workers. The date coincides with the 1947 general strike that crippled production nationwide and ultimately led to significant rights for workers.