Saltstil Pact

Saltstil Pact Pan Afszaltsil (Vultesian) Pacto de Saltstíl (Spanish)
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Member states   Associate states
Administrative	Saltstil
Largest city	Saltstil
Official languages	Vultesian Spanish Common
Other languages	Freician Hoterallian
Type	Intergovernmental
Membership	8 member states Freice Gavrilia Gran Rugido Hoterallia Riamo Vultesia Wellsenfaile Xzavaria 2 associate states Sorlyset Trident Union
Leaders
• Secretary-General	Dr. Pietr Vælenitt
• Under Secretary for the Oriental Trade Alliance	Mary Gordon
• Under Secretary for the Eastern Energy Partnership	Julio Grimaldo Llarena
• Under Secretary for the Saltstil Defence Pact	Oskar Tsabo
• Under Secretary for the Eastern Benevolent Fund	Ryō Suzuki
Legislature	General Councila Coordination Councilb
Establishment
• Foundation	24 May 2021
Area
• Total	1 km2 (0.39 sq mi)
Population
• 2018 estimate	TBD
• Density	1/km2 (2.6/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	1
• Per capita	1
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	1
• Per capita	1
HDI (2017)	1 very high
Currency	No common currency 8 member states Riamese hull Gavrilian real Rugidoense peso Hoterallian gen File:Layfetian Flag.png Vultesian Diedr Wellsenfailean thuro Xzavarian pearl
Time zone	UTC+3 to +6
Internet TLD	.fa, .gv., .gr, .ho, .lay, .rm, .vul, .wf, .asx
Website portal.pact.saltstil.org
a Composed of the Secretary-General and Under Secretaries. b Composed of heads of state and government from member states.

The Saltstil Pact (Vultesian: Pan Afszaltsil, PA; Spanish: Pacto de Saltstíl, PS) is a regional intergovernmental organisation in Olivacia, Hiraethia, and Meredonne. It was formed to promote military and economic cooperation between member states, growing to encompass a number of subsidiary organisations promoting integration amongst its members. As of 2022, it has ten members, covering an area of TBD km² (TBD sq mi), with an estimated population of TBD.

The Pact is composed of four constituent organisations: the Eastern Energy Partnership, the Eastern Benevolent Fund, the Oriental Trade Alliance, and the Saltstil Defence Pact. Each is governed by its own rules and procedures, led by an Under Secretary appointed by the Secretary-General. Membership of each organ is required as part of Pact membership.

The principal objective of the organisation is to promote regional solidarity and cooperation, particularly in the face of perceived western incursions. As such, it has been criticised as a bastion of eastern nationalism and anti-western sentiment. The Saltstil Pact is largely limited to economic and military affairs. It cannot make binding laws, but rather has the power to enforce regional agreements agreed on by the pact's member states. The organisation defines itself as a "voluntary association" that seeks to encourage increased co-operation amongst eastern nations in the areas of the economy, military, energy, and trade through intergovernmentalism.

History

Deeper integration

Several policymakers and other figures have promoted the idea of deeper integration amongst some or all member states. Freician politician and Mayor of Peka Kana Tenqel has promoted the creation of a "trans-eastern human rights act", and the strengthening of common institutions. Vultesian politicians are the most hostile to deeper integration, emphasising the role of the Pact as an intergovernmental, rather than political, organisation.

Operations

The Saltstil Pact operates military missions in order to promote peace, good government, and good neighbourliness in adjacent states. These are largely done, at the direction of the Coordination Council, in order to protect the security of the Pact and to prevent western states from engaging in peacekeeping operations close to the Pact's borders.

Organisation

The Saltstil Pact is an intergovernmental organisation; the sovereignty of individual member states is not affected by membership. Relations between members are governed by international treaties, which serve as the foundation of the Pact and its activities. The Pact itself has no right to enforce any laws or directions beyond the treaties, which gives the General Council and other institutions of the Pact authority to ensure compliance.

Flag of the Saltstil Pact, flying above Pact Headquarters in Saltstil.

Coordination Council

The Coordination Council is at the apex of the organisation, serving as the main deliberative assembly of the Pact that directs its overall activities. It is composed of the heads of government of all Pact member states. The council chaired by the Princeps of Vultesia (as head of government of the Lead Nation), although this is a largely ceremonial position with no greater powers beyond chairing deliberative sessions. The council meets a minimum of three times a year, where agendas are set and agreed upon, but members may request extraordinary meetings when necessary.

The Coordination Council's meetings are primarily concerned with the annual framework of Pact operations, responding to crises overseas, the admission of new and associate members, and budgetary matters. All decisions require unanimity amongst members. As the pact is intergovernmental, decisions are made through member states rather than through the Pact, and are thus binding on member states as treaty obligations.

General Council

Alongside the Coordination Council is the General Council, which is the principal organisational body of the Pact itself. Its members are the Secretary-General, the Under-Secretaries, and other Pact officials. It oversees the management of the Pact, facilitates cooperation amongst member states through Pact organisations, and directs the activities of Pact organisations and institutions. The Secretary-General of the Saltstil Pact (who is always appointed by the Vultesian government) leads the council, and represents the council (and the Pact) in inter-organisational dialogue.

In matters concerning the Pact, rather than individual member states, the General Council is the most senior body within the organisation, serving as the representative of the entire Pact.

Within the General Council are specialised working groups acting under the authority of an Under-Secretary and composed of relevant ministers from the member states. These are the Trade and Commerce Council, the Funding Council, the Energy Council, and the Defence Council. These councils address issues and formulate policies relating to the Oriental Trade Alliance, the Eastern Benevolent Fund, the Eastern Energy Partnership, and the Saltstil Defence Pact respectively. The General Council, through these specialist agencies, provides technical assistance to member state governments to promote economic development in line with the Saltstil System.

Intergovernmental Tribunal

The Intergovernmental Tribunal (commonly called the Saltstil Tribunal or the Pact Court) is a judicial body with responsibility for interpreting provisions in Pact protocols. Unlike many supranational courts, the Intergovernmental Tribunal is limited in its judicial scope; it may not make rulings that overturn decisions made at a nation-state level, serving instead as a consultative and advisory body to the Coordination Council and the General Council.

Member state governments, the Coordination Council, and the General Council all have the right to consult the tribunal. Consultations are usually made in writing, requesting interpretation of particular points of debate or contention. Tribunal findings are then sent to the Coordination Council, which then may respond by adopting the findings as a resolution of the Council, or overruling the finding. The Tribunal has no power to enforce its findings, and cannot compel member states to align themselves with its decisions.

The Tribunal is composed of judges from each member state.

Institutions

Institutions of the Saltstil Pact

IMAGE	IMAGE	IMAGE	IMAGE
Eastern Energy Partnership	Eastern Benevolent Fund	Oriental Trade Alliance	Saltstil Defence Pact
Based in Saltstil, Vultesia	Based in San Jorge Xayacatlán, Gran Rugido and Orajioe, Hoterallia	Meets in Saltstil, Vultesia and Gavrilopolis Gavrilia	Based in Saltstil, Vultesia
Provides for a reduction in tarrifs and the implementation of preferential treatment to the energy entities and organisations of other member states. It implements common policies and rules aimed at preserving the natural environment of the Pact, including a mandatory budget of 0.8% or more of a member states' GDP to be put to preserving and protecting the environment. This fund is pooled and distributed by the Partnership, organised through the organisations' administrative bodies at a supranational level.	Provides loans and grants to member states for the purpose of pursuing capital projects, development initiatives, and transition to sustainable economic models. It focuses on providing loans to level-up wealth and opportunity across the Pact, targeting less economically-developed regions. It also works, through its outreach programs, with member-state governments to implement economic policies to aid development outside of loans.	Provides for near-complete tariff-free trade in goods between the seven participating member states. The alliance encompasses a number of common rules and policies that reduce obstacles to trade. These include common standards regime and quality assurance processes that provide for imports without customs checks, whilst traders can self-certify compliance with agreed rules of origin. Around 94% of tariffs have been removed through the implementation of the alliance's provisions.	Members of the Pact pledge not to enter into any act of aggression or other form of violence or threatening action towards another member state, with a 'minimal state of Neutrality by all parties' expected in the event that a member enters into conflict with a non-member state. Moreover, member states pool certain defence prerogatives to a Board of Command and a defence committee, which oversees the implementation of defence treaty provisions. Members also agree to come to the aid of any member in the defence of their territorial and political integrity upon their request, operating a system of collective defence where an attack upon one member states is considered an attack upon all members. To provide for mutual defene, a minimum budget of 1.5% of nominal GDP is required to be dedicated to military spending Vultesia, the Lead Nation of the pact, stations military personnel in each of the member states.

Languages

The official languages of the Pact are Vultesian and Spanish. However, meetings of the Pact are often conducted in the Common Language, or alternatively in the native languages of each member state with the accompaniment of translators. Although only two languages are recognised as official, the Pact conducts its business in all member-state languages, particularly in specific member state-Pact dialogue.

Member states

Membership is open to any state in Olivacia, Hiraethia, and Meredonne. Accession to the Saltstil Pact is regulated by the treaties establishing the organisation. Conventionally, aspiring members apply for associate status, providing them with a presence (although no vote nor the receipt of services) in organisational bodies. Applications are made to the Coordination Council, composed of the heads of state and government of member states, with unanimity required in order to approve the accession of a new member state.

Accession is not limited to sovereign states. As of 2022, there is members that are not sovereign but which operate as independent members within the Pact: Freice, which is a Republic and Country of the Riamese Federation. Accession of non-sovereign members requires the approval of their respective sovereign states in addition to unanimity in the Coordination Council.

Gavrilia

Wellsenfaile

Freice

Unhak
Condominium

Hoterallia

Riamo

Sorlyset

The Trident Union

Xzavaria

Zona
Umida

Anáhuac

Vultesia

Member states of the Saltstil Pact (green), associated states (yellow), and the Unhak Condominium (grey).

List of member states

Country	First Joined	Continent	Population	GDP (nominal)	System of government	Notes
Freice	23 June 2021	Olivacia	14,158	32.7 million	Unitary parliamentary democracy	A country of the Riamese Federation, Freice's independence in foreign policy was recognised in 1992. Freice became an independent member state in 2021, previously being represented by the Riamese government.
Gavrilia	2 October 2021	Hiraethia	42,168,486	831.3 million	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Gran Rugido		Olivacia	52,165,016	443.1 billion	Federal presidential constitutional republic
Hoterallia	29 September 2021	Olivacia, Caliandia	75,572,871	3.2 trillion	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Riamo		Hiraethia, Olivacia, Caliandia	138,643,589	3.29 trillion	Federal monarchic republic	Previously represented Freice until 2021.
Vultesia		Hiraethia and Olivacia	87,713,923		Unitary single-party singularist state	Lead Nation of the Pact
Wellsenfaile		Hiraethia
Xzavaria		Hiraethia	43,430,723	253.2 billion

List of associated states

Country	Association agreement signed	Continent	Population	GDP (nominal)	System of government	Notes
The Trident Union	18 April 2022	Meredonne	73,985,934	809 billion	Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic
Sorlyset	25th June 2022	Hiraethia	35,421,254	1.02 trillion	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Principles of the Saltstil System

The Saltstil System relates to the principles underpinning the Saltstil Pact and the relations between its member states. Rather than being an enforceable set of rules, the Saltstil System is a series of values that guide policy-making. Six principles, in particular, underpin the Saltstil System:

1. Non-intervention. Members of the Saltstil Pact agree not to intervene in the internal affairs of another state. This means that members do not, as a rule, provide any oversight or monitoring of elections, the rule of law, or other domestic matters. The role of the pact in this regard is limited to enforcing agreements made through the pact that member states are obliged to follow.
2. Solidarity. The Saltstil Pact affirms its primary objective is protecting and promoting eastern interests, and as such emphasises solidarity and co-operation amongst its members and the wider eastern regions.
3. Intergovernmentalism. Activities at a pact level are conducted through member states rather than through the pact's organs. The Saltstil Pact itself does not have the authority to initiate policies or agreements on its own initiative, but rather operates through its member states.
4. Transparency. The organs of the Saltstil Pact are obligated to record and publish minutes from general meetings, and to make public all funding sources and where funding is directed. Specialised meetings on sensitive subjects (such as defence matters) are, however, kept away from public scrutiny.
5. Unanimity. Most agreements are made through the process of unanimity, requiring all members to agree to a proposal for its provisions to be implemented. Only certain specified areas do not operate under this provision.
6. Peace. The Saltstil Pact declares that it promotes peace and international cooperation, with any belligerent actions being made only in response to, rather than to preempt, aggression. The Saltstil Defence Pact is a fundamental part of this pillar.

See also

• Vultesia

External links

• Official website