Almas Josc

His Excellency Almas Josc
6th Premier of the Caropsyne Pontanore
In office 27 February 2019 – 2 March 2020
Preceded by	Goriath Moscana
Succeeded by	Ilmer Yutrias
Foreign Minister
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 March 2020
Member of the Fostana
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 September 2020
Member of the Pontiana
In office 9 April 2015 – 10 September 2020
Constituency	Triana
Personal details
Born	(1971-11-19) November 19, 1971 Triana
Nationality	Caropsyne
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Ludomira
Residence(s)	Triana, Carops
Alma mater	PhD, University of Triana
Profession	Politician, Diplomat

Almas Josc (born 19 November 1971) was the 6th Premier (Pontissiano) of the Caropsyne Pontanore. He is currently both Foreign Minister under Premier Ilmer Yutrias and a member (Pantolaro) of the Fostana.

Early Life

Josc was born 19 November 1971, the youngest of three children to a lower-middle class couple in Triana. He excelled in his primary and secondary education, receiving first honors. Almas met his wife Ludomira during his first year at the University of Triana where both fell in love at first sight, marrying six months later. Josc would eventually obtain his doctorate in international relations in 1996. For the next seven years, he instruct the next generation of diplomats before semi-retiring in 2003. During this period he would maintain regular restaurant review column for Eda Pontanesca earning him a reputation as a harsh critic of the nation's most well-known eateries (he is rumored to still be writing the occasional review for the paper under an alias).

Career in the Diplomatic Service

Following his semi-departure from the University of Triana, Almas decided to join the Pontanore Diplomatic Service to help progress Caropsyne interests far and wide. Under Serenoda, Josc would serve as the Pontanore's Ambassador in Corsimenia and Rygaria before returning to Fornænda in 2010 to take up the position of the Pontanore's official representive at the Council of Nations by appointment of Premier Alza Permentanna. This opportunity gave him the ability to build up an impressive network that would he would stand to benefit from for years to come.

Political Career

Almas decided to leave his posting in 2015 when Permentanna decided to end her tenure as Premier and return to the backbenches of the Pontiana. He would enter politics for himself to continue engaging and questioning foreign policy decisions. Josc would run as an independent and beat both his New Left and Moderate opponents each by ten points, shocking political analysts who had long regarded his district as a safe Moderate seat. Although he was an independent member who would otherwise receive a bad committee assignment, Almas' long track record of diplomacy would earn him a coveted position on the Foreign Relations Select Committee on the recommendation of former Premier Permentanna to the Executive Committee.

As Foreign Minister

Almas Josc was the sixth Premier of the Caropsyne Pontanore, serving for two very tense years that included the birth of the Caropsyne Republic under the ruthless General Pholomir Zarmal, his Damosca, and fellow adherents of Dormondism. Before his election to the Pontiana at the beginning of Goriath Moscana's Government, he served as the Chair of the People's Council of Pontanore Citizens, an advocacy group for Caropsyne values in foreign countries.

Josc's utilized his advocacy skills and built up an impressive diplomatic network both before and during his time in the Pontiana which served him well. He was ultimately responsible for securing the release of Garel-Zarmas Maldrand from Kalikanna, which armed attempts before had become an embarrassment to the Premier. He succeeded Moscana just as the economic recession that had started previously reached its lowest level. To help him, he asked Alza Permentanna to be his Foreign Minister. He made it a priority to get the Pontanore back on the right track economically as quickly as possible but the pain felt by citizens around the world helped fuel the flames of Dormondism in Eccora. Almas would pass sweeping social welfare legislation that helped blunt the worst effects on the most vulnerable. He also dissolved the Cadriana.

But the beginning of the end of his Premiership would come as he asked his Defense Minister, General Darmas Josta, to undertake a massive reorganization of the Pontanore Armed Forces not just by modernizing its weapons and equipment but also purging hidden Dormondists who had managed to survive the crackdown undertaken by Seranoda. This caused a serious rift in the command structure and created an opening for General Pholomir Zarmal to react. Damosca agents were rumored to have been responsible for increasing tensions in Chonoré and several days later, a major assassination attempt upon his life, only to be prevented by the timely arrival of loyal Casmara and Sadriana forces.

Weeks later, General Zarmal gave his now-famous and bigoted Zarma Declaration, creating the Caropsyne Republic. This immediately had an impact on the economic recovery effort and the loss of many Polythian states and the island of Permenta, brought the Pontanore's economy into serious question. After serious deliberation with his wife and priest, he decided he would call for elections. Ilmer Yutrias would succeed him and be left with the tremendous challenge of dealing with the resurgent nationalist movement, a lackluster economy, and a far more hostile world than under Permentanna; all while bringing the Pontanore into the modern world.

Despite not remaining as Premier, Ilmer Yutrias asked him to serve as Foreign Minister, despite the two having dramatically different perspectives on foreign policy as Yutrias had taken a slightly more hawkish position while campaigning, particularly in the week leading up to the vote.