Cotland
02-03-2007, 19:57
The Storting
Oslo, Norway, Cotland
March 5, 2007 (Monday)
10:54 AM
The meeting hall of the Storting was almost full as the majority of the representatives of the Storting (the Cottish national assembly - legislative branch of government) had decided to attend today's session where one were expected to discuss the reduction in the military as an aftermath of the short war with Spizania where nuclear weapons were employed - the representatives felt that the military was far too great to support economically and politically, and therefore it needed reduction to a more managable level. They planned to cut the Navy significantly along with the Army and the Royal Marines, letting the Air Force and the Home Guard off easily. They were also expecting to discuss the ammendments to the Criminal Code, where the Cabinet wanted to among others abolish some methods of execution and replace them with others, and the reorganization of the prison system. However, they couldn't begin until the President of the Storting, Torbjørn Jagland (AP) (http://epos.stortinget.no/grafikk/personer/TJ.jpg), arrived to declare the Storting to be in session and lead the session. He was supposed to have declared the Storting in session almost an hour ago, but he hadn't arrived yet, though he had left a note that the Vice President of the Storting, Carl I. Hagen (FrP) (http://epos.stortinget.no/grafikk/personer/CIH.jpg) had read aloud to the Storting, informing them that the President had been summoned to the Royal Palace and that the Storting wasn't to start its session until he arrived. So, the representatives waited patiently, taking the opportunity to discuss party politics with each other.
http://reporter.hio.no/05-07/nyhetsukerh05/bilder%20nyhetsuker%20h05/1111/adriankristin.jpg
Eventually, the large double doors opened and the President came into the meeting hall with a sly smile on his lips. He ascended to his seat on top of the podium where the President, Vice President and secretary sat and banged the wooden gavel thrice to get everyone's attention and get the meeting hall into order.
"Ærede representanter. Stortinget er nå i sesjon. Gud signe Kongen." [Honored representatives. The Storting is now in session. God save the King.]
At these traditional words, everyone rose and repeated the last three words, "Gud signe Kongen." [God save the King.], as was the custom.
The Storting was now open for the cases to be heard and discussed, with the President presiding over the whole session. President of the Storting Jagland rose from his seat and pulled out a note from a pocket inside his suit jacket, putting on his glasses before he read from the note in a strong, pleased voice.
"Ærede representanter, før vi begynner med dagens saksliste har jeg en kunngjøring å komme med. Det meldes i dag fra det Kongelige Slott at Hans Majestet Kongen og Hennes Majestet Dronningen venter barn, med forventet termin i slutten av september dette år. Alt står bra til med mor og barn, og svangerskapet forventes å forløpe uten problemer." [Honored representatives, before we begin with today's issues, I have an announcement to make. It is today announced from the Royal Palace that His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen are with child, with the birth expected to take place in the end of september this year. All is well with mother and child, and the pregnancy is expected to take place without difficulty.]
And with that, the cat was out of the bag. The Storting was completely silent as the President put away the note, everyone surprised by the announcement. That silence was quickly replaced with applause though, as the news sunk in. The line of succession was now in the process of being secured, as there was no clear successor should the King die. Now however, the Realm would have a new prince or princess in about six month's time. The announcement was made before the Storting as the rules of the Cottish Constitution dictated, and thus the news was in the press within five minutes as there always was a group of journalists in the spectator benches in the gallery above, listening to the proceedings. True, they were political journalists, but journalists nevertheless. They immediately called in the news and had the press office of the Storting hand over copies of the President's announcement. Within ten minutes, the news hit the international news thanks to the TV2 News Channel, which broadcasted news from and related to the Realm to the world.
In homes and offices throughout the Realm and even outside the Realm, people stopped what they were doing and started watching as the news hit the media. The joyous news was broadcasted by cheerful anchormen and -women, telling the world that yes, the Cottish line of succession was now as good as guaranteed since the Queen was infact pregnant in the first trimester, followed by massive speculations raging from the reasoning for choosing this precise moment to tell the world that they were expecting child, to potential names for the newborn. It was a lot of hype, but it was understandable. For the past seven years, the Cots had gone without knowing whether or not their monarchy would last beyond the reign of the current King and Queen. Now, they were going to get a new addition to the beloved Royal Family. It was a good enough reason to celebrate as any other reason!
Oslo, Norway, Cotland
March 5, 2007 (Monday)
10:54 AM
The meeting hall of the Storting was almost full as the majority of the representatives of the Storting (the Cottish national assembly - legislative branch of government) had decided to attend today's session where one were expected to discuss the reduction in the military as an aftermath of the short war with Spizania where nuclear weapons were employed - the representatives felt that the military was far too great to support economically and politically, and therefore it needed reduction to a more managable level. They planned to cut the Navy significantly along with the Army and the Royal Marines, letting the Air Force and the Home Guard off easily. They were also expecting to discuss the ammendments to the Criminal Code, where the Cabinet wanted to among others abolish some methods of execution and replace them with others, and the reorganization of the prison system. However, they couldn't begin until the President of the Storting, Torbjørn Jagland (AP) (http://epos.stortinget.no/grafikk/personer/TJ.jpg), arrived to declare the Storting to be in session and lead the session. He was supposed to have declared the Storting in session almost an hour ago, but he hadn't arrived yet, though he had left a note that the Vice President of the Storting, Carl I. Hagen (FrP) (http://epos.stortinget.no/grafikk/personer/CIH.jpg) had read aloud to the Storting, informing them that the President had been summoned to the Royal Palace and that the Storting wasn't to start its session until he arrived. So, the representatives waited patiently, taking the opportunity to discuss party politics with each other.
http://reporter.hio.no/05-07/nyhetsukerh05/bilder%20nyhetsuker%20h05/1111/adriankristin.jpg
Eventually, the large double doors opened and the President came into the meeting hall with a sly smile on his lips. He ascended to his seat on top of the podium where the President, Vice President and secretary sat and banged the wooden gavel thrice to get everyone's attention and get the meeting hall into order.
"Ærede representanter. Stortinget er nå i sesjon. Gud signe Kongen." [Honored representatives. The Storting is now in session. God save the King.]
At these traditional words, everyone rose and repeated the last three words, "Gud signe Kongen." [God save the King.], as was the custom.
The Storting was now open for the cases to be heard and discussed, with the President presiding over the whole session. President of the Storting Jagland rose from his seat and pulled out a note from a pocket inside his suit jacket, putting on his glasses before he read from the note in a strong, pleased voice.
"Ærede representanter, før vi begynner med dagens saksliste har jeg en kunngjøring å komme med. Det meldes i dag fra det Kongelige Slott at Hans Majestet Kongen og Hennes Majestet Dronningen venter barn, med forventet termin i slutten av september dette år. Alt står bra til med mor og barn, og svangerskapet forventes å forløpe uten problemer." [Honored representatives, before we begin with today's issues, I have an announcement to make. It is today announced from the Royal Palace that His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen are with child, with the birth expected to take place in the end of september this year. All is well with mother and child, and the pregnancy is expected to take place without difficulty.]
And with that, the cat was out of the bag. The Storting was completely silent as the President put away the note, everyone surprised by the announcement. That silence was quickly replaced with applause though, as the news sunk in. The line of succession was now in the process of being secured, as there was no clear successor should the King die. Now however, the Realm would have a new prince or princess in about six month's time. The announcement was made before the Storting as the rules of the Cottish Constitution dictated, and thus the news was in the press within five minutes as there always was a group of journalists in the spectator benches in the gallery above, listening to the proceedings. True, they were political journalists, but journalists nevertheless. They immediately called in the news and had the press office of the Storting hand over copies of the President's announcement. Within ten minutes, the news hit the international news thanks to the TV2 News Channel, which broadcasted news from and related to the Realm to the world.
In homes and offices throughout the Realm and even outside the Realm, people stopped what they were doing and started watching as the news hit the media. The joyous news was broadcasted by cheerful anchormen and -women, telling the world that yes, the Cottish line of succession was now as good as guaranteed since the Queen was infact pregnant in the first trimester, followed by massive speculations raging from the reasoning for choosing this precise moment to tell the world that they were expecting child, to potential names for the newborn. It was a lot of hype, but it was understandable. For the past seven years, the Cots had gone without knowing whether or not their monarchy would last beyond the reign of the current King and Queen. Now, they were going to get a new addition to the beloved Royal Family. It was a good enough reason to celebrate as any other reason!