Zona to be Dissolved, Returned to South Africa

Havilland, WE, Jul 11 · 27 Julin 73 – The Dominion of Zona, formerly an independent nation, and since 2012 a collection of three provinces of Sirocco, is to be dissolved, the Government announced today.

The Zona Act 2019, passed here last night, begins the process by which Zona, comprised of the provinces of Chai, Konson, and Zageta, will be ceded back to the Republic of South Africa. Sirocco will retain the right to reassume sovereignty over its ceded territories in future should the residents of those territories show support for such a move.

The Act comes into force at midnight on July 16 (1 Trinity 74), at which time Zona will return to South African administration.

The citizenship of all Zonians, excepting Nicholas Woode-Smith, will be revoked. Woode-Smith, a formerly prominent member of the micronational community, retains his citizenship “as a gesture of goodwill and appreciation” for “having served the Federal Commonwealth in a capable fashion”. It is understood that Woode-Smith had requested his citizenship be retained.

The Act also specifies the dissolution of Zona’s provincial and local governments and companies and organisations based or operating entirely in Zona. The Zona Act 2012 and the Treaty of Dawn, which set out the terms of Zona’s merger with Sirocco, are to be repealed, while such other elements as the Edallic and Krugarian languages, Zona’s time zone, and Zona Day, will no longer be recognised.

The government will be required to progressively remove Zonian elements from the coat of arms, currency, and other places where Zona is recognised as part of Sirocco, such as the national website and MicroWiki articles.

The Act was introduced in response to Zona’s inactivity over several years, as well as the apparent disinterest of its citizens to maintain it. The Act is the first in a number of reforms the Government has pledged to introduce in the coming months.

The Premier, Mr. Anderson, contacted Mr. Woode-Smith last evening to ask for his approval to dissolve the Dominion. While the Premier retains the right to dissolve provinces as he sees fit, he wished to gain Woode-Smith’s assent to remove the chance of future confusion. The Times has learned that it was Woode-Smith’s belief that Zona had already been dissolved a number of years ago, despite no legislation having been introduced to that effect.

Zona was established as the Zonian Confederacy by Woode-Smith on November 20, 2009 (5 Castle 64). After a brief period as a monarchy, it transitioned to a republic in 2010. The former nation of Rukora was part of the Confederacy between August 19, 2011 (4 Baker 66) and February 18, 2012 (5 Sedan 66).

After a period of Zonian inactivity, Woode-Smith entered discussions in early March 2012 with various nations to propose a merger. Despite the Federated Republics of A1 seeming to be the preferred option, the Zonian Parliament instead voted to join Sirocco. Zona officially joined Sirocco on March 21, 2012 (6 Prime 66).

Zona was involved in a brief war with the micronation of Pyrocardia in early December 2012 (Castle 67), which resulted in a decisive Zonian victory and Pyrocardia’s annexation. Pyrocardia never recognised the annexation, and a second war took place on 14 February 2013 (2 Sedan 67), which resulted in the Siroccan annexation of Lower Felkwood. Pyrocardia became inactive shortly afterward.