Agenda:
21.08. - Pres. Schmidt arrives, welcoming ceremony at the Presidents residence.
22.08. - City tour with President, visit of Kamenograd Castle
23.08. - Celebration of the Day of the Nation
24.08. - parting ceremony at the PMs residence, President Schmidt departs
21st of August
President Efæn was woken up by the local ambulance and firefighters. His secretary was already up when he went into his office, making himself a coffee.
“Morning Elena!”
“uh Good Morning, uh Mr. President!” She was hired just a couple of weeks ago because his last secretary went into parental leave, so she still called him “Mr. President”. He always wanted his closest colleagues to call him by his first name. “To easen up the atmosphere” he tought himself.
“Call me Gerno, it’s weird when you call me Mr. President.”, he said as he walked towards his office doors, “I might think there is a guest here!”, he shouted.
“A propos guest, when is Schmidt arriving today?”
“He’ll be arriving between noon and one o’clock. Sir.” she said immideately, not even having to check her schedule.
“I have to impress to keep this job.” She thought herself.
“Thank you, and you can drop that “Sir”!” He looked at his watch, it showed a quarter past eight. Elena must have been here since seven.
“They will propably be here soon”, he thought - with they he meant his detail -, and he was right. Just 15 minutes later, the head of his detail knocked on his office door.
“Sir.”, Efæn couldn’t convince him to call him Gerno, “Military” Efæn thought, “Schmidt is arriving at around twelve thirty. We should be there around an 45 minutes to an hour before him. That’s around 11:30 to 11:45. We should get going in around an hour and a half, Sir. Any questions, Sir?”
“No, I got it so far. Do you have a copy of the agenda? Can’t find mine anyomre.”
“Of course, Sir. I will give it to Mrs. Oppen for copying.”
“Thank you Ivan.”
“Sir.” Ivan said an nicked. “I’ll see you then.”
It has been seven years since President Schmidt has been to Eflad the last time. Back in 2015 he was the Gianlucian chancellor and met the Efladian president Timo Fie. The talks could have only been described as respectful yet still distant, as the reigning Technocrats and Liberals alike had still not gotten used to the fact, the incorporation of Atlantis has not been conducted through a referendum, but a simple treaty between the Gianlucian and Atlantic government. Nowadays this problem lies in the past though and other points of debate are in the foreground, when talking about the bilateral relations of Gianatla and Eflad. Namely that Eflad has very close ties to the Sunrise Triad and cold, yet much more existing relations to the USI than Gianatla. Both things are not too good news for Gianatla economically speaking as the competition in certain fields like vehicle manufacturing only grows stronger and thus the battle for being the economic No. 2 in Frastinia next to Besern is increasing in difficulty.
Now Schmidt is not necessarily coming to Eflad to make huge progress in terms of treaties with Eflad though. The relations between all Frastinian nations are still strong and will continue to be, also his new role as President does not give him more than a symbolic role in politics. Chancellor Sanddorn is negotiating the big stuff. This is why he was sitting back, relaxing in his seat on the governmental plane currently traversing the Astro Sea. After another hour it landed. As usual the head of state was greeted with a red carpet and military honours, the soldiers being ready to impress Schmidt with a beautifully played Gianatlan national anthem.