The Grand Duchy of Erobia, Introduction

 

The Grand Duchy of Erobia, Introduction

 

January 7, 2024

The Grand Duchy of Erobia, is a landlocked country in the Midwest region of North America.  It consists of the former counties of Lee, Des Moines, Van Buren, Henry counties of the former State of Iowa. 

 

Erobia is a grand duchy governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, with Grand Duke Dmitri I as head of state. Although Grand Duke Dmitri is a constitutional monarch, he wields immense political power. Erobia has no official language, however, English is a de facto national language, with the form used in government documents being particularly Erobian in form.  Government support of services is also available in Pennsylvania German  among the Old Order Amish, and also Spanish among Latin American immigrants.  

 

Despite Erobia's independence and separate foreign policy, its defense is the responsibility of the United States. Erobia's borders are open for US citizens but strictly controlled for citizens of other nations.  Citizens of the US are only required to produce a US passport for entry;  however, they have no need of a visa for up to 6 months.  After 6 months, they must apply for either a student visa or a residence permit.  Non-US non-Erobians are required to obtain a visa for visits of any length.  All non-Erobians with an Erobian work permit (which comes with a visa) have right of abode in the Grand Duchy.  No person will qualify for a residence permit without means to support themselves (either a work permit, sufficient funds deposited in an Erobian bank for the duration of their stay, to the amount of 100 US dollars per day, or a qualified, recurrent remittance in their name to an Erobian bank).  Erobian citizenship is granted automatically to a spouse of an Erobian citizen upon marriage;  however, will be forfeit should the marriage last less than 5 years.

 

Erobia has only 2 taxes:  a national sales tax, following the provisions of the Fair Tax (non-Erobians not resident in Erobia are entitled to a 15% rebate of this tax upon exit from Erobia), and a Medicare tax, a 12% tax on all payments (electronic or paper) to Erobian citizens made from anywhere in the world matched by 12% from employers, plus a 1% on any corporate profit produced within the boundaries of the Grand Duchy, a system similar to the British NHS system.  Benefits under the Erobian health system are free at the point of service (with the proviso that a 10% copay billed after service is rendered; this copay is capped at 5000 dollars per year), ONLY for Erobian citizens and permanent residents.   Non-Erobians must carry private medical insurance to receive non-emergency medical services in Erobian medical facilities.

 

In Erobian English, the use of gendered third person pronouns is restricted to situations where the referent's gender is known.  Otherwise the “official” gender neutral pronouns are used as follows “ze”, zes” and “zem” (he/she, his/her, him/her)