The Leskovac Herald

Scenes in the Senate Chamber last Friday as opposition lawmakers blocked the passage of a key LDP bill in the Senate. PHOTO| ADRIAN KOVACS   By Adrian Kovacs |@AdKovacs  Leskovac, Strazia — In a political twist that stunned lawmakers across the capital, the Eastoria Patriotic Front (EPF), Eastoria National Congress (ENC) and the Eastoria Democratic Alliance (EDA) banded together on Friday to block a key Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) bill in the Senate — forming one of the most unexpected coalitions of the Koenig era.  The bill, introduced by the government earlier this week, sought to fast-track a series of administrative reforms intended to improve “end-of-term continuity” ahead of the January 2026 election. But opposition parties accused the LDP of attempting to push through structural changes without proper debate, triggering a coordinated effort to vote the proposal down.  Senate President Marie Cella (EPF) presided over a tense session that saw...

Technicians conducting preparations for the first 2026 Presidential Election debate to be held on November 28, 2025 at the University of Leskovac auditorium in Leskovac. PHOTO| INEC   By Angelika Hölzl |@AngelikaH Leskovac, Strazia — The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has formally approved the dates and venues for the two nationally televised presidential debates ahead of Eastoria’s 2026 election, setting the stage for what many analysts expect to be the most consequential political face-off in over a decade.  The first debate will take place on November 28th, 2025, at the University of Leskovac, bringing the six contenders together in the nation’s capital. The second will be held on December 15th, 2025, at Belisce University in the Carinthia Region, giving voters outside the capital a chance to witness the candidates in action.  INEC Chairperson Fabian Hofstätter said preparations were “ahead of schedule and designed to guarantee fairnes...

An aerial view of the new Kordava Petroleum Storage Terminal in Drosenberg, Strazia. PHOTO| THEO LANG   By Theo Lang |@TheoLang   Drosenberg, Strazia  —  President Luke Koenig has inaugurated the massive Kordava Petroleum Storage Terminal in Drosenberg, a project many analysts are already calling one of the most important energy-security milestones in Eastoria’s modern history. Managed by the Eastoria National Oil Company (Enoc), the sprawling 34-acre complex sits 57 kilometers east of Leskovac and now serves as the country’s core strategic reserve for both crude and refined petroleum. The numbers are staggering: the terminal can hold 75 million m³ (75 billion liters) of crude oil and 55 million m³ (55 billion liters) of refined petroleum products, for a combined national buffer of 130 million m³. With Eastoria consuming about 4.2 billion liters of petroleum products per month, the new installation alone can sustain the nation’s needs for roughly ...

Clusters of reporters and citizens outside the Parliamentary Building reacting to the breaking news of President Michael Fischer's resignation in August 1988. PHOTO| THE LESKOVAC HERALD ARCHIVE    By Valentin Baier |@Valentin_Br   Leskovac, Strazia — President Michael Fischer’s abrupt resignation in August 1988 marked one of the most dramatic moments in Eastorian political history. For the first time since independence, a sitting president stepped down in disgrace, collapsing under the weight of corruption scandals that engulfed not only his government but also himself. What followed was a turbulent two-year interregnum under Vice President Simon Mair—an administration that promised stability but instead became synonymous with silence, shielding, and political fallout that still echoes through Eastoria’s institutions today. Fischer, elected in 1982 and re-elected in 1986, entered office with a mandate built on economic reform and party unity. But by the ...

 M1A2 Elias Main Battle Tanks conducting a training exercise on the Eastoria Land Forces training field in the Beitbridge Region. PHOTO| JAN SCHNEEBERGER   By Jan Schneeberger |@JanSchneeberger Steinbruck, Diekirch —  Anduril Industries, Eastoria’s leading defense manufacturer based in Steinbruck, Diekirch, has officially launched the M1A2 Elias Main Battle Tank, the next generation of armored warfare for the Eastoria Defense Forces (EDF). The unveiling coincides with a historic €62 billion ($71.5 billion) contract between the company and the Ministry of Defense for 4,500 units to be delivered throughout the 2030s — the largest defense procurement in Eastoria’s history. The first 50 tanks are set for delivery by January 2026. The M1A2 Elias replaces the long-serving M1A1, which has been the backbone of the EDF’s armored divisions since 1992. Designed, engineered, and built domestically, the Elias marks a new era of Eastorian self-reliance and defense inn...

Some of the aircraft belonging to Eastoria Airlines at the airline's apron at the Elias Haider International Airport. PHOTO| LENI KARL    By Jessica Hödl |@JessHödl Leskovac, Strazia —  Eastoria Airlines has announced the completion of a landmark €8.4 billion ($9.6 billion) purchase for twenty new aircraft, marking the most significant fleet expansion in its history. The deal will grow the national carrier’s fleet from fifteen to thirty-five aircraft and support its ambitious plan to expand its route network from thirty-four to fifty-six destinations by 2030, with a strategic focus on Asia and Africa. The new acquisition includes five Boeing 777-8s, six Airbus A321XLRs, four Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and five Boeing 777-300ER freighters. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026 and continue through 2030. All aircraft will operate out of the airline’s main hub, Elias Haider International Airport in Leskovac. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Prof. J...