DED and AEGIS Leadership Propose New Eden Defense Fund at Inner Circle War Council

Yulai, Genesis – CONCORD's military leadership submitted proposals for the establishment of a "New Eden Defense Fund" at this morning's meeting of the Inner Circle's War Council. The DED's Star Marshal Kjersidur Elladall and AEGIS Provost Marshal Kasiha Valkanir jointly advocated the measure in response to mounting losses of personnel, materiel, and installations vital to the fight against the Triglavian invasion and other emergent threats to New Eden.

According to the plan outlined by Marshals Elladall and Valkanir, the New Eden Defense Fund would: pay for essential works to improve planetary and station defenses; provide resources for CONCORD defense fleet repairs, replacements and expansion; and fund research into anti-Triglavian and anti-Drifter countermeasures. Key elements of the plan also focus on recruitment drives to make up losses in personnel, a program of enhanced training and augmentation of troops, and funding for personal survival equipment – including highly expensive backup personality recording systems.

Inner Circle delegates received the DED proposals "in grim but attentive silence" according to one aide that spoke to the Scope. Just prior to the defense fund presentation, the meeting had reviewed a digest of losses incurred by CONCORD and core empire forces while fighting Triglavian invasion forces, as well as repelling Drifter, Sansha's Nation and Blood Raider attacks, over the last month.

CONCORD military and security budgets are additionally under great strain due to the costs of supporting capsuleer efforts to repel the Triglavian invasion with loyalty programs and training uptake support using SoCT technology. Star Marshal Elladall is said to have been persuaded of the importance of backing capsuleer defense operations by Provost Marshal Valkanir.

The Inner Circle subsequently voted unanimously to recommend the proposal to the full CONCORD Assembly, with a request that legislation be implemented to fully fund the measures. The CONCORD Assembly is set to begin a special session tonight, and remain in session over the weekend, to debate the options for funding the huge expansion in military spending advocated by the Inner Circle, DED and AEGIS.

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