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Government of Centralis proclaims success in environmental policy
ABC Headquarters in Terribi, ABC Anchor Richard Baxton.
In a speech before an assembly of her fellow Green Party members, Centralis Minister of the Environment, Natural Resources and Conservation Mai Zuk declared success in a five-year policy initiative to restore the health of the Centralis environment, which had been damaged by excessive pollution following the massive market deregulation that transformed Centralis into an economic powerhouse. The program involved the tightening of restrictions on mining operations and factories, and laws requiring corporations to pay extensive compensation for environmental damage.
Holding up the latest UN report on Centralis, which declared it an "environmentally stunning" nation, Minister Zuk declared to thunderous applause from her audience that "This report has vindicated our long-held position on economic matters and put the lie to statements from both the far right and far left calling environmentalism and capitalism mutually exclusive. Centralis now has a healthier and more beautiful environment than it did even in the days of socialism, and as long as I retain my position, it will stay that way."
Praise for the success of the program could be heard throughout the country, with even the normally anti-Green Centralis Employer's Association graciously conceding defeat and praising the Ministry for "Successfully executing this policy and restoring our environment to beyond it's former health without inducing an economic collapse.", as a CEA spokesman put it. The only significant dissent came from the still-influential mining lobby, which had seen it's profits greatly reduced and it's operations curtailed as a result of the policy. Although there was no official statement issued on the matter, many mining executives expressed disgust at the "Ignorant eco-loonies and their attack on miners." and stated that they would use all means at their disposal to have restrictions lifted.
No official comments have yet been recieved from outside of Centralis.
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