The Kingdom has become the organization’s 22nd full member after a low-turnout public vote. Sabia and Verona had been an observer state since January, and applied for full membership after the expiration of its three-month term as observer.
The Constitutional Assembly, which currently holds legislative powers following the dissolution of Parliament as a result of last month’s constitutional referendum, voted in favor of applying for full membership after a prolonged debate between members of the pro-GUM camp, chiefly belonging to the Liberal party, and those of the isolationist camp, mostly members of the Left Alliance. The nationalist Artists’ Guild party, the smallest group in the Assembly, was mostly split on the issue, but ultimately voted in favor of further GUM integration on Saturday the 1st.
Following the vote held yesterday, congratulatory messages were sent to the Sabioveronese delegation to the organization, at the moment composed solely by King Tarik. Despite there being no opposition to the accession of Sabia and Verona as a full member, the turnout was noticeably low, and only five out of the organization’s 21 full members took part in the vote. Inactivity has defined this past week for the GUM, as last Saturday’s Quorum (assembly session) was cancelled due to low attendance. Many delegations announced in advance they would likely not be present for this week’s Quorum due to it coinciding with Easter celebrations held across the Christian world.
Reactions to the vote have been mostly positive. Chief of Government Shounn Virny tweeted (of the accession of the Kingdom to the organization) “A steady step towards intermicronational integration. We love the #GUM!” Liberal leader Andrew Blackhorse also celebrated the move, praising the organization as the “greatest organization in the micronational world at the moment”.
Sabia and Verona will now participate as a full member in the upcoming 24 Hour Quorum, the second of its kind in the organization’s history. The first Quorum to last 24 whole hours was held in August 2012, mere months before Sabia and Verona’s foundation. As in the 2012 event, participants of this year’s Quorum are encouraged to donate to a charity of their preference in celebration of the occasion. While some expected participants have already pledged they will give donations to certain charities, Sabia and Verona is yet to confirm whether or not it will donate anything.
The SiV Phonograph 