The turbulent international situation had not affected Austria's Near East Development Plan. Iron needed to be hard before it could be forged; otherwise, even if opportunity came knocking, one would be unable to seize it.
The Near East Development Plan had been launched in 1884, and four years had now passed.
Four years was merely a brief interlude for a nation, but for a region, it could bring earth-shaking changes.
Compared with the desolation of four years ago, when the region had just endured the ravages of war, today's Near East had become one vast construction site.
Railways advanced like wandering dragons; small towns rose from the ground one after another; old cities were still being demolished while new ones had already begun to take shape.
In just four short years, Austria had relocated more than three million immigrants to the Near East and brought most of the region under its control.
"The Near East Development Plan is still progressing too slowly. At the current rate, we may not even finish it in another ten years.
"The international situation is growing increasingly tense, and the possibility of war breaking out on the European Continent is rising by the day. We do not have enough time to wait. The government must find a way to accelerate the development of the Near East."
To outsiders, the Near East was advancing at a staggering pace, but in Franz's eyes, it was still far too slow.
Four years had passed, yet the Near East remained one enormous construction site. Aside from a number of small towns, every somewhat larger project was still underway.
The original plan had been to complete the development and reconstruction of the Near East within ten years, but reality had told Franz that this was simply impossible.
Prime Minister Karl