Young Man Declares New Country Amid Border Disputes
A young man has proclaimed himself president of a newly formed country, nestled in a disputed area between Croatia and Serbia. This self-proclaimed Republic of Verdis includes around 400 citizens, a flag, ministers, and its own currency.
At just 20 years old, Daniel Jackson established Verdis, which spans roughly half a square kilometer of forest along the Danube River. He stumbled upon this territory, currently unclaimed by adjacent states due to ongoing border conflicts.
“Verdis was an idea I had when I was 14,” Jackson recounted. “It started as a sort of experiment with some friends. We wanted to create something outlandish.”
Jackson officially declared Verdis independent on May 30, 2019, as reported by SWNS. The area, marked on maps as “Pocket Three,” is now recognized as the second smallest country globally, after Vatican City.
At 18, Jackson, along with digital designers from the gaming platform Roblox, began to create a functioning government for Verdis. “We started laying down laws and designing flags at that age,” he explained. “Now we’ve built a real government with a solid structure.”
English, Croatian, and Serbian are the official languages of Verdis, which uses the euro for its currency. Access to the Republic is only available by boat from Osijek, Croatia, but settling there has proven to be quite difficult.
In recent events, Croatian authorities detained Jackson and other settlers in October 2023, subsequently deporting them and issuing a lifetime entry ban for him. “They didn’t explain why they deported us, just that we posed a threat to national security,” he stated.
Now running what he refers to as a “government in exile,” Jackson accuses Croatian officials of monitoring the coastal areas to prevent access from Serbia. “We’ve had many issues with the Croatian government,” he said. “But I still wish to build a positive relationship in the future.”
Despite the ongoing difficulties, Jackson now frequently visits Belgrade, Serbia, where he finds the situation even more challenging. He remains determined to advocate for the right to access Verdis and hopes to one day live there.
“It’s surreal being in a country you created,” he reflected, adding, “If I succeed, I’ll step down and hold an election. I really just want to be a regular citizen. Creating this has been an eye-opening experience.”
What started with just four individuals has grown to over 400 citizens from a pool of more than 15,000 applicants. Though Jackson is cautious about who he lets in, he mentions that some have used their Verdis passports for international travel.
“We’re small, so we must be careful about who becomes a citizen,” Jackson emphasized. He noted their interest in skills like medicine and law enforcement for prospective citizens.
Despite the hurdles, Jackson remains hopeful about the future of Verdis. “We believe we have the right to this land because it’s not claimed by Croatia,” he stated. Jackson, originally from Australia, is determined to turn Verdis from a dream into reality.
“To the casual observer, it may look like just a lot of forests, but when you’re in the country you founded, it feels magical,” he added.
