20-Year-Old Australian Man Forms New Country With 400 Citizens On Unclaimed Land

A 20-year-old Australian man has caught the internet's attention after he proclaimed himself president of the self-declared Free Republic of Verdis, a tiny nation nestled in a disputed 125-acre forest along the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia. According to The New York Post, this micronation boasts its flag, cabinet, currency, and nearly 400 citizens, all established after Daniel Jackson discovered the land was unclaimed due to an ongoing border dispute between the two countries.

"Verdis was an idea I had when I was 14. It was just a bit of an experiment at first with a few mates. We have all dreamed of creating something crazy," said Mr Jackson. 

Mr Jackson, a digital designer who creates virtual worlds on Roblox, started building Verdis' government when he was just 18. Notably, the Free Republic of Verdis is situated on a 0.5-square-kilometre forest patch known as "pocket three," a disputed area that neither Croatia nor Serbia claims due to an ongoing border dispute. Mr Jackson declared the independence of the Free Republic of Verdis on May 30, 2019.

"We started making Verdis a reality when I was 18 by forming some laws and a flag. We have now built up a government and have a great cabinet," he said.

Verdis' official languages are English, Croatian, and Serbian, and the nation uses the Euro as its currency. The tiny nation is only accessible by boat from Osijek, Croatia. However, attempts to settle there have faced significant resistance, including an incident in October 2023 when Croatian police detained and deported several settlers, including Mr Jackson, who was also given a lifetime ban from entering Croatia.

"They deported us but couldn't give a reason why. They said we were a threat to homeland security,'' he added.

Mr Jackson now claims to be running a "government in exile" and accuses Croatian authorities of setting up surveillance along Verdis' shoreline to block access from Serbia.

"We have had a lot of problems with the Croatian authorities, but we do want a good relationship with them in the future. They haven't taken to us kindly and have been aggressive," he claimed. 

Mr Jackson now frequently travels to Belgrade, Serbia, where he claims officials have been more receptive to his cause. Despite the ban from Croatia, he continues to advocate for access to Verdis and hopes to return one day. He has stated that if successful, he would step down from his position and call an election, as he's not interested in power.

Each citizen of Verdis receives a passport, though Mr Jackson cautions against attempting to use it for international travel. Nevertheless, some citizens have reportedly used their Verdisian passports to enter other countries. According to Mr Jackson, Verdis is selective about who it admits, prioritising individuals with in-demand skills such as medicine or law enforcement experience due to its small size.

Despite several setbacks, he remains optimistic and believes it's a matter of time before he and his citizens can reclaim the land. He asserts that since Croatia doesn't claim the land, Verdis has a rightful claim to it.