A 20-year-old Australian man has gone viral online after declaring himself the president of the self-proclaimed Free Republic of Verdis — a tiny micronation located in a 125-acre disputed forest along the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia.
According to The New York Post, Verdis has its own flag, currency, cabinet, and nearly 400 citizens. It was founded by Daniel Jackson after he discovered the land was unclaimed due to an ongoing border dispute between the two nations.
“Verdis started as an idea when I was 14 — just a fun experiment with a few mates,” said Jackson, a digital designer who creates virtual worlds on Roblox.
By the age of 18, he began formalizing Verdis with laws and a flag, eventually declaring independence on May 30, 2019. The nation sits on a 0.5 sq km area called “pocket three,” which neither country officially claims.
Verdis recognizes English, Croatian, and Serbian as official languages and uses the Euro as its currency. It can only be accessed by boat from Osijek, Croatia. However, attempts to settle there have faced resistance — including an October 2023 incident when Croatian authorities detained Jackson and others, banning him from entering Croatia for life.
Now operating what he calls a “government in exile,” Jackson alleges that Croatian authorities have placed surveillance along Verdis’ shoreline to block access from the Serbian side.
“We’ve had many issues with the Croatian authorities. They’ve been aggressive, but we still hope for a positive relationship in the future,” he added.
Jackson now often travels to Belgrade, Serbia, where he says officials have been more open to his initiative. Despite the lifetime ban from Croatia, he continues pushing for access to Verdis and dreams of returning someday. He insists that if the project succeeds, he will step down and call for democratic elections, as he’s “not in it for power.”
Verdis issues passports to its citizens, though Jackson warns they shouldn’t be used for international travel. Still, some individuals have reportedly used them to cross borders. Citizenship is limited and selective — with a focus on people with skills in medicine, law enforcement, or other essential services.
Despite ongoing challenges, Jackson remains hopeful. He argues that since Croatia does not officially claim the land, Verdis has a legitimate right to exist there. (Agencies)
